FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF SLAB - COLUMN JOINT UNDER LATERAL LOADING

In flat plates, a brittle punching failure can rise in connections due to poor transfer capacity of shearing forces and unbalanced moments. Once, the punching shear failure occurs, the resistance of the structure is significantly reduced, which causes the separation of the column and slab which leads to collapse of the whole structure. In the present work, analytical investigations are carried out to study the performance of interior slab – column joints of reinforced concrete multi storey buildings. The connection between slab and column is an essential link in the load resisting mechanism of flat plate building. From the literature reviewed it is clear that paucity of information exists in the area of detailing of slab to column joint. Hence an attempt has been made to study the effect of detailing of slab – column joint under lateral loading. In order to study the performance of interior slab–column connection, a multistoried flat plate RC building has been analysed and one of the interior slab – column joints is designed. Seismic analysis is performed using the equivalent lateral force method given in IS 1893(Part 1):2002 [5]. Analytical modelling of the slab– column joint was carried out using finite element software package ANSYS [1]. The model is analysed under axial vertical load and varying lateral load at the top of the column. The critical stress resultants were observed at the slab – column joint.