Deconstructable timber-concrete composite beams with panelised slabs: Finite element analysis

Abstract

This paper deals with the development of efficient and accurate numerical models for the analysis of deconstructable timber-concrete composite (TCC) beams with panelised reinforced concrete (RC) slabs. Three different methods, viz. analytical, 1D frame finite element (FE) and 2D continuum-based FE models, are proposed and validated against experimentally measured data from 4-point bending tests conducted on TCC beams with precast panels. It is shown that the analytical model is the most efficient, whereas the 2D continuum-based model is the most accurate among the three different methods considered. In addition, a parametric study is carried out using 2D FE models to assess various aspects of the TCC system and to evaluate the influence of precast panelised RC slabs on the structural response of TCC beams. Lastly, the challenges of the practical FE modelling of deconstructable TCC beams are briefly discussed and accordingly, some guidance on the FE analysis of TCC beams with panelised RC slabs is provided.