An-Najah National University

Faculty of Graduate Studies

Structural Engineering Program
Advance topics in civil engineering Course

Composite Beams Design

Tall Buildings

By: Eng.Abdelrahman Alshakhshir

Eng.Abdallah Abu Zaineh

Submitted to: Dr.Mohmmad Samaaneh

Composite Beams
Definition

• A structural member composed of two or more dissimilar materials joined together

to act as a unit in which the resulting system is stronger than the sum of its parts.
• An example in civil structures is the steel-concrete composite beam in which a
steel wide-flange shape (I or W shape) is attached to a concrete floor slab.
 Introduction

• The reason why composite construction

is often so good can be expressed in one
simple way - concrete is good in
compression and steel is good in tension.
• By joining the two materials together
structurally these strengths can be
exploited to result in a highly efficient
and lightweight design.
introduction
• Steel-concrete composite beams have long
been recognized as one the most
economical structural systems for both
multistory steel buildings and steel bridges.
• Buildings and bridges require a floor slab
to provide a surface for occupants and
vehicles, respectively. Concrete is the
material of choice for the slab because its
mass and stiffness can be used to reduce
deflections and vibrations of the floor
system and to provide the required fire
protection.
 Introduction
• Composite construction dominates
the non-residential multi-storey
building sector.

• Its success is due to the strength

and stiffness that can be achieved,
with minimum use of materials.
Advantages
• The reduced self weight of composite elements has a knock-on effect
by reducing the forces in those elements supporting them, including
the foundations.
• Composite systems also offer benefits in terms of speed of
construction.
• The floor depth reductions that can be achieved using composite
construction can also provide significant benefits in terms of the costs
of services and the building envelope.
Advantages of Composite Construction

• It is typical to have a reduced

structural steel frame cost
• Weight of the structural steel frame
may be decreased which may reduce
foundation costs
• Reduced live load deflections
• Shallower beams may be used which
might reduce building height
• Increased span lengths are possible
• Stiffer floors
Disadvantages of Composite Construction

• The additional subcontractor

needed for shear connector
installation will increase field
costs.
• Installation of shear connectors is
another operation to be included
in the schedule.
• A concrete flatwork contractor
who has experience with elevated
composite slabs should be
secured for the job.
 Metal Decking

• Composite decking works together with the concrete fill to make a stiff, light-weight,
economical floor system
• Compare the composite decking (above left), non-composite decking (above center),
and the form decking (above right)
• Composite decking is available in various profiles and thicknesses
Studs
• one of the most important parts of a composite beam are
the fixing points or shear connectors between the two
materials.
• The correct connection of the two parts of the composite
allows the materials to act as a unit and gives the
composite beam its inherent strength.
• These shear connectors are typically studs welded to the
steel beams and set into the concrete slab.
• The number and size of these shear connectors are
carefully calculated as they represent a critical part of the
composites mechanical performance.
 Studs
• One of the advantages of welded studs is that
they are considered to be ductile.
• that means (in the absence of any fatigue
considerations) the shear connection can be
designed using plastic principles because it is
assumed that force can be redistributed
between adjacent studs.
• This greatly simplifies the design process.
• When a beam is designed with full shear
connection it means that sufficient connectors
are present to either fully fail the concrete in
compression, or fully fail the steel section in
tension (whichever is the smaller force).
 Studs
• Reduced numbers of connectors may however be used,
resulting in so called partial shear connection.

• This may happen if the applied loading is at a low enough

level, for example, in the common cases where a beam
design is governed by construction stage or serviceability
considerations. However, codes also specify a certain
minimum degree of connection that is needed to prevent
excessive slip between the steel and concrete, which would
result in failure of the connectors
Installation

• The sheet is laid on top of the beams, and then shear connectors are
fixed to the beams using either a “through-deck welding” process or by
shot firing.
• Once the deck is in place, the concrete is poured on top and reinforcing
bars added. The deck serves to shutter or contain the wet concrete and
also lends strength to the composite once the slab has cured.
 Installation
• A concrete and steel composite beam may use
previously cast concrete slabs or be cast on site.

