Performance of Shear Reinforcement against Punching Shear Loads

Abstract

This research targets to maximize the ductility and strength of the reinforced concrete flat slabs. However, to be efficient, the shear reinforcement must be anchored well in the tension and compression zones of the slab. The test results on the slab-column connection models which provided with shear reinforcement are introduced in this study. The benefits of using shear reinforcement are to reduce the slab thickness, and to minimize both the cost and the total weight of the structure. Twelve flat slab specimens have been tested to study the effect of different types of steel RFT on the punching shear of the flat slab. The experimental parameters include no shear reinforcement which study the advantage of using tension RFT ONLY against punching shear, no shear reinforcement which study the advantage of using compression RFT against punching shear, shear RFT (Vertical Stirrups) which study the effect of using shear RFT with constant distribution 0.5d, and a new distribution of shear stirrups which study the effect of using new different width & spacing of vertical stirrups. The twelve specimens were loaded with concentrated load at the mid span until failure. The general behavior of the deformation of the tested slab specimens was examined and recorded (cracking, deflection, and strain in both steel and concrete). A comparison established between the experimental and the numericaltheoretical results obtained from applying the punching shear strength formula given in design codes, and finite element modeling analysis; ABAQUS 2017 software package was used for this analysis. A total of six building codes were examined with regard to their provisions concerning the punching shear. A comparison had been made between the research test results and the codes equations to improve the methods of the analysis about the flat slabs. This study aimed to improve the punching shear capacity of flat slab which leads to more accurate results compared with the codes predictions. To achieve this aim, an experimental and numerical study was carried out for this investigation.