The susceptibility of reinforced concrete (RC) slabs to punching shear failure is heightened when subjected to close-in explosion loads, leading to a wider range of damage caused by the resultant leakage shock wave through the punching hole. Consequently, it is crucial to analyze the conditions for punching shear failure and the size of the punching hole in RC slabs. This study investigates the punching shear failure of RC slabs under close-in explosions through numerical simulation and theoretical analysis. Initially, a finite element model is developed to examine the distribution of the explosion load on the slab's surface. Subsequently, the critical explosion load for punching shear failure is determined using a damage criterion specific to RC slabs. Additionally, a calculation model based on the twin shear stress yield criterion is established to predict the punching hole's radius. To validate the accuracy of this method, a comparison is conducted with existing test results.
Keywords: explosion load; punching shear failure; reinforced concrete slab; twin shear stress yield criterion.