Interaction between direct shear and flexural responses for blast loaded one-way reinforced concrete slabs using a finite element model

•One dimensional finite element model incorporating direct shear behavior.•Member and direct shear response of RC slabs subjected to blasts.•Parametric study on direct shear PI curves for RC slabs.•Investigation of flexural member behavior on direct shear response.

In this paper, both the moment–curvature flexural behavior and the direct shear behavior are incorporated into a numerically efficient one dimensional finite element model, utilizing Timoshenko Beam Theory, to determine the member and direct shear response of one-way reinforced concrete slabs subjected to blasts. The model is used to undertake a case study to demonstrate the flexural member response behavior during the direct shear response and is then used to carry out a parametric study to better understand the interaction of the flexural member response and the direct shear response. This is done by comparing pressure impulse curves corresponding to direct shear failure for one-way reinforced concrete slabs with varying depth, span and support conditions. The results aim to provide insight to facilitate the development of more accurate simplified methods for determining the direct shear response of blast loaded reinforced concrete members, such as the single degree of freedom method.