Punching shear of slab-column connection in flat plate construction

The flat plate system is currently widely used in construction. It permits architectural flexibility, more clear space, less building height, easier formwork, and shorter construction time. However, there remains the problem of brittle punching failure due to the transfer of shearing forces and unbalanced moments at the flat plate-column connection. It is the purpose of this paper to investigate the effects of various interdependent factors that govern the punching shear resistance and behaviour of the flat plate-column connection, as well as their inclusion in current Codes.