Investigations on the punching behaviour of reinforced concrete footings

The punching shear capacity of footings varies significantly for different codes. One reason is that the amount of the soil reaction to be deducted from the punching load differs from one code to another. The aim of the present investigation is to develop a design model for the punching strength of footings taking into account the soil-structure-interaction. The results of five punching tests on reinforced concrete footings supported on soil are presented. The experimental results indicate that the angle of the shear failure plane is steeper than observed in punching tests on flat slabs and the shear slenderness seems to affect the punching shear capacity significantly. Based upon the findings and a test data bank an advanced design model is derived, which is based on the BS 8110-1:1997 provisions.