Experimental study on the steel-fibre contribution to concrete shear behaviour

•Average strains have been measured by photogrammetry with good accuracy.•SFRC specimens exhibited greater shear stiffness compared to RC.•Shear effectiveness of fibres depends on reinforcement crossing the shear plane.•Numerical modelling of RC and SFRC push-off specimens show good global behaviour. This paper aims at studying the shear contribution of steel fibres in concrete. Ten reinforced concrete (RC) and steel-fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) initially uncracked push-off specimens were tested. Average normal and transverse strains at the vicinity of the shear plane were measured by photogrammetry with good accuracy. Experimental results reveal that constant shear stress flow assumption is adequate. SFRC specimens exhibited greater shear stiffness compared to RC. Moreover, shear effectiveness of fibres after diagonal cracking seems significantly dependent on reinforcement crossing the shear plane. Numerical modelling of RC and SFRC push-off specimens shows good global behaviour.