Composite Beam

A structural member composed of two or more dissimilar materials joined together to act as a unit in
which the resulting system is stronger than the sum of its parts. An example in civil structures is the
steel-concrete composite beam in which a steel wide-flange shape (I or W shape) is attached to a
concrete floor slab.

The many other kinds of composite beam include steel-wood, wood-concrete, and plastic-concrete or
advanced composite materials–concrete. Composite beams as defined here are different from beams
made from fiber-reinforced polymeric materials.

There are two main benefits of composite action in structural members. First, by rigidly joining the two
parts together, the resulting system is stronger than the sum of its parts. Second, composite action can
better utilize the properties of each constituent material. In steel-concrete composite beams, for
example, the concrete is assumed to take most or all of the compression while the steel takes all the
tension.

Steel-concrete composite beams have long been recognized as one the most economical structural
systems for both multistory steel buildings and steel bridges. Buildings and bridges require a floor slab to
provide a surface for occupants and vehicles, respectively. Concrete is the material of choice for the slab
because its mass and stiffness can be used to reduce deflections and vibrations of the floor system and
to provide the required fire protection. The supporting system underneath the slab, however, is often
steel because it offers superior strength-weight and stiffness-weight ratio, ease of handling, and rapid
construction cycles. Since both the steel and concrete are already present in the structures, it is logical
to connect them together to better utilize their strength and stiffness.

Joining two dissimilar materials to form a composite does not only combine the collective strengths of
the two materials. Forming a union between relevant materials actually enhances their physical
characteristics and makes the composite stronger than the sum of their strengths. In large scale
construction, steel and concrete are most frequently used combinations for composite beams. The
concrete lends the composite mass, stiffness, and compressive strength and reduces deflection and
vibration in the slab. The steel members give the beam its tensile strength with excellent strength to
weight ratios and rapid construction times.

one of the most important parts of a composite beam are the fixing points or shear connectors between
the two materials. The correct connection of the two parts of the composite allows the materials to act
as a unit and gives the composite beam its inherent strength. These shear connectors are typically studs
welded to the steel beams and set into the concrete slab. The number and size of these shear
connectors are carefully calculated as they represent a critical part of the composites mechanical
performance.

A concrete and steel composite beam may use previously cast concrete slabs or be cast on site. Pre-cast
slabs are constructed with slots or pockets in them which accept the fixing studs. These pockets are then
filled up with concrete when the slab is correctly positioned. Fabricating slabs on site is a little more
complex and requires a profiled deck sheet to be laid prior to pouring the concrete. This deck is typically
light gauge sheet steel featuring different profiles depending on the application.

The sheet is laid on top of the beams, and then shear connectors are fixed to the beams using either a
“through-deck welding” process or by shot firing. Once the deck is in place, the concrete is poured on
top and reinforcing bars added. The deck serves to shutter or contain the wet concrete and also lends
strength to the composite once the slab has cured.

Several other composite beam types are used in smaller scale construction. These include timber beams
which support lightweight concrete strips used as floor slabs in many timber homes. Concrete filled resin
composite boxes are often used in the construction of bridges. They are strong, quick to fabricate, and
relatively light weight requiring a minimum of heavy machinery to put in place. Although very different
in the materials used, these structural elements all make use of the same principle of shared strengths
as the more traditional steel and concrete beams.

How and why composite construction works

The plastic stress distribution in a typical downstand beam acting compositely with a composite slab is
shown. The relative proportions of the steel section and slab mean that, as is commonly the case, the
plastic neutral axis lies within the concrete. All the steel is therefore in tension.

Concrete is a material that works well in compression but has negligible resistance in tension. Hence for
structural purposes it traditionally relies on steel reinforcement to carry any tensile forces (this is the
role played by the steel part of a composite cross section, which is effectively external reinforcement),
or must be pre-stressed so that even when subject to tension, an element is in net compression.
For the concrete part (within the so-called effective width) of a cross section to carry compression, and
the steel part to carry tension, the two materials must be structurally tied together. For downstand
beams this is achieved using headed shear studs, which are attached to the upper flange of the steel
beam. This attachment is normally achieved with so-called through deck welding. The profiled metal
decking that forms the basis of the composite slabs is sandwiched between the base of the stud and the
top flange, and the welding process joins all three together. The presence of galvanizing on the decking
does not affect weld quality.

In exceptional circumstances through deck welding is avoided by using single span lengths of decking
(which butt up to rows of studs welded directly to the top flange in the fabrication shop), or cutting
holes in the decking so that it can be dropped over the shop welded studs.

Other forms of shear connection are available, including larger diameter studs and shot-fired
connectors, but for buildings by far the most common option is 19 mm diameter headed studs. Their
resistance according to BS EN 1994[4], when used with transverse decking is less than the resistance
given in BS 5950-3-1[1]. Also, BS EN 1994[4] states that not more than two studs can be used per trough
when the decking runs transverse to the beam axis.

