Fracture mechanics approach for failure of concrete shear key: Verification

The objective of this paper is to verify a mechanical model for the failure of plain or fiber-reinforced concrete shear key joints through the comparison of the model's prediction with both experimental measurements and finite element method (FEM) analysis results. In the comparison with experimental results, both entire load-displacement relations and the maximum shear stress or the shear strength of shear keys are considered. The comparison with nonlinear FEM analysis results is also carried out in terms of the load-displacement relations to supplement the assessment of the mechanical model's validity. The model is found in good agreement with both experiments and FEM analysis, indicating that it can be used as a reliable tool for predicting the response of shear key joints.