How are stirrups spaced along a beam?

• A. More closely near the support and farther apart toward mid-span
• B. Uniform spacing throughout
• C. Only near the supports
• D. No stirrups near supports

Answer: (A)

Stirrups are spaced tighter where the beam experiences the most shear and can be spaced farther apart where shear is less. The strongest shear forces occur near the supports, so placing stirrups more closely together there provides the necessary shear resistance and crack control. As you move toward mid-span, shear decreases, allowing the stirrups to be spaced farther apart without sacrificing safety. This approach efficiently uses steel and maintains ductile performance along the entire beam length. Uniform spacing would not address the higher demand at the supports, and having no stirrups near supports or only near supports would leave critical regions under-reinforced.