• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.2 no.5
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• pp.315-330
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• 2002

This paper proposes a model for analysing the non-linear behaviour of steel concrete composite beams prestressed by external slipping cables, taking into account the deformability of the interface shear connection. By assuming a suitable admissible displacement field for the composite beam, the balance condition is obtained by the virtual work principle. The solution is numerically achieved by approximating the unknown displacement functions as series of shape functions according to the Ritz method. The model is applied to real cases by showing the consequences of different connection levels between the concrete slab and the steel beam. Particular attention is focused on the limited ductility of the shear connection that may be the cause of premature failure of the composite girder.

• International journal of steel structures
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1219-1241
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• 2018

This study aims towards the improvement of a reinforced concrete rigid-frame bridge in an effort to reduce the construction and maintenance costs, and achieve an improved seismic performance. Correspondingly, a new structural rigid connection is proposed for H-shaped steel girders and reinforcing bars at the corner of the rigid-frame structure. Both experiments and numerical analyses were performed. Prototype models were constructed and subjected to static loading tests to reveal their load-carrying capacity and failure mode. Numerical models were then developed using finite elements to evaluate the experimental results. Analyses elicited good agreement between simulation and experimental data and validated the numerical models. Moreover, the validity of the proposed rigid connection was confirmed, and the failure behavior was clarified. Finally, a full-size model of the reinforced concrete rigid-frame bridge with H-shaped steel girders was constructed and subjected to destructive loading tests to evaluate structural integrity of the proposed rigid connection.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.18 no.3E
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• pp.199-205
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• 2006

The composite frame system with reinforced concrete column and steel beam can be improved in its structural efficiency by complementing the shortcomings of the two systems. The system, however, has many inherent problems in practical design and construction process due to the dissimilarities of the materials. Considering these circumstance, this research aims for the development of a composite structural system which connects the steel beams to the R/C columns with higher structural safety and economy. Basically, the proposed connection system is composed of four split tees, structural angles reinforced by a stiffener, high strength steel rods, connecting plates and shear plates. Structural tests have been carried out to investigate the moment transfer mechanism 1Tom the beam flange to steel rods or connecting plates through the structural angle reinforced by a stiffener. The four prototype specimens have been tested until the flange of the beam reached a plastic state. The test results indicated that no distinct material dissimilarities between concrete and steel have been detected for the proposed hybrid beam-column connection system and that the stress transfer through the structural angle between the beam flange and steel rods or connecting plates was very encouraging.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.915-935
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• 2016

Steel systems composed of Reinforced Concrete column to Steel beam connection (RCS) have been raised as a structural system in the past few years. The optimized combination of steel-concrete structural elements has the advantages of both systems. Through beam and through column connections are two main categories in RCS systems. This study includes finite-element analyses of mentioned connection to investigate the seismic performance of RCS connections. The finite element model using ABAQUS software has been verified with experimental results of a through beam type connection tested in Taiwan in 2005. According to verified finite element model a parametric study has been carried out on five RCS frames with different types of lateral restraint system. The main objective of this study is to investigate the forming of plastic hinges, distribution of stresses, ductility and stiffness of these models. The results of current research showed good performance of composite systems including concrete column-steel beam in combination with steel shear wall and bracing system, are very desirable. The results show that the linear stiffness of models with X bracing and steel shear wall increase remarkably and their ultimate strength increase about three times rather than other RCS frames.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.195-211
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• 2014

When strong seismic forces act on reinforced concrete structures, their beam-column connections are very susceptible to damage during the earthquake event. The aim of this numerical work is to evaluate the influence of the internal steel reinforcement array on the nonlinear response of a RC beam-column connection when it is subjected to strong cyclic loading -as a seismic load. For this, two specimens (extracted from an experimental test of 12 RC beam-column connections reported in literature) were modeled in the Finite Element code FEAP considering different stirrup's arrays. In order to evaluate the nonlinear response of the RC beam-column connection, the 2D model takes into account the nonlinear thermodynamic behavior of each component: for concrete, a damage model is used; for steel reinforcement, it is adopted a classical plasticity model; in the case of the steel-concrete bonding, this one is considered perfect without degradation. At the end, we show a comparison between the experimental test's responses and the numerical results, which includes the distribution of shear stresses and damage inside the concrete core of the beam-column connection; in the other hand, the effects on the connection of a low and high state of confinement are analyzed for all cases.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.281-298
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• 2013

Composite special moment frame is one of the systems that are utilized in areas with low to high seismicity to deal with earthquake forces. Composite moment frames are composed of reinforced concrete columns (RC) and steel beams (S); therefore, the connection region is a combination of steel and concrete materials. In current study, a three dimensional finite element model of composite connections is developed. These connections are used in special composite moment frame, between reinforced concrete columns and steel beams (RCS). Finite element model is discussed as a most reliable and low cost method versus experimental procedures. Based on a tested connection model by Cheng and Chen (2005), the finite element model has been developed under cyclic loading and is verified with experimental results. A good agreement between finite element model and experimental results was observed. The connection configuration contains Face Bearing Plates (FBPs), Steel Band Plates (SBPs) enveloping around the RC column just above and below the steel beam. Longitudinal column bars pass through the connection with square ties around them. The finite element model represented a stable response up to the first cycles equal to 4.0% drift, with moderately pinched hysteresis loops and then showed a significant buckling in upper flange of beam, as the in test model.

