Composite Beams

J Y Richard Liew

Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
National University of Singapore
E1A--05
E1A 05--13, 1 Engineering Drive 2
Singapore 117576
Email:ceeljy@nus.edu.sg

Composite beam

Shear connectors

Concrete slab
C

M
Steel beam

Steel concrete Composite section Bending stress under gravity load

 Composite beams
Combine structural steel and reinforced concrete in a
favourable manner to give higher load-carrying capacity
compared to either material acting alone.

Concrete: strong in compression but weak in tension (tension

resistance is negligible)
Structural steel: excellent in tension but susceptible to buckling
under compression due to slender elements

Steel beams supporting concrete floor slabs can result in greater

load-carrying capacity if both steel beams and concrete are made
to act in a composite manner using shear connectors.

Composite beams

4
 Types of Composite Beams

Composite Slab Precast Concrete Slab

hc

ha

B
Composite beam with solid concrete slab

hc
hs
hp hs
hp

ha
ha

B
Beam span perpendicular to slab span
B
Beam span parallel to slab span

Composite beam with composite slab using profiled steel deckings

 Why Composite?
Composite beam Steel beam without any shear connection

h
h
Steel cross section IPE 400 IPE 550 HE 360 B

Construction height
[mm] 560 710 520

Load capacity 1 1 1

Steel weight 1 1.59 2.14

Construction height 1 1.27 0.93

Stiffness 1 0.72 0.46

Composite action in beams

(Non-composite)
Concrete slab
and steel
section each
bends about
Strain its own neutral
axis.
Free slippage at the concrete-steel interface.

(Full-composite)
Concrete slab
d steel
and t l
section bends
about the
Strain neutral axis of
the combined
Controlled slippage at the concrete-steel interface. section.
 Key issues in design of composite beams

1. Effective width of concrete slab which will act in a

composite
i manner with
i h the
h steell beam
b (i.e.
(i size
i off the
h
concrete flange).

2. Moment capacity of composite section under sagging and

hogging moments.

3. Shear connection between concrete and steel members.

Properties of Concrete
Strength class of concrete
Properties of
concrete C20/25 C25/30 C30/37 C35/45 C40/50 C50/60 C60/75

fck 20 25 30 35 40 50 60

fcu 25 30 37 45 50 60 75

fct 2,2 2,6 2,9 3.2 3,5 4.1 4.4

Ecm 29 30.5 32 33,5 35 37 39

Note: All values in N/mm2, except elastic modulus Ec which is in kN/mm2.

The use of lightweight concrete is permitted by BS EN 1994-1-1 for strength grades LC20/22
to LC60/66. The elastic modulus of lightweight concrete is assumed to vary as (/2400)2,
where  is the dry density in kg/m3.
fck = characteristic cylinder strength
fcu = characteristic cube strength
fct = tensile strength
Ecm = Short term modulus of concrete

f ck
Design strength of concrete f cd  c =1.5 is the partial factor for concrete
c
 BS5950:Part 3 versus EC4

Characteristic Concrete Strength: fck  0.8 fcu

Design concrete strength in BS code:

0.45 fcu
Design concrete strength in BS code:
0.85 f ck
 0.567(0.8 f cu )  0.45 f cu
1.5

Effective Width of Concrete Slab

Allowance is made for the in-plane shear flexibility (shear lag)
of a concrete slab by using the concept of effective width

Mean bending
stress
t in
i Idealized stress
T-beam: concrete slab
beff = L/4, but < bo.
Actual stress
Edge beam:
beff = L/8 + e,

Effective width
e L/8
beff = L/8

bo

Actual width, bo
Elastic, elastic-plastic and plastic stress distributions in
a composite section
Moment capacities according to plastic stress blocks.
Compression
p
Positive Moment  f cd f cd f cd f cd
+ + + yp +
ye
fy

_ _ _ _ Tension
fy fy fy fy

Flange strain  y 

2 y 
5 y 
Moment M = 0.7M +pl 0.8M +pl 0.95M +pl M +pl

=
Moment Resistance in Positive (Sagging) bending

0.85 fcd 0.85 fcd 0.85 fcd

P.N.A z
C
P.N.A
P.N.A

fy fy fy
(a) PNA in slab (b) PNA in steel flange (c) PNA in steel web

fcd = fck/c ; c = 1.5

 be ff be ff

Steel deck ConcreteSlab Concrete Slab

Steel deck

hc hc

hp hp

Parellel Decking
Perpendicular
dicularDDecking

(com pressio n)
0,8 5 f / 
ck c
The compressive resistance of the concrete slab is:
Rc = (0.85 fck/1.5) beff hc = 0.56 fck beff hc R
c
Where:
hc is the depth of the concrete slab above the profiled decking
beff is the effective width of the slab
Rs

The tensile resistance of the steel section is:

Rs = fy Aa fy

(te nsion )

