Comparison of Studs and Perfo-Bond Strips on Mechanical Behavior of Composite Girders under Negative Bending

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the influence of different types of shear connectors on mechanical behavior of composite steel and concrete girders under negative bending moment. Two overturned simply supported steel-concrete composite girders with different shear connectors including studs and PBLs （perfo-bond strips） were tested under point load in the mid-span. Based on the experimental observations, a three-dimensional FE （finite element） model capable of analyzing the composite girders subjected to negative bending moment was built. Load and deformation response, concrete initial cracking and composite girder ultimate load bearing capacity, strain development process of reinforcing bars before and after concrete cracking were observed in the test and compared with the numerical values. Results predicted by this modeling method are in good agreement with those obtained from the tests. Furthermore, the %rack closure＂ or ＂through crack＂ load were recorded by π-ganges in the tests and compared with the code-specified ultimate load.

Mechanical Behavior of a Partially Encased Composite Girder with Corrugated Steel Web： Interaction of Shear and Bending

The synergistic use of partially encased concrete and composite girders with corrugated steel webs （CGCSWs） has been proposed to avoid the buckling of corrugated steel webs and compression steel flanges under large combined shear force and bending moment in the hogging area. First, model tests were carried out on two specimens with different shear spans to investigate the mechanical behavior, including the load-carrying capacity, failure modes, flexural and shear stress distribution, and development of concrete cracking. Experimental results show that the interaction of shear force and bending moment causes the failure of specimens. The bending-to-shear ratio does not affect the shear stiffness of a composite girder in the elastic stage when concrete cracking does not exist, but significantly influ- ences the shear stiffness after concrete cracking. In addition, composite sections in the elastic stage sat- isfy the assumption of the plane section under combined shear force and bending moment. However, after concrete cracking in the tension field, the normal stresses of a corrugated web in the tension area become small due to the ＂accordion effect,＂ with almost zero stress at the flat panels but recognizable stress at the inclined panels. Second, three-dimensional finite-element （FE） models considering material and geometric nonlinearity were built and validated by experiments, and parametric analyses were conducted on composite girders with different lengths and heights to determine their load-carrying capacity when subjected to combined loads. Finally, an interaction formula with respect to shear and flexural strength is offered on the basis of experimental and numerical results in order to evaluate the load- carrying capacity of such composite structures, thereby providing a reference for the design of partially encased composite girders with corrugated steel webs （PECGCSWs） under combined flexural and shear loads.

Feasibility of developing composite action between concrete and cold-formed steel beam

Cold-formed steel structures are steel structure products constructed from sheets or coils using cold rolling, press brake or bending brake method. These structures are extensively employed in building construction industry due to their light mass, ductility by economic cold forming operations, favorable strength-to-mass ratio and other factors. The utilization of cold formed steel sections with concrete as composite can hugely reduce the construction cost. However, the use of cold formed steel members in composite concrete beams has been very limited. A comprehensive review of developments in composite beam with cold formed steel sections was introduced. It was revealed that employing cold-formed steel channel section to replace reinforcement bars in conventional reinforced concrete beam results in a significant cost reduction without reducing strength capacity. The use of composite beam consisting of cold-formed steel open or close box and filled concrete could also reduce construction cost. Lighter composite girder for bridges with cold-formed steel of U section was introduced. Moreover, types of shear connectors to provide composite action between cold-formed steel beam and concrete slab were presented. However, further studies to investigate the effects of metal decking on the behavior of composite beam with cold-formed steel section and introduction of ductile shear connectors were recommended.

Identification of Connection Flexibility Effects Based on Load Testing of a Steel-Concrete Bridge

In the case of composite girders, an effective cooperation of both parts of the section is influenced by deformability of connectors. Limited flexural stiffness of welded studs, used commonly in bridge structures, does not provide full interaction of a steel beam and a concrete slab. This changes strain distribution in cross-sections of a composite girder and results in redistribution of internal forces in steel and concrete element. In the paper partial interaction index defined on the basis of a neutral axis position, which can be used for verification of steel-concrete interaction in real bridge structures rather than in specimens is proposed. The range of the index value changes, obtained during load testing of a typical steel-concrete composite beam bridge, is presented. The investigation was carried out on a motorway viaduct, consisting of two parallel structures. During the testing values of strains in girders under static and quasi-static loads were measured. The readings from the gauges were used to determine the index, characterizing composite action of the girders. Results of bridge testing under movable load, changing position along the bridge span is presented and obtained in-situ influence functions of strains and index values are commented in the paper.

A theoretical model for investigating shear lag in composite cable-stayed bridges

The slab of the composite girder is usually very wide in composite cable-stayed bridges,and the main girder has an obvious shear lag.There is an axial force in the main girder due to cable forces,which changes the normal stress distribution of the composite girder and affects the shear lag.To investigate the shear lag in the twin I-shaped composite girder(TICG)of cable-stayed bridges,analytical solutions of TICGs under bending moment and axial force were derived by introducing the additional deflection into the longitudinal displacement function.A shear lag coefficient calculation method of the TICG based on additional deflection was proposed.Experiments with three load cases were conducted to simulate the main girder in cable-stayed bridges.And the stress,deflection,and shear lag coefficient obtained from the theoretical method considering additional deflection(TMAD)were verified by the experimental and finite element results.A generalized verification of a composite girder from existing references was made,indicating that the proposed method could provide more accurate results for the shear lag effect.