• Proceedings of the Korea Concrete Institute Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.435-438
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• 2005

The use of new hybrid systems that combine the advantages of steel and reinforced concrete structures has gained popularity. One of these new mixed systems consists of steel beams and reinforced concrete shear wall, which represents a cost- and time-effective type of construction. A number of previous studies have focused on examining the seismic response of steel coupling beams in a hybrid wall system. However, the shear transfer of steel coupling beam-wall connections with panel shear failure has not been thoroughly investigated. The objective of this research was to investigate the seismic performance of steel coupling beamwall connections governed by panel shear failure. To evaluate the contribution of each mechanism, depending upon connection details, an experimental study was carried out The test variables included the reinforcement details that confer a ductile behaviour on the steel coupling beam-wall connection, i.e., the face bearing plates and the horizontal ties in the panel region of steel coupling beam-wall connections. It investigates the seismic behaviour of the steel coupling beams-wall connections in terms of the deformation characteristics. The results and discussion presented in this paper provide background for a companion paper that includes a design model for calculating panel shear strength of the steel coupling beam-wall connections.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.195-216
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• 2016

The dynamic characteristics of continuous steel-concrete composite beams considering the effect of interlayer slip were investigated based on Euler Bernoulli's beam theory. A simplified calculation model was presented, in which the Mode Stiffness Matrix (MSM) was developed. The natural frequencies and modes of partial-interaction composite continuous beams can be calculated accurately and easily by the use of MSM. Proceeding from the present method, the natural frequencies of two-span steel-concrete composite continuous beams with different span-ratios (0.53, 0.73, 0.85, 1) and different shear connection stiffnesses on the interface are calculated. The influence pattern of interfacial stiffness on bending vibration frequency was found. With the decrease of shear connection stiffness on the interface, the flexural vibration frequencies decrease obviously. And the influence on low order modes is more obvious while the reduction degree of high order is more sizeable. The real natural frequencies of partial-interaction continuous beams commonly used could have a 20% to 40% reduction compared with the fully-interaction ones. Furthermore, the reduction-ratios of natural frequencies for different span-ratios two-span composite beams with uniform shear connection stiffnesses are totally the same. The span-ratio mainly impacts on the mode shape. Four kinds of shear connection stiffnesses of steel-concrete composite continuous beams are calculated and compared with the experimental data and the FEM results. The calculated results using the proposed method agree well with the experimental and FEM ones on the low order modes which mainly determine the vibration properties.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.169-185
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• 2010

The present work describes the experimental tests on steel and lightweight concrete composite beams performed at University of Minho, Portugal. The study involves tests on simply supported composite beams of 4.5 m span, with the same geometrical disposition, supports and materials. The geometrical configuration for the cross section and supports is identical for every beam, varying the shear connectors' distribution and the loading conditions. Headed studs are used to provide the connection between the steel profile and the concrete slab. The parameters in study are the stud disposition and the load distribution. The main objective is to describe the composite beams behaviour, focused on its connection, and to analyse the contribution of the different components to the beams load and deformation capacity. All the tests explored the beams maximum load and deformation capacity and different types of failure were observed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.217-232
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• 2019

Modular steel buildings consist of prefabricated room-sized structural units that are manufactured offsite and installed onsite. The inter-module connections must fulfill the assembly construction requirements and soundly transfer the external loads. This work proposes an innovative assembled connection suitable for modular buildings with concrete-filled steel tube columns. The connection uses pretensioned strands and plugin bars to vertically connect the adjacent modular columns. The moment-transferring performance of this inter-module connection was studied through monotonic and cyclic loading tests. The results showed that because of the assembly construction, the connected sections were separated under lateral bending, and the prestressed inter-module connection performed as a weak semirigid connection. The moment strength at the early loading stage originated primarily from the contact bonding mechanism with the infilled concrete, and the postyield strength depended mainly on the tensioned strands. The connection displayed a self-centering-like behavior that the induced deformation was reversed during unloading. The energy dissipation originated primarily from frictional slipping of the plugin bars and steel strands. The moment transferring ability was closely related to the section dimension and the arrangements of the plugin bars and steel strands. A simplified strength calculation and evaluation method was also proposed, and the effectiveness was validated with the test data.