Considerations for Building Safer Structures with Proven Punching Shear Solutions 

This white paper sets out why punching shear remains one of the most critical considerations in reinforced concrete design, and how clearer guidance, modern reinforcement systems and evolving standards are helping engineers reduce risk and design with greater confidence. 

Punching shear is a sudden and often brittle failure mechanism that can compromise the stability of an entire structure. As slabs become thinner, spans increase and loading intensifies, understanding this behaviour has never been more important. High-profile structural failures across the world demonstrate how easily punching shear can be underestimated, and the significant consequences this can have for safety and performance. 

Developed collaboratively across Leviat’s global teams, this white paper brings together real case studies, decades of testing and the latest developments in standards such as the second generation of Eurocode 2. It offers practical insight into how proven stud rail systems, retrofit solutions and digital design tools can be used to strengthen slab–column connections safely and efficiently. Our aim is to support engineers, designers and contractors with the clarity needed to deliver safer, more resilient and more sustainable concrete structures.