• Pre-cast slabs are constructed with slots or

pockets in them which accept the fixing studs.
These pockets are then filled up with concrete
when the slab is correctly positioned.

• Fabricating slabs on site is a little more complex

and requires a profiled deck sheet to be laid prior
to pouring the concrete. This deck is typically
light gauge sheet steel featuring different profiles
depending on the application.
 How and why composite construction works

The plastic stress distribution in a typical

downstand beam acting compositely with a
composite slab as shown. The relative
proportions of the steel section and slab mean
that, as is commonly the case, the plastic
neutral axis lies within the concrete. All the
steel is therefore in tension
Types of composite beam

• Downstand beams.

• Long span solutions.

• Shallow floor solutions.

 Downstand Beams

• The most common type of composite beam is one where a composite slab sits on top of
a downstand beam, connected by the use of through deck welded shear studs.
• This form of construction offers a number of advantages - the decking acts as external
reinforcement at the composite stage, and during the construction stage as formwork
and a working platform. It may also provide lateral restraint to the beams during
construction.
• The decking is lifted into place in bundles, which are then distributed across the floor
area by hand. This dramatically reduces the crane lifts when compared with a precast
based alternative.
 Downstand Beams
• Another common type of composite beam is one where, as with a traditional
non-composite steel framed solution, a precast concrete slab sits on top of the
top flange of the steel beam.
• The effective span range for this type of solution is around 6 to 12 m, which
therefore makes it a competitor to a number of concrete flooring options.
• Particular detailing is required for the shear connection when precast units are
used, so that the body of the precast units can be mobilized as part of the
concrete compression flange. See SCI P401 for more information.
Long span solutions
• A number of variations on the idea
of downstand beams are available
to meet long-span needs.

• They provide the opportunity to

achieve longer spans (20 m or more)
than are possible using a 'standard'
solid web, rolled downstand beam.
 Shallow floor solutions
• Shallow floors offer a range of benefits such as
minimizing the overall height of a building for a given
number of floors, or maximizing the number of floors
for a given height of building. Additionally, a flat soffit
is achieved - there are none of the interruptions found
with downstand beams - which gives complete
freedom for the distribution of services below the
floor.
• The shallowness of the floors is achieved by placing
the slabs and beams within the same zone. The floor
slab may be in the form of a precast concrete slab or a
composite slab with metal decking .
 SHORED VERSUS UNSHORED
CONSTRUCTION
• Until the concrete has cured and attained its design
strength, there can be no composite behavior, and the
weight of the slab must be supported by some other
means.
• Once the concrete has cured, composite action is possible,
and all subsequently applied loads will be resisted by the
composite beam.
• If the steel shape is supported at a sufficient number of
points along its length before the slab is placed, the weight
of the wet concrete will be supported by these temporary
shores rather than by the steel. Once the concrete has
cured, the temporary shoring can be removed.

• If shoring is not used, however, the rolled steel shape must

support not only its own weight, but also the weigh of the
slab and its formwork during the curing period.
 Unshored: Before Concrete Cures
• AISC I3.lb requires that when temporary
shoring is not provided, the steel shape
alone must have sufficient strength to
resist all loads applied before the
concrete attains 75%of its strength.
• for the concrete slab may or may not
provide lateral support for the steel
beam.
• If not, the unbraced length Lb must be
taken into account, and lateral-torsional
buckling may control the flexural
strength.
Deflections
• Because of the large moment of inertia of the transformed section,
deflections in composite beams are smaller than in non composite
beams.
• For unshored construction, this larger moment of inertia is available
only after the concrete slab has cured.
• Deflections caused by loads applied before the concrete cures must
be computed with the moment of inertia of the steel shape.
 Elastic Stresses in Composite Beams

