The dependence of punching resistance upon the geometry of the failure surface

Abstract

Synopsis Punching tests were made on forty concrete slabs with the distances between loads and supports short enough for the shapes of the failure surfaces to be defined by specimen geometry. The results obtained are used to derive a simple empirical expression for punching strength in terms of the geometry of the failure cone. The empirical expression is shown to be similar to the results of a plastic analysis and the relationship of the results to the design of more normal slabs is discussed briefly.