  We exploit the concept of strain-induced band structure engineering in
graphene through the calculation of its electronic properties under uniaxial,
shear, and combined uniaxial-shear deformations. We show that by combining
shear deformations to uniaxial strains it is possible modulate the graphene
energy gap value from zero up to $0.9$ eV. Interestingly enough, the use of a
shear component allows for a gap opening at moderate absolute deformation,
safely smaller than the graphene failure strain.
