Enter the concrete compressive strength, width of the beam, and effective depth into the calculator to determine the concrete shear capacity.

Concrete Shear Capacity Calculator

Enter f’c, web width and effective depth — get Vc for a reinforced-concrete beam (ACI 0.17·λ·√f’c·bw·d).

Capacity (Vc)
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Concrete Shear Capacity Formula

The following formula is used to calculate the concrete shear capacity for a given set of parameters.

V_c = 0.17 \sqrt{f_{c'}} b d

Variables:

  • Vc is the concrete shear capacity in kN
  • fc’ is the concrete compressive strength in MPa
  • b is the width of the beam in mm
  • d is the effective depth of the beam in mm

To calculate the concrete shear capacity, multiply 0.17 by the square root of the concrete compressive strength, then multiply by the width of the beam and the effective depth.

What is Concrete Shear Capacity?

Concrete shear capacity refers to the maximum shear force that a concrete beam can resist before failing. It is a critical parameter in the design of reinforced concrete structures, ensuring that the beam can safely carry the applied loads without experiencing shear failure. The shear capacity depends on factors such as the concrete compressive strength, the width of the beam, and the effective depth of the beam.

How to Calculate Concrete Shear Capacity?

The following steps outline how to calculate the Concrete Shear Capacity.


  1. First, determine the concrete compressive strength (fc’) in MPa.
  2. Next, measure the width of the beam (b) in mm.
  3. Then, measure the effective depth of the beam (d) in mm.
  4. Finally, calculate the concrete shear capacity using the formula Vc = 0.17 √fc’ b d.
  5. After inserting the values and calculating the result, check your answer with the calculator above.

Example Problem : 

Use the following variables as an example problem to test your knowledge.

Concrete compressive strength (fc’) = 25 MPa

Width of the beam (b) = 300 mm

Effective depth (d) = 500 mm