• Nonhomogeneous section
• transformed section is employed to “convert” the concrete
into an amount of steel that has the same effect as the concrete.
• cross sections that are plane before bending remaining plane
after bending.
• This procedure requires the strains in the fictitious steel
to be the same as those in the concrete it replaces.
• slab is properly attached to the rolled steel shape.
• This procedure is valid only for a positive bending moment, with
compression at the top, because concrete has negligible tensile strength.
• Refer to example 9.1 /p.597 /Steel Design Fifth Edition by William T Segui
Flexural Strength
• the nominal flexural strength will be reached when the entire steel cross section yields and the concrete
crushes in compression (for positive bending moment).
AISC provision:

• All W, M, and S shapes tabulated in the Manual have compact webs (for flexure) for Fy < 345 MPA, so the
first condition will govern for all composite beams except those with built-up steel shapes.
• distribution corresponding to full tensile yielding of
the steel and partial compression of the concrete,
with the plastic neutral axis (PNA) in the slab
• This condition will usually prevail when there are
enough stud anchors provided to prevent slip
completely—that is, to ensure full composite behavior.

• The concrete stress block extends the full depth of the

slab, and the PNA is in the flange of the steel shape.

• The third case governs only when there are fewer studs than
required for full composite behavior, resulting in partial
composite behavior.

• To determine which of the three cases governs,

compute the compressive resultants the smallest of Refer to example
• 1. AsFy 9.2 /p.602 /Steel
Design Fifth
• 2. 0.85fc Ac
Edition by
• 3. Qn William T Segui
 Qn = total shear strength of the stud anchors
Topics to be considered in Composite beam
design
• Depending on its design, the formwork for the concrete slab may or may not provide lateral support for
the steel beam. If not, the unbraced length Lb must be taken into account, and lateral-torsional
buckling may control the flexural strength.

• Shored and unshored construction

Unshored (common): before curing (construction loads 20 psf)
after curing (composite beam)
shored : only composite beam need to be considered

• Shear Strength : AISC I4.2 conservatively requires that all shear be resisted by the web of the steel
shape

Refer to example 9.3 /p.605 /Steel Design Fifth Edition by William T Segui
Topics to be considered in Composite beam
design
• EFFECTIVE FLANGE WIDTH:
AISC I3.1a requires that the effective width of floor slab on each side of the beam centerline be taken as the
smallest of:
1. one eighth of the span length,
2. one half of the beam center-to-center spacing, or
3. the distance from the beam centerline to the edge of the slab.

• STEEL HEADED STUD ANCHORS:

V is given by the smallest of AsFy, 0.85fcAc, or Qn. If AsFy or 0.85fcAc controls, full composite action will
exist and the number of anchors required between the points of zero moment and maximum moment is
where Qn is the nominal shear strength of one anchor. The N1 anchors should be uniformly spaced within the
length where they are required.

P.161
tensile strength Fu is 65 ksi (448MPa) (AWS, 2008)
Values given by AISC Equation I8-1 are based on experimental studies.
Miscellaneous Requirements for Steel Headed Stud Anchors
The following requirements are from AISC I8.1, I8.2, and I8.2d:
• Maximum diameter = 2.5 × flange thickness of steel shape (unless placed directly over the web)
• Minimum length = 4 × stud diameter
• Minimum longitudinal spacing (center-to-center) = 6 × stud diameter
• Maximum longitudinal spacing (center-to-center) = 8 × slab thickness  36
• Minimum transverse spacing (center-to-center) = 4 × stud diameter
• Minimum concrete cover in the direction perpendicular to the shear force, V, = 1 inch

