This paper presents the results of the finite element analysis of the response of a reinforced concrete waffle slab, on the application of external loads. Effort was made to examine the behaviour at the internal column region of the slab, known to be the zone of concentration of shear forces and bending moments. The waffle slab of this study has a solid region at the column location. The behaviour of the concrete waffle slab was modelled with first order three-dimensional elements, using the ABAQUS system. The results obtained from the analysis were compared with the results from a recently conducted experimental study of the same slab. The results revealed a concentration of normal compressive stresses at the intersection of the rib and solid region, with the ribs being more critical in shear. The trend of radial (orthogonal) stresses being generally higher than their tangential counterparts very near the column (along the centre-line of a slab), and decreasing rapidly to zero as previously observed from tests of solid flat slabs exhibiting punching shear failure, were contrary to the observations of this study. The results of this study showed that the tangential stresses were always higher than the radial stresses at all points within the solid region, with the radial stresses decreasing to a minimum at about 1.0 d from the column face and then increasing to peak values at the intersection of the ribs and the solid region.

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