One of the advantages of welded studs is that they are considered to be ductile, which means that (in
the absence of any fatigue considerations) the shear connection can be designed using plastic principles
because it is assumed that force can be redistributed between adjacent studs. This greatly simplifies the
design process.

When a beam is designed with full shear connection it means that sufficient connectors are present to
either fully fail the concrete in compression, or fully fail the steel section in tension (whichever is the
smaller force). Reduced numbers of connectors may however be used, resulting in so called partial shear
connection. This may happen if the applied loading is at a low enough level, for example, in the common
cases where a beam design is governed by construction stage or serviceability considerations. However,
codes also specify a certain minimum degree of connection that is needed to prevent excessive slip
between the steel and concrete, which would result in failure of the connectors.

The benefit of joining the steel and concrete together structurally is to increase the resistance of the
steel beam alone; typically this will be by around a factor of two. The stiffness may increase by up to a
factor of three. The relative benefits decrease with span, as the size of the steel beam increases relative
to the size of the slab.
The components of a composite beam are as described above, but the same principles apply to
composite slabs and composite columns. A slab uses profiled steel decking in place of a steel section,
and force is transferred via embossments and certain aspects of the deck geometry (rather than discrete
shear studs). A composite column may be either a hollow section steel tube filled with concrete, or an
open steel section encased in concrete. Force is transferred between the two materials by friction and,
where needed, discrete mechanical connectors, including shear studs that may be attached to an
embedded steel section. With all forms of composite construction it is important for the designer not to
forget the construction stage. Assuming that there is no temporary propping, the steel part of a
composite cross section must alone resist self weight and other construction loads as the concrete at
that stage is ineffective. Not only is the resistance less, but there may be instability phenomena to
consider. When acting compositely the top flange of a steel beam is restrained laterally by the slab, but
during construction lateral torsional buckling (LTB) may reduce the effective resistance - only when the
decking runs transversely and is properly fixed does it prevent LTB - further guidance is available
covering both design, in SCI P359 , and detailing, in SCI P300.

Types of composite beam

Three general types of composite beam are considered below. The drivers that are relevant to a
particular project will affect which flooring system is the most appropriate.

1- Downstand beams

The most common type of composite beam is one where a composite slab sits on top of a downstand
beam, connected by the use of through deck welded shear studs. This form of construction offers a
number of advantages - the decking acts as external reinforcement at the composite stage, and during
the construction stage as formwork and a working platform. It may also provide lateral restraint to the
beams during construction. The decking is lifted into place in bundles, which are then distributed across
the floor area by hand. This dramatically reduces the crane lifts when compared with a precast based
alternative.

Further guidance on practical aspects of decking placement may be found in the best practice guide SCI
P300.

Another common type of composite beam is one where, as with a traditional non-composite steel
framed solution, a precast concrete slab sits on top of the top flange of the steel beam. The effective
span range for this type of solution is around 6 to 12 m, which therefore makes it a competitor to a
number of concrete flooring options. Particular detailing is required for the shear connection when
precast units are used, so that the body of the precast units can be mobilised as part of the concrete
compression flange. See SCI P401 for more information.

2- Long span solutions

A number of variations on the idea of downstand beams are available to meet long-span needs. They
provide the opportunity to achieve longer spans (20 m or more) than are possible using a 'standard'
solid web, rolled downstand beam.

3- Shallow floor solutions

Shallow floors offer a range of benefits such as minimising the overall height of a building for a given
number of floors, or maximising the number of floors for a given height of building. Additionally, a flat
soffit is achieved - there are none of the interruptions found with downstand beams - which gives
complete freedom for the distribution of services below the floor. These benefits should be considered
in the context of a given project to identify when they are most appropriate.

The shallowness of the floors is achieved by placing the slabs and beams within the same zone. This is
achieved by using asymmetric steel beams with a wider bottom than top flange, which enables the slab
to sit on the upper surface of the bottom flange with adequate bearing, rather than the upper surface of
the top flange as found with downstand beams. The floor slab may be in the form of a precast concrete
slab or a composite slab with metal decking (either shallow or deep decking may be used). An added
benefit is that some forms of shallow floor construction inherently achieve composite interaction
between the beams and slab, thereby enhancing structural efficiency.

A number of shallow floor solutions are available, including Ultra Shallow Floor Beams (USFB) from
Kloeckner Metals UK Westok.

Kloeckner Metals UK Westok’s USFB system comprises a shallow and asymmetric Westok cellular beam
with reinforcement placed through the cells to anchor the slab to the beam. ‘Plug Composite Action’ can
be mobilised for USFBs, which has been demonstrated using full-scale laboratory testing, to further
enhance the capacity of the section. To mobilise ‘Plug Composite Action’, the following detailing should
be adopted:

Composite slabs with metal decking: Concrete cast level with, or above, the top flange

Precast units generally: Minimum 50mm topping level with, or above the top flange

Hollowcore units: Every 2nd core broken out and filled with concrete and reinforced through the cell
Solid in-situ slabs: Concrete cast level with (or above) the top flange

USFBs can economically span up to 10m with structural depths that compare very favourably with R.C.
flat slabs. As such, they are popular in many sectors, particularly Education, Commercial and Residential.

