Composite construction is widely used worldwide and is undergoing significant technological development. New Zealand is part of this development, with new beam options incorporating multiple unstiffened web openings and new deck profiles supported by extensive testing. However, one area where relatively little research has been undertaken is in the interaction of the composite slab with the seismic resisting system under lateral loading. In order to provide important new information in this area, a series of full scale beam-column-joint-slab subassemblies were tested at the University of Canterbury. Specimens tested had moment end plate connections and different combinations of deck tray direction, and isolation of the slab from the column. An additional test uses a sliding-hinge type connection to assess the effect of the floor slab in this type of low damage connection. In these tests the lateral capacity of the seismic resisting system was increased by up to 25% due to the presence of the slab in contact with the column. The increase in capacity is 10% greater for decking running in longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction as a result of a more substantial full depth slab bearing on the column. The floor slabs of the subassemblies with the slab cast against the column all showed a higher level of damage than for those with the isolated column and the post ultimate strength degradation of the subassemblies without special detailing was significant. The subassembly with a section of full depth slab surrounding the column also exhibited a higher capacity but with an improved post ultimate strength degradation. All moment end plate subassemblies sustained drifts of up to 5% without significant strength loss. The sliding hinge joint showed little signs of damage under testing to 5% drift. Some inelastic deformation of the connection and beams was noted above 5% drift. Results from both testing and numerical modelling have shown that the current methods used to design these systems are conservative but within 15% of the values observed. Further testing and modelling will be necessary before any meaningful changes can be made to the way in which these systems are designed. Recommendations have been made regarding the placements of shear studs in plastic hinge zones and the provision of slab isolation around beam-column connections.

The results of a pilot series of tests, designed to investigate the influence of the presence of a composite floor slab on the performance of steel beam-to-column connections, are reported. Direct comparisons against equivalent bare steel tests show improvements in moment capacity (up to 15 times), with reinforcement anchorage being the main controlling factor. Thus joints to internal columns where the deck runs parallel to the beams and relatively small numbers of bars supplement the basic mesh reinforcement may be expected to give the best performance.

