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In order to investigate the effect of the service shear load at the time of strengthening a thick slab using bonded transverse reinforcing bars, an experimental study has been carried out. Five (5) beams representing slices of a thick slab were tested to induce different shear load levels in the beams at the time of strengthening then loaded up to shear failure. Tests were conducted on a slab without shear reinforcement and the others on slabs strengthened at two different load levels at the time of strengthening. The added shear reinforcement was distributed according to two different longitudinal spacings. The results show that, even in the presence of usual service loads, the shear strengthening of thick slabs with bonded bars offers a considerable increase in shear capacity compared to a thick slab without shear reinforcement.