PNA in concrete slab

b eff
Zyp f cd
hc zbeff 0.85fck / c
hp

ha
Rs Rs = fy Aa
fy
Rc = (0.85 fck/c) beff hc

PNA in concrete slab if Rc > Rs c = 1.5

Depth of the plastic neutral axis Z is obtained from force equilibrium:
0 85fck/ c) = (Rs/Rc) hc
z =ffy A/ (beff 0.85f
Moment resistance:
Mpl,Rd = Rs (0.5ha + hc + hp - 0.5 Z)

h R h 
M pl,Rd  Rs  a  hp  hc  s c 
2 Rc 2 
 Plastic Neutral Axis Located in the Flange
of the Steel Beam
Rc > Rw Rw = Rs - 2bf tf fy
b eff
f cd
Rc
hc Z
yp 0.5 (Z+hp)
hp
tf fy fy

tw Rs
ha

fy

Plastic Neutral Axis in the Flange of the Steel Beam

b eff
f cd
hc Rc
Zy p
hp 0.5 (Z+hp)
2fy bf (z-hc-hp)
f y fy

ha Rs
Rs = fy Aa
Rc = (0.85 fck/c) beff hc
f y
bf
PNA in steel flange: Rc > Rw
Find z from force equilibrium Rw = Rs - 2bf tf fy
z = (Rs – Rc )/ (2 fy bf )+ hc + hp
Take moment about Rc
Mpl.Rd = Rs(0.5ha + 0.5hc + hp) - 0.5(Rs – Rc)(z + hp)
ha h 
M p ,Rd  R s  Rc  c  hp  Approximate by taking moment at the top of the
2  2  steel beam ignoring the force 2fy bf (z-hc-hp)
Plastic Neutral Axis in the Web of the Steel Beam
Rc < Rw Rw = Rc - 2bf tf fy

b eff
fcd
hc
hp yp fy

PNA Z

ha
fy fy

fy

Plastic Neutral Axis in the Web of the Steel Beam

b eff
f cd
Rc
hc
hp y fy
2fy p
0.5ha+hp+0.5hc

Z
ha tw fy fy M ap ,Rd

fy
PNA in steel web: Rc < Rw
Equilibrium of forces Mapℓ,Rd = moment resistance of steel section
Z = Rc /(2tw fy)
Moment of about centriodal axis of steel:
Mpℓ,Rd = Mapℓ,Rd + Rc (0.5ha+hp+0.5hc) - 2fy Ztw(0.5Z)
 hc  2hp  ha  Rc2 ha Rw = Rc - 2bf tf fy
M p ,Rd  M ap ,Rd  R c  
 2  Rw 4  twhafy
 Summary
Positive Moment Capacity for Full Composite Action

PNA in concrete flange: Rc > Rs Rc= 0.56fckbeffhc

Rs = Aafy
h R h  Rw = Rs - 2bf tf fy
M pl,Rd  Rs  a  hp  hc  s c 
Rc 2   twhafy
2
M ap ,Rd  Wa f y
PNA in steel flange: Rc > Rw = Moment resistance of steel
section

ha h 
M p ,Rd  R s  Rc  c  hp  Approximate
2 2 
PNA in steel web: Rc < Rw

 h  2hp  ha  Rc2 ha
M p ,Rd  M ap ,Rd  R c  c 
 2  Rw 4

Shear Resistance
BS EN 1993-1-1 Clause 6.2.6(2), the shear
resistance of a web of the steel section is taken as:

fy
Vpℓ,Rd = . Av = 0.58 fy Av
3a

Av is the shear area of the bare steel beam

The applied shear must be VEd < Vpl,Rd

Example 1 –Simply supported composite secondary beam

beff
3m
130 hs = 70mm beams

hp = 60mm 3m
Floor Span
254

6m

S275 Steel Section 254x102x22 UB (Class 1)

Tf = 6.8 ; bf = 101.6; ha = 254; tw=5.7; Aa=28cm2
Metal profile height hp = 60mm, effective slab thickness hs = 70mm
C25/30 Concrete fcd = fck/c = 25/1.5 = 16.7 N/mm2
Beam Span L = 6m
Beam Spacing s = 3m
Determine the moment resistance of the composite section

