ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: The paper deals with limits concerning the maximum punching shear capacity of flat slabs with shear reinforcement. The limits are mostly defined as kmax multiple of punching shear resistance without transverse reinforcement, with value of kmax ranging between 1.4 and 2.0. The second possible limit is determined by the capacity of concrete struts at the column periphery. Results of experimental tests are presented in the paper that were focused on the above mentioned limits, whether failure of the struts can precede any other form of punching failure that is limited by kmax∗VRd,c. The experiment has shown that limits based only on the kmax factors may overestimate actual maximum punching resistances of flat slabs with transverse reinforcement.
