J. Construct. Steel Res. Vol. 46. Nos. 1-3, pp.

218, paper number 123, 1998

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Design of Asymmetric ‘Slimflor’ Beams

R.M. Lawson, D.L. Mullett and J.W. Raclcham

The Steel Construction Institute, Silwood Park, Ascot SL5 7QN, UK

Paper Number 123

Full paper on enclosed CD-ROM

Slim floor construction provides a steel floor system of minimum depth, which
competes directly with reinforced concrete flat slabs in the span range of 5
to 8 m. The ‘Slimdek’ system has been developed as a variant of slim floor
construction, which comprises a rolled Asymmetric ‘Slimflor’ Beam (ASB)
and a deep composite slab comprising the new SD 225 deck profile. The
ASB offers further economy and achieves improved composite action with
the concrete encasement by a raised rib pattern rolled into the top flange.
Full scale load tests have been carried out using these new ASB sections
in order to assess the degree of composite action that can be utilised at the
serviceability and ultimate limit states. The beams were also subject to
repeated loading in order to thoroughly demonstrate the robustness of the
shear-bond action between the steel and concrete.
The tests showed that virtually full shear connection could be achieved with
the concrete encasement. For design purposes, the shear bond strength is taken
as 0.6 N/mm2 acting around the top flange and web of the ASB. In one test,
load was applied through the slab in order to cause transverse bending and
cracking of the slab. This effect did not cause any reduction in the bending
resistance of the beam. The presence of large openings in the web of the ASB
caused a 12 to 15% reduction in the bending resistance and stiffness of the
composite section. A simplified formula for the influence of openings is
proposed.
Two full-scale fire tests have shown that the beams can achieve 60 minutes
fire resistance without protection, and the composite slab can achieve up to
120 minutes fire resistance by the provision of additional reinforcing bars in
the ribs. 0 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. ALErights reserved

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