Bending moment résistance with full shear connection

Effective width of the concrete slab

beff =L/4 = 6/4 = 1.5m (for simply supported beam) < 3m (beam spacing)
Compression resistance of concrete slab is determined from
Rc = hc beff (0.85fcd)
where hc = depth of the concrete slab above the decking
Rc = 70 x1500 x 0.85 x 16.7/1000 = 1490kN
Tensile resistance of steel section
Rs = Aafy= 275x28x102x 10-3/1.0 = 770 kN
Hence PNA in concrete slab since Rc > Rs:

h R h 
M pl,Rd  Rs  a  hp  hc  s c  hc = 70; hp = 60
 2 Rc 2 

M pl,Rd  770 (0.5x254+130-0.5x70 (770/1490))/ 1000 = 184kNm

 Example 2:
Beam
3.0m
Design data:
Grade S275 Universal Beams
Span = 12.0m 3.0m
Spacing of steel beams = 3.0m
C
Concrete
t slab
l b depth
d th = 125mm
125
Concrete Grade = C25/30
12m
Loading
Dead Load = 15.0kN/m
Imposed Load = 16.0kN/m
be = 3m
Bending Moment
(1 35 x15  1.5
wL2 (1.35 1 5 x16) x122
M Ed    797kNm hs
8 8
Effective width of the concrete flange
beff is the lesser of bo = 3.0m
or L/4 = 3.0m

Assuming that the natural axis is in the concrete flange i.e.,

Rc > Rs
h R h 
M pl,Rd  Rs  a  hp  hc  s c  Rs  Aa f y
2 Rc 2 

where hp  0, 0 hc  125mm
0.85 x 25
and Rc   3000  (125) 103  5312kN
1.5
we have  ha Rs 0.125 
M pl,Rd  Rs   0.125   797kNm
2 5312 2 
Trial and error design Procedure:
(1) select a steel section, and find from the section table, Rs
(2) check Rc = 5312kN > Rs
(3) evaluate Mpl,Rd and check it is greater than 797kNm.
Section ha (m) Rs(kN) Mpl,Rd (kNm)
UB406 x 178 x 67 0.4094 2350 709.8
UB406 x 178 x 74 0.4128 2620 787.5
*UB457 x 191 x 74 0.4572 2620 846 > 797kNm

*Workk example:
*W l Select
S l t UB 457 x 191 x 74
Rs = 2620kN < Rc = 5312kN, i.e., neutral axis lies in the slab

 0.4572 2620 0.125 

M pl,Rd  2620s   0.125 
 2 5312 2 

= 846 kNm > 797 kNm OK

Check for High Shear
Note that high shear does not co-exist with maximum moment, therefore moment
reduction is not required.
The design assumes that serviceability criteria do not control and the beam is fully
composite

Shear Connectors
 Design resistance of studs (6.6.3.1)
The design resistance of headed shear studs, PRd , is the smaller of
  d2 
PRd = 0.8f u   / v For failure of stud
 4 
d hsc
0.29 d 2  f ck E cm
PRd = For failure of concrete
v
d =diameter of headed shear studs, 16 mm ≤ d ≤ 25 mm

 h sc  h sc
 = 0.2   1  for 3≤ ≤4
 d  d
h sc
= 1 for >4
d
fu = ultimate tensile strength of the steel (< 500N/mm2)
fck and Ecm are the cylinder strength and mean secant modulus of the concrete
v = 1.25 is the factor of safety

Design resistances PRd (kN) of common stud

shear connectors to BS EN 1994-1-1

Concrete strength (N/mm2)

Stud diameter and height
(mm) C20/25 C25/30 C30/37 C35/45

19 mm dia  100 mm 63 73 81 81

22 mm dia  100 mm 85 98 108 108

16 mm dia  75 mm 45 52 57 57

Design resistance = Characteristic resistance/1.25

For concrete grade greater than C35/45, failure of shear stud is governing
No. of Shear Connectors for Full
Composite

Provided that individual connectors

possess sufficient ductility, the shear
connection as a whole may be
designed assuming all those in a
shear span fail as a group

ns PRd  Smaller ( Rc or Rs )

Number of studs for full composite action

ns = min (Rc or Rs) / PRd

31

Connector design

• Number of studs to be distributed uniformly

between maximum bending moment and zero
moment (between AB or BC)

Q
d
A B C

L/2 L/2 L
Example 3 –Simply supported composite secondary beam
(continue from example 1)
beff
3m
130 hs =70 beams

hp = 60mm
3m
Floor Span
254

6m

S275 Steel Section 254x102x22 UB (Class 1); Depth of profile deck = 60 mm

C25/30 Concrete fck = 25 N/mm2; Slab thickness is 130mm
Composite beam section capacity Mpl,Rd = 184 kNm
Compression resistance of concrete slab is determined from
Rc = hc beff (0.85fcd)
where hc = depth of the concrete slab above the decking = 70mm
Rc = 70x1500x0.85x16.7/1000 = 1490kN
Tensile resistance of steel section
Rs = Aafy= 275x28x102x 10-3/1.0 = 770 kN

Try 19mm x100mm shear stud (assuming decking has no influence on connector
strength).

From the table, the design strength of the stud is

PRd =73kN

No. of connector to achieve full composite

ns = min (Rc or Rs) / PRd

= (770/73) = 10.5

Use 11 studs for half span. Total 22 studs for full span.

Spacing of connector = 3000/11 = 270 mm

Provide 1 connector at spacing of 270mm