Abstract: In order to achieve the rapid damage degree assessment and failure analysis of steel columns under blast loading, a failure criterion was proposed based on the maximum shear resistance of the steel column. Firstly, dynamic responses of steel columns under blast load were analyzed through numerical simulations with shell elements and beam-column fiber elements. And then damage degree assessment and failure analysis of the steel column were carried out and compared regarding to different possible failure criteria, such as the horizontal displacement, the post-blast residual axial load carrying capacity and the maximum shear force of the steel column. Based on the comparison results, the maximum shear resistance based failure criterion was proposed and finally extensively validated. The results show that the proposed failure criterion could accurately predict the shear failure of the steel column under blast load, as well as the decrease of the axial load carrying capacity. Thus, the proposed failure criterion can be used with beam-column fiber element for damage degree assessment and failure analysis of steel columns, which could achieve good and conservative results with high computational efficiency.