Effect of reinforced concrete slab on the flexural behavior of composite beam to column joints: Parameter study and evaluation formulae

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive numerical and theoretical investigation into the flexural capacities of composite joints with reinforced concrete (RC) slab. The improved 3D (three-dimensional) numerical models were established by MSC. Marc (2012) and calibrated by the experimental observations presented in the companion paper (Mou et al., 2019a [1]). Supplementary parametric studies were then undertaken to examine the effect of concrete slab, size effect (H), axial-force ratio (n), slab thickness (hs), concrete compressive strength (fc’), and the width-to-thickness ratio of column (D/t) on the flexural capacities of the composite joints. Employing the yield line mechanism theory, a calculation method incorporating the effect of the RC slab for the composite joint was proposed. The proposed formulae were featured with a favorable accuracy and suggested to be applied for the design of composite joints in the steel structural systems.