EVALUATION OF SAFETY OF MODELS FOR ASSESSMENT OF THE PUNCHING SHEAR RESISTANCE OF FLAT SLABS WITHOUT SHEAR REINFORCEMENT

Reinforced concrete flat slabs are frequently used structural members in buildings construction. The most dangerous failure of these systems, as well as the most usual damage, is punching of the slab by column. Safety verification and avoidance of failure due to punching in the vicinity of a column is currently performed using empirical model which is introduced in Eurocode 2 (EC2 model). However, extensive discussions are held about safety of the EC2 model. The paper deals with statistical evaluation of EC2 model safety and with its comparison with the other relevant models for assessment of punching resistance (Model Code 2010, CSN 731201, etc.). Database which includes results of more than 400 experimental tests of flat slab specimens has been used for the statistical evaluation