Three‐parameter kinematic theory for shear assessment of reinforced concrete short columns

Abstract This work presents a rational kinematics‐based model for assessing the shear capacity of rectangular reinforced concrete short columns. Due to their high stiffness and brittleness, short columns are particularly vulnerable to seismic forces, often exhibiting critical failures. The proposed model is based on three degrees of freedom and integrates equilibrium equations and constitutive relationships to accurately predict shear strength while maintaining simplicity and a clear physical basis. The model is validated with 47 test specimens and compared to the shear provisions of ASCE41‐17 and Eurocode 8‐3. The results show that the proposed approach reduces the scatter of code‐based strength predictions, providing a refined strategy for evaluating the shear resistance of critical short members. It is also shown that the model captures the effect of governing column properties by explicitly modeling the variation of shear‐resisting mechanisms associated with concrete and reinforcement.