Numerical Study on the Influence of Web Opening Location on Shear Strength of Reinforced Concrete (R.C) Deep Beams for Square Opening

Abstract

The presence of web openings in reinforced concrete deep beams is often unavoidable due to service ducts and utility provisions; however, such discontinuities may significantly alter the internal load transfer mechanism. This study investigates the influence of opening location on the ultimate load capacity of reinforced concrete deep beams containing square openings using nonlinear finite element tool ANSYS. A series of beam models with varying normalized opening positions along the span were analyzed to evaluate their structural response. The numerical results indicate that beam strength is strongly dependent on the interaction between the opening and the diagonal compression strut responsible for shear transfer. Openings located near the support region exhibited comparatively higher load capacities, suggesting minimal disturbance to the principal stress trajectory. As the opening moved toward the central shear zone, a progressive reduction in ultimate load was observed, with the lowest strength recorded when the opening intersected the dominant strut path. The findings highlight that the position of the opening significantly influences the structural performance of deep beams and should be carefully considered in design. The study provides numerical insight into optimal opening placement for minimizing strength degradation in practical structural applications.