What is Punching Shear?

Punching shear is a type of failure of reinforced concrete slabs subjected to high localized forces. In flat slab structures
this occurs at column support points. The failure is due to shear. This type of failure is catastrophic because no visible signs
are shown prior to failure.

Punching Shear in Flat Slabs

A typical flat plate punching shear failure is characterized by the slab failing at the intersection point of the column. This
results in the column breaking through the portion of the surrounding slab. This type of failure is one of the most critical
problems to consider when determining the thickness of flat plates at the column-slab intersection.

General Mechanism of Failure

Conventional wisdom does not apply when considering the mechanism of a punching shear failure; in a slab system with
a concentrated load or at a slab column connection, the loaded area is not actually pushed through the slab as shown
in Fig. Punching shear failures arise from the formation of diagonal tension cracks around the loaded area, which result in
a conical failure surface as illustrated in Fig.

Misconception of Punching Shear Failure

Correct Representation of Punching Shear Failure

Punching shear is a phenomenon in flat slabs caused by concentrated support reactions inducing a cone shaped
perforation starting from the top surface of the slab. Although generally preceded by flexural failure, punching shear is a
brittle failure mode and the risk of progressive collapse requires a higher safety class in structural design.
Punching Shear Design

The design to prevent punching shear failure proceeds as:

1. Check if the concrete is strong enough alone

2. If not, check if the amount of reinforcement is reasonable

3. Design reinforcement if reasonable, if not, change form of structure.

4. Deepening the slab

5. making the column larger,

6. introducing drop panels or column capitals.

There is also the possibility to adapt foreign codes of practice which are more liberal

The reinforcement put in is usually vertical and traverses the potential failure line. Of course, we don’t know where
the failure plane might be, so we must reinforce each possible failure plane.

Punching shear can be prevented by increasing the depth of the concrete floor slabs, or by increasing the diameter of
the columns supporting the floor.

Provide adequate punching shear strength

Avoid openings in the critical shear perimeter

Provide special reinforcements