En situation d’incendie, la dégradation des propriétés mécaniques des matériaux constitutifs d’une structure peut sensiblement en modifier le comportement global. Ainsi, lors d’essais au feu ou de sinistres réels, des flèches significatives sont observées sans ruine globale du plancher. Ceci traduit l’activation d’un mécanisme basé sur une borne supérieure de plasticité en grands déplacements et appelé effet membrane. Ainsi, malgré la perte des propriétés du béton, de l’acier d’armatures et de l’acier de construction des poutres connectées à une dalle en béton armé ou mixte acier-béton, la capacité portante de cette dalle se définit comme une fonction croissante de sa flèche. En pratique, le comportement complexe des planchers mixtes acier-béton peut être appréhendé par des modèles dits simplifiés ou avancés, suivant le niveau de précision souhaité. La méthode analytique FRACOF permet par exemple d’étudier un plancher global à température élevée, en se basant sur les modèles de comportement simplifiés des matériaux, acier et béton, définis dans les Eurocodes. Par cette méthode, la capacité portante d’une dalle peut alors être déterminée en tenant compte des profilés métalliques connectés à la dalle, et de l’activation d’un effet membrane en grands déplacements. Cette méthode analytique a été validée par une comparaison à des modèles éléments finis, ainsi qu’à des résultats d’essais au feu en grandeur nature. Elle est applicable à des profilés en acier laminé à chaud avec des portées pouvant atteindre 20 m. Or le franchissement de ces portées nécessite des sections de poutre à forte inertie, afin de limiter les flèches du plancher en service. Pour limiter la quantité d’acier que requerraient de telles poutres, le recours à des poutres cellulaires est une solution pratique et esthétique. Un modèle élément finis de poutres cellulaires en acier seul et mixtes est proposé dans le cadre de la thèse de doctorat. Le comportement thermo-mécanique des poutres cellulaires en acier seul est modélisé sous le code Cast3M. Les poutres mixtes sont modélisées en combinant un calcul de transfert thermique sous Cast3M et une analyse mécanique sous ANSYS. Les poutres en acier et la dalle en béton ou mixte sont représentées par des éléments de type coque. Les connecteurs sont représentés par des éléments de type poutre. Ce modèle tridimensionnel tient par ailleurs compte des non-linéarités matérielle et géométrique. Il est confronté à des résultats d’essais à températures normale et élevée. La validation du modèle est suivie d’une comparaison à une méthode analytique existante pour en vérifier la précision et le degré de conservatisme. Les poutres cellulaires sont ensuite étudiées en tant que partie intégrante de planchers mixtes acier-béton sous incendie. Un essai en grandeur nature sous feu réel met en évidence l’activation d’un effet membrane en présence de poutres cellulaires non-protégées, sans ruine du plancher. Les résultats de l’essai sont utilisés pour calibrer un modèle élément fini tridimensionnel. La calibration est effectuée en s’appuyant sur la distribution des températures dans les différents composants du plancher, la durée de résistance au feu, la forme des déformées et les modes de ruine. Ensuite, le modèle, qui peut reproduire le comportement thermo-mécanique d’un plancher mixte, est utilisé pour évaluer une proposition d’extension de la méthode FRACOF à des planchers mixtes comportant des poutres cellulaires. / In a fire situation, the decrease of the material properties of a structure can significantly modify its overall behaviour. Hence, during fire tests or real fires, very large deflections can be observed on a floor without any global collapse. This highlights the activation of a large-displacement plastic upper bound mechanism called membrane action. Thus, in spite of the property loss of concrete, reinforcement steel and constructional steel of the beams connected to a reinforced concrete or composite slab, the load bearing capacity of this slab is defined as an increasing function of its vertical deflection. In practice, the behaviour of composite steel and concrete floors can be assessed with simplified or advanced models, depending on the expected level of precision. For instance, the analytical method named FRACOF enables to study a whole floor at elevated temperatures, on the basis of the Eurocodes simplified models for the behaviour of steel and concrete. With this method, the load bearing capacity of a slab can then be estimated taking account of steel profiles connected to the slab and tensile membrane action in large displacements. This analytical method has been validated against finite elements models as well as results from full scale fire tests. It applies to hot-rolled steel profiles spanning up to 20 m. However, such spans require sections with a great moment of area to limit the floor deflection in serviceability state. In order to limit the amount of steel required, cellular beams can be utilized as a practical and aesthetical solution. A finite element model for steel and composite steel and concrete cellular beams is proposed in the scope of the PhD thesis. The thermo-mechanical behaviour of steel cellular beams is modelled under Cast3M code. Composite beams are modelled combining a heat transfer calculation under Cast3M to a mechanical analysis under ANSYS. The steel beams and the reinforced or composite slab are modelled with shell elements. The shear studs are modelled with beam elements. Besides, this 3D model takes into account both material and geometrical nonlinearities. It is compared with tests results at both normal and elevated temperatures. Once validated, the model is compared to an existing analytical method in order to check the precision and the level of conservatism of the latter. Then, cellular beams are studied as part of composite steel and concrete floors in a fire situation. A full-scale natural fire test puts into evidence tensile membrane action with unprotected cellular beams, without any overall collapse. The test results are used for calibrating a 3D finite element model. This calibration relies on the temperature distribution in the different parts of the floor components, the fire resistance degree, the deformed shape and the failure modes. The model, which can reproduce the thermo-mechanical behaviour of a composite floor, is then utilized for assessing an extension proposal of the FRACOF method to composite floors made of cellular beams.

The aim of the final thesis was to design and check the steel loadbearing structure of the exhibition pavilon. The basis for the structural design was a specified building layout. The assessment of the structure was made according to valid czech and european standards, including the system of "Eurocodes". Construction is situated in Zlin. The rectangular plan of the building is 45,0 m wide and 48,0 m long. The peripheral field of the roof is flat, while the central field is designed as a barrel roof. Main truss was designed with 6,0 m centre to centre distance. Structural design of the main loadbearing elements was made by the Dlubal RFEM v.5.07 software. Selected structure elements, including joints and column anchors were verified manualy.