Abstract
The design and construction of civil engineering structures take into great consideration the sensitivity of such structures in the event of local failures. Flat slab structural systems are very prone to progressive collapse after the failure of a connection or column. Hence, to improve their robustness the introduction of integrity reinforcement is recommended in Eurocode 2, ACI 318-11 and Model Code 2010. However, very little investigation has been carried out on the asymmetric post-punching response of these connections or the actual contribution of designed integrity reinforcement to robustness at a system level. Presented in this paper, is a numeric approach developed for modelling the response of isolated RC flat slab test specimens using the finite element (FE) software LS-DYNA. This is in view of their incorporation into system models for both quasi-static and dynamic assessments of robustness in flat slab structures. Quarter FE models of four symmetric isolated RC flat slab specimens with experimental responses available in literature were developed. These quarter FE models were analysed numerically using a quasi-static displacement controlled approach and their flexural, punching shear and post-punching shear responses observed. A sensitivity analysis was carried out to obtain the optimum element characteristics for punching shear strength as well as other response criteria. Half asymmetric F.E models of two slab specimens were also developed and analysed. These provided the asymmetric punching and post-punching shear response of the slab specimens, assuming the loss of an interior column. Results of quarter symmetric FE models gave accurate predictions of slab load-deformation responses, punching and post-punching shear strengths. Maximum percentage differences of 2% and 3% were obtained when comparing test and FE results of symmetric slab specimens for peak punching and post-punching shear strengths respectively. Asymmetric FE models gave post-punching shear strengths lower than values obtained from tests on symmetric specimens. Robustness of flat slab structures after the loss of an internal column could be significantly overestimated where models adopted do not take into consideration such reductions in post punching shear strength. The results presented validate the use of this FE approach on LS-DYNA to predict the response of concrete flat slab connections.