Abstract
This paper reports on punching shear behavior of reinforced concrete panels, investigated experimentally and through finite element simulation. The aim of the study was to examine the punching shear of high strength concrete panels incorporating different types of aggregate and silica fume, in order to assess the validity of the existing code models with respect to the role of compressive and tensile strength of high strength concrete. The variables in concrete mix design include three types of coarse aggregates and three water-cementitious ratios, and ten-percent replacement of silica fume. The experimental results were compared with the results produced by empirical prediction equations of a number of widely used codes of practice. The prediction of the punching shear capacity of high strength concrete using the equations listed in this study, pointed to a potential unsafe design in some of them. This may be a reflection of the overestimation of the contribution of compressive strength and the negligence of the role of flexural reinforcement. The overall findings clearly indicated that the extrapolation of the relationships that were developed for normal strength concrete are not valid for high strength concrete within the scope of this study and that finite element simulation can provide a better alternative to empirical code Equations.