Sleeve Device For Increasing Shear Capacity

A sleeve device for increasing shear capacity of a reinforced concrete slab, said sleeve device comprising:

• a hollow member positioned on and fastened to a bottom formwork defining said reinforced concrete slab, said hollow member comprising an inner space configured to create a void in said reinforced concrete slab by pouring of concrete around an outer wall of said hollow member;
• bent headed studs connected to opposing sides of said hollow member, wherein a first of said bent headed studs is connected to an upper portion of said hollow member and oriented in a downward direction, and wherein a second of said bent headed studs is connected to a lower portion of said hollow member and oriented in an upward direction;
• and
• bent stud heads operably coupled to distal ends of said bent headed studs and embedded in said reinforced concrete slab, said bent stud heads configured to transfer shear forces through an interaction between said bent stud heads and said concrete surrounding said bent headed studs, wherein when said shear forces are transferred across said sleeve device, said sleeve device increases said shear capacity in said reinforced concrete slab and compensates for a loss of said shear capacity in said reinforced concrete slab.

A method for increasing shear capacity of a reinforced concrete slab, said method comprising:

• providing a sleeve device comprising:
• a hollow member comprising an inner space;
• stud members connected to opposing sides of said hollow member, wherein a first of said stud members is connected to an upper portion of said hollow member and oriented in a downward direction, and wherein a second of said stud members is connected to a lower portion of said hollow member and oriented in an upward direction;
• and
• head members operably coupled to distal ends of said stud members and embedded in said reinforced concrete slab;
• positioning and fastened said sleeve device to a bottom formwork defining said reinforced concrete slab;
• creating a void in said reinforced concrete slab using said hollow member of said sleeve device by pouring concrete around an outer wall of said hollow member;
• transferring shear forces from within said reinforced concrete slab to a first of said head members on one of said opposing sides of said hollow member through an internal bearing stress at said first of said head members;
• transferring said internal bearing stress from said first of said head members to said first of said stud members as a tension;
• transferring said tension from said first of said stud members through said hollow member to said second of said stud members on another of said opposing sides of said hollow member;
• transferring said tension from said second of said stud members to a second of said head members;
• and
• transferring said shear forces to one of a reinforced concrete column, a slab, and a support through an internal bearing stress at said second of said head members,
• after receiving said transferred tension in said second of said head members, wherein when said shear forces are transferred across said sleeve device, said sleeve device increases said shear capacity in said reinforced concrete slab and compensates for a loss of said shear capacity in said reinforced concrete slab.