Numerical Study on the Behavior and Bearing Mechanism of Flat Slabs in Column Loss Events

This study investigates the behavior and the load-bearing mechanism of a typical flat slab with rectangular panels in several scenarios including the removal of a corner, penultimate, and internal columns. The scenarios are rather similar to those used in the conventional evaluation of the progressive collapse potential; however, application of the uniformly distributed loading over panels adjacent to the removed columns was not limited to twice the value of the initial load. Thus, load-deflection curves were drawn up to the point in which a great number of longitudinal slab bars ruptured. Introducing 5 stages on each curve, finite element outputs on concrete cracking pattern and rebar stress state were presented. A significant increase in the stresses along the diagonals of the slab panels accompanied by bar ruptures around columns adjacent to the removed column proved contribution of an important load-bearing mechanism in addition to the behavior called “quasiframe action.” Consecutive rupture of bars showed formation of a zipper-type collapse mode as well as a great tendency to transfer load share of missing column mainly along shorter direction of slab panels. Moreover, the findings indicated that the slab damaged zone could exceed the panels under uniform overloading.

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