Stirrups are rings made out of steel reinforcement bars. Stirrups go around the reinforcement in a beam. Stirrups are used for the following reasons 

1. To tie the reinforcement bars to each other forming a cage. 

2. Resisting the shear stresses in a beam. 

3. Containing the concrete within the beam acting as a containment reinforcement. 

The spacing of stirrups depends on the shear stress in the beam. The shear in the beam is greater near the support and least in the center of the beam. Hence stirrups are closely spaced near the support to resist the shear and widely spaced in the center of the beam. 

When seen with the shear force diagram it becomes clear that shear force is maximum near the support and goes on reducing to zero at mid span. This co relates with the spacing of stirrups as shown in the diagram above. Stirrups are essential components of reinforced concrete beams playing a critical role in resisting shear forces, preventing diagonal cracks and ensuring structural stability. Proper design and placement of stirrups are vital to the safety and durability of the structure. They help prevent brittle shear failures, maintain the integrity of concrete and provide confinement to the longitudinal reinforcement. 

Design and Placement of Stirrups in a beam 

Spacing - The spacing of stirrups depends on beams load , span and shear requirement's. 

Shape - Stirrups can be shaped as closed loops , U shaped or a combination of both. 

Types of Stirrups 

Simple Stirrups - These are basic closed loops that go around the beam. 

Cranked or bent stirrups - These are bent at certain angles to provide additional shear strength 

Watch our video on 'Steel Reinforcement used in RCC' 

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Ar. Neil Kolhatkar (Director)
Architect , Project Manager , Interior design Consultant