Investigation of Slab-Column Connection by Finite Element Analysis

Abstract

In the flat slab-on-column construction, high transverse stresses are concentrated at the slab-column connection, which lead to a non-ductile, sudden failure and results in the accidental collapse of flat slab buildings. The major parameters affecting the slab-column connection are the concrete strength, slab thickness, slab reinforcement and aspect ratio of column. The application of numerical analysis methods based on the finite element theory for solving practical tasks allow to perform virtual testing of structures and explore their behavior under load and other effects in different conditions taking into account the elastic and plastic behavior of materials, appearance and development of cracks and other damages (disintegrations), and finally to simulate the failure mechanism and its consequences. In this study, the models are developed to carry out the finite element analysis of slab-column connection by varying the slab thickness and slab confining reinforcement and to investigate their effect on the deflection and load carrying capacity. The finite element analysis results indicate that by increasing the slab thickness, the deflection and the load carrying capacity of slab-column connection increases, more over, by increasing the slab confining reinforcement, the deflection decreases where as the load carrying capacity increases.