Automated parametric analysis of punching shear in reinforced concrete slabs

Abstract

 One of the critical structural failures in buildings is the 
phenomenon of punching shear in the slab-column connection. 
In this paper, a nonlinear numerical model for studying this 
phenomenon in reinforced concrete slabs is presented. The 
model is based on FEM and developed in ABAQUS. The ultimate 
goal is to prepare a simulation tool to study existing slabs, 
assess their punching strength and design a reinforcement if 
necessary. The study also concerns new constructions, where 
geometry and ratios could be optimised. For that reason, the 
automation of routines in Python code has been carried out in 
order to improve the efficiency in the creation of a variety of 
numerical models.