Numerical Prediction Of The Concentrated Load-Bearing Capacity Of 400 Mm Deep Hollow Core Floor

In a particular case of a hollow core floor subjected to a concentrated load, individual units forming the floor cooperate when loaded vertically due to the presence of cast in-situ joints. This phenomenon is studied numerically on a 400 mm floor which was investigated in a full scale experiment in Fin-land. Having obtained good fit with experimental data a parametric non-linear finite element analysis of the failure load is performed with various load locations. The analysis evidence that the capacity of a floor depends largely on the local effects in individual webs or flanges. It is therefore reasonable to limit the load values by local capacity criterions mentioned by EN 1168, which can however underes-timate the actual peak load value and do not take into account the effect of floors span. While peak loads obtained in the slender floor were lower than in the case of the stiffer floor, the redistribution obtained in the slender floor was significantly higher