The AWS Structural Code (AWS, 2008) lists standard stud diameters of 1⁄2, 5⁄8, 3⁄4, 7⁄8, and 1 inch.
Matching these diameters with the minimum lengths prescribed by AISC, we get the common stud sizes
of 1⁄2 × 2, 5⁄8 × 21⁄2, 3⁄4 × 3, 7⁄8 × 31⁄2, and 1 × 4 (but longer studs may be used).
 Design steps
• Assuming that the slab thickness and beam spacing are known. We can take the following steps to complete the
design of an unshored floor system:
1. Compute the moments acting before and after the concrete cures.
2. Select a steel shape for trial.
3. Compare the available strength of the steel shape to the required moment strength acting before the concrete cures.
4. Compute the available strength of the composite section and compare it to the total required moment strength. If the
composite section is inadequate, select another steel shape for trial.
5. Check the shear strength of the steel shape.
6. Design the steel anchors:
a. Compute V, the horizontal shear force at the interface between the concrete and the steel.
b. Divide this force by Qn, the shear capacity of a single stud, to obtain N 1, which, in most cases, is half the total
number of studs required. Using this number of studs will provide full composite behavior. If partial composite action is
desired, the number of studs can be reduced (see Section 9.7/ Steel Design Fifth Edition by William T Segui).
7. Check deflections
• Assuming full composite action and the PNA in the slab (i.e., steel controlling, the most common case for full
composite action), we can write the nominal strength

The stress block depth will generally be very small; consequently, an error in the estimate of a/2 will have only a
slight effect on the estimated value of As. An assumed value of a/2 = 0.5 inch (12.7mm) is suggested.
EXAMPLE
• PDF file
Deflections
• Because of the large moment of inertia of the transformed section, deflections in composite beams are smaller
than in noncomposite beams.
• cures. In positive moment regions, the concrete will be in compression continuously and is subject to a
phenomenon known as creep. Creep is a deformation that takes place under sustained compressive load. After
the initial deformation, additional deformation will take place at a very slow rate over a long period of time.
• Long-term deflection can only be estimated; one technique is to use a reduced area of concrete in the
transformed section so as to obtain a smaller moment of inertia and a larger computed deflection.
• the Specification recommends that the computed transformed moment of inertia be reduced by one of two
methods:
1. Reduce the computed moment of inertia by 25%.
2. Use a lower-bound moment of inertia, ILB, which is a conservative underestimation of the elastic moment of
inertia.

Refer to example 9.7 /p.621 /Steel Design Fifth Edition by William T Segui
 Other topics
• COMPOSITE BEAMS WITH FORMED STEEL DECK :
The attachment of the deck to the beam can be considered to provide
lateral support for the beam before the concrete has cured.

• The design or analysis of composite beams with formed steel deck is

essentially the same as with slabs of uniform thickness, with the following
exceptions:
1. The concrete in the ribs—that is, below the top of the deck—is neglected (deck parallel), but if perpendicular, it
must be included in Ac
2. The shear strength of the studs could be reduced when a deck is used. This will
depend on the placement of the studs in the ribs.
3. Full composite behavior will not usually be possible. (spacing of the studs is limited by the spacing of the ribs, and
the exact number of required studs cannot always be used) (mostly economical alternative).

(for it’s design, refer to Partial Composite Action /p.626 /Steel Design Fifth Edition by William T Segui)
 Other topics
• CONTINUOUS BEAMS:
• required. In the negative moment zones, the concrete slab will be in
tension and therefore ineffective.
• The only type of composite behavior possible is that between the
structural steel beam and the longitudinal reinforcing steel in the
slab. (sufficient number of anchors shall be provided to achieve a
degree of continuity between the steel shape and the reinforcing.)

• The AISC Specification in Section I3.2b offers two

alternatives for negative moment.
1. Rely on the strength of the steel shape only.
2. Use a composite section that consists of the steel shape and the reinforcing steel, subject to the following conditions.

• The additional strength gained from considering composite action for negative moment is relatively small. If the steel
shape alone is relied on to resist the negative moment, cover plates are sometimes added to the beam flanges to increase
the moment strength.
References
• William T. segui, Steel Design.
• Johnson R.P, Composite structures of steel and concrete.
• Nethercot, D. Composite Construction.
• Johnson R.P, Designers' guide to Eurocode 4 Design of Composite
Buildings.