Numerical analysis of steel–concrete composite beams with partial interaction: A plastic-hinge approach

• Published in: Engineering structures Vol. 248; p. 113256
• Main Authors: Lemes, Ígor J.M., Dias, Luís E.S., Silveira, Ricardo A.M., Silva, Amilton R., Carvalho, Tawany A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2021; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Axial forces; Composite beams; Composite materials; Concrete slabs; Constitutive relationships; Degree of composite action; Displacement; Locking; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Numerical analysis; Numerical models; Partial shear connection; Plastic-hinge approach; Steel; Steel–concrete composite beam; Steel–concrete composite beam; Degree of composite action; Partial shear connection; Plastic-hinge approach
• ISSN: 0141-0296; 1873-7323
• DOI: 10.1016/j.engstruct.2021.113256

A two-dimensional displacement-based formulation with a plastic-hinge approach for the numerical analysis of composite beams with partial shear connection is presented here. The co-rotational approach is applied in the numerical model to allow large displacements and rotations. The axial and transverse displacement functions are defined to avoid locking problems. The simulation of the materials and shear connection nonlinear behaviors are approached via the strain compatibility method (SCM), where the constitutive relations are explicitly used. The slip in the steel section–concrete slab interface is considered by the axial force decomposition in the cross-section level by the degree of composite action, without introducing degrees of freedom in the finite element. The numerical proposal of the present work is tested by simulating steel–concrete composite beams and comparing the obtained results with the experimental and numerical data already known. This formulation is verified as numerically stable and without locking phenomena, and good convergence with literature results was obtained. However, more refined finite element (FE) meshes are needed. •A co-rotational approach is coupled to the strain compatibility method (SCM).•A plastic hinge approach for composite beams is proposed.•SCM is utilized to assess the cross-sectional stiffness.•Four examples are presented to validate the proposed formulation.•The performed analyses demonstrated a strong sensitivity to the finite element mesh.