Seismic Response of Slab Column Connection with Pyramid Shaped Drop Panel

Both experimental and finite element analysis (FEA) was used to study the seismic response of reinforced concrete (RC) interior slab-column connection made with pyramid-shaped drop panel subjected to vertical and horizontal loads. The dimensions of the models at “¼ ” linear scale for laboratory testing and FE Analysis (FEA) are derived from rules for dimensions of column drops, given a prototype “9.60m” grid and a slab thickness of “320mm”. Lab specimens were tested with the drops (flat slab, rectangular and pyramid-shaped) facing up, with loadings (vertical down and horizontal in grid direction) applied by jacks towards the top of a central projecting “150mm” square column. One flat slab (“80mm” thick no drop), tested to failure under vertical load (80kN), provided values for setting variables used in the FEA. The remaining 5 lab specimens (1 flat and 1 each rectangular and pyramid-shaped 40mm and 30mm drop thicknesses), under a fixed vertical load (40kN), were tested to failure by increasing a moment at the column slab junction applied by a horizontal load to the column “500mm” above the slab. FEA results for the same conditions compared closely with experimental results. The pyr