Parametric Finite Element Analyses of Lightweight Cold‐formed Steel‐concrete Composite Floor Beams

Abstract

AbstractComposite structural systems have many benefits, such as a high degree of prefabrication, reusability and long span capability. The main advantage of such systems is manifested through the optimal utilisation of structural steel and concrete. Additionally, allowing for demountability and reusability, the system can also result in a much smaller carbon footprint at the end of life. These advantages are particularly emphasised with the implementation of cold‐formed steel sections. This paper presents an innovative solution for a composite floor structure system consisting of built‐up cold‐formed profiles and concrete slabs made with profiled sheets. The influence of the corrugated web thickness, type of connection between steel beam elements, the degree of shear connection and steel beam height on the overall behaviour of the composite system is analysed. The performed FE analyses showed that the influence of connections between steel beam elements and the degree of shear connection had the most significant impact on system behaviour. In contrast, the steel beam height, the corrugated web thickness and spot weld density had less influence on the analysed composite system behaviour. The obtained results provide the basis for implementing laboratory research on the proposed system.