Design

Flexural Strength
In most cases, the nominal flexural strength will be reached when the entire steel cross section yields

and the concrete crushes in compression (for positive bending moment).

The corresponding stress distribution on the composite section is called a plastic stress distribution.

The AISC Specification provisions for flexural strength are as follows:

• For shapes with compact webs—that is, h/tw ≤ —the nominal

strength Mn is obtained from the plastic stress distribution.

• For shapes with h/tw > , Mn is obtained from the elastic stress

distribution corresponding to first yielding of the steel.

• For LRFD, the design strength is fb Mn, where fb = 0.90.

When a composite beam has reached the plastic limit state, the stresses will be distributed in one of the
three ways shown below. The concrete stress is shown as a uniform compressive stress of 0.85fc′,
extending from the top of the slab to a depth that may be equal to or less than the total slab thickness.
This distribution is the Whitney equivalent stress distribution, which has a resultant that matches that of
the actual stress distribution.

SHORED CONSTRUCTION
Until the concrete has cured and attained its design strength (at least 75% of its28-day compressive
strength, fc′), there can be no composite behavior, and the weight of the slab must be supported by
some other means. Once the concrete has cured, composite action is possible, and all subsequently
applied loads will be resisted by the composite beam. If the steel shape is supported at a sufficient
number of points along its length before the slab is placed, the weight of the wet concrete will be
supported by these temporary shores rather than by the steel. Once the concrete has cured,

the temporary shoring can be removed, and the weight of the slab, as well as any additional loads, will
be carried by the composite beam. If shoring is not used, however, the rolled steel shape must support
not only its own weight, but also the weight of the slab and its formwork during the curing period. Once
composite behavior is live, will be supported by the composite beam. We now consider these different
conditions in more detail.

Unshored: Before Concrete Cures

AISC I3.lb requires that when temporary shoring is not provided, the steel shape alone must have
sufficient strength to resist all loads applied before the concrete attains 75% of its strength, fc′. The
flexural strength is computed in the usual way, based on Chapter F of the Specification (Chapter 5 of this
book). Depending on its design, the formwork for the concrete slab may or may not provide lateral
support for the steel beam.

If not, the unbraced length Lb must be taken into account, and lateral-torsional buckling may control
the flexural strength. If temporary shoring is not used, the steel beam may also be called on to resist
incidental construction loads. To account for these loads, an additional 20 pounds per square foot is
recommended.

Unshored: After Concrete Cures

After composite behavior is achieved, all loads subsequently applied will be supported by the composite
beam. At failure, however, all loads will be resisted by the internal couple corresponding to the stress
distribution at failure. Thus the composite section must have adequate strength to resist all loads,
including those applied to the steel beam before the concrete cures (except for construction loads,
which will no longer be present).
STEEL HEADED STUD ANCHORS

As we have shown, the horizontal shear force to be transferred between the concrete and the steel is
equal to the compressive force in the concrete, C. We denote this horizontal shear force V′. Thus V′ is
given by the smallest of AsFy, 0.85fc′Ac, or ΣQn. If AsFy or 0.85fc′Ac controls, full composite action will
exist.

where Qn is the nominal shear strength of one anchor. The N1 anchors should be uniformly spaced
within the length where they are required. The AISC Specification gives equations for the strength of
both stud and channel anchors. As indicated at the beginning of this chapter, stud anchors are the most
common, and we consider only this type. For one stud,

Design
The first step in the design of a floor system is to select the thickness of the floor slab,

whether it is solid or ribbed (formed with steel deck). The thickness will be a function

of the beam spacing, however, we will assume that the slab thickness and beam spacing are known.
Then we do the following steps to complete the design of an unshored floor system:

1. Compute the moments acting before and after the concrete cures.

2. Select a steel shape for trial.

3. Compare the available strength of the steel shape to the required moment strength acting before the
concrete cures. Account for the unbraced length if the formwork does not provide adequate lateral
support. If this shape is not satisfactory, try a larger one.

4. Compute the available strength of the composite section and compare it to the total required
moment strength. If the composite section is inadequate, select another steel shape for trial.

5. Check the shear strength of the steel shape.

6. Design the steel anchors:

a. Compute V′, the horizontal shear force at the interface between the concrete and the steel.

b. Divide this force by Qn, the shear capacity of a single stud, to obtain Nl, which, in most cases, is half
the total number of studs required. Using this number of studs will provide full composite behavior. If
partial composite action is desired, the number of studs can be reduced .

7. Check deflections.