Novel new reinforcing components for composite beams

Abstract

The shear connector types permitted in Australian Standard, AS 2327.1, exhibit ductile load-slip behavior reaching magnitudes of slip required along typical composite beams at ultimate load. When used in conjunction with the current types of Australian profiled steel sheeting with narrow re-entrant steel ribs, the strength of shear studs is the same as the strength in a solid slab provided the shear connection is detailed in accordance with AS 2327.1. A patented wave-form reinforcing component DECKMESH™ has been developed and is now in use in Australia. It is designed to prevent rib shearing failure from occurring in composite edge beams when profiled steel sheeting is laid transverse to the longitudinal axis of the steel beam. While designed specifically for the Australian types of profiled steel sheeting, tests have shown that its use in slabs incorporating trapezoidal profiled steel sheeting prevents rib shearing failure and results in a ductile load-slip performance rather than the brittle performance observed in tests without this waveform reinforcing component. Another patent-pending type of waveform reinforcement may be required in primary composite beams if the shear connectors are widely spaced along the steel beam. A new patent-pending reinforcing component STUDMESH has been specially developed to overcome problems with designing and detailing Type 2 and 3 shear surfaces. The practice of tying individual transverse bars to other reinforcement in order to reinforce these shear surfaces, even if done reasonably simply, is costly and labor intensive.