This study investigates the further development of the commercially available re-entrant steel deck profile. The effects of various embossments and continuous construction are investigated through three Series of composite slab load tests. The test specimens in this study were constructed to simulate actual field construction of composite slabs as part of reinforced concrete structures. The results of this experimental study are analyzed using methods given in the ASCE Standard for the Structural Design of Composite Slabs. Recommended design procedures for the improved re-entrant profile are given and various future profile modifications are suggested. / Master of Science

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The purpose of this research is to evaluate the performance of new corrugated-type embossments developed by Vulcraft Research and Development for their 2VLI and 3VLI composite deck. Performance of deck with the proposed embossment types is compared with that of deck with the existing embossment type, resulting in the recommendation of which type to further investigate for production. The evaluation consists of uniformly loaded full-scale slab tests whose flexural strengths are compared with those given by different strength prediction methods that are alternatives to full-scale testing. The methods used in this study are the First Yield Method (Heagler 1992), the ASCE Appendix D Alternate Method (Standard 1992), and Widjaja's (1997) Iterative Method. Shear bond tests are also performed for deck with each embossment type to evaluate shear resistance specifically, and to provide shear bond data needed to perform the Iterative Method. / Master of Science

[pt] Este trabalho apresenta um estudo de um novo sistema de laje mista com o uso de perfis metálicos de chapa dobrada e isopor seqüencialmente dispostos lado a lado e preenchidos com concreto de armado. A principal motivação para este estudo foi o desenvolvimento de um eficiente sistema de laje fácil e rápida de ser construído, e que fosse econômica. O sistema de laje desenvolvido maximiza o espaço livre útil da construção, eliminando a necessidade de formas e escoras tendo assim como conseqüência direta a minimização das perdas construtivas. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que os custos do novo sistema de laje são equivalentes aos outros métodos de construção de lajes, mas que outras características como o tempo e as perdas economizadas na fase construtiva viabilizam a utilização do novo sistema.O trabalho foi consta de três fases principais: primeiramente uma otimização do estudo dos perfis de chapa dobrada foi conduzida analisando as suas características estáticas e dinâmicas para o sistema de laje. Variáveis como peso, altura, espessura,tensão de escoamento, vão máximo, carga suportada por vão e por espessura da chapa metálica, momento máximo, capacidade de carga, minimização dos custos de fabricação e possibilidades de uso de vãos múltiplos foram validados. Quando a seção do perfil metálico estava definida e otimizada, foi estabelecido um estudo com uma série de 5 (cinco) testes em escala real. O propósito principal dos testes foi obter os estados limites último da seção do perfil adotado associado ao sistema de laje para validação do sistema estrutural. Os testes avaliaram a real aderência entre concreto e perfil metálico e sua influência no estado limite último de flexão, cisalhamento e deslizamento. Outra solução além da aderência química natural do concreto com o perfil metálico envolveram o uso de parafusos auto atarrachantes como conectores de cisalhamento. A fase final compreendeu a comparação dos resultados experimentais com as normas de aço para averiguar a validade dos resultados do sistema de laje mista. / [en] This work presents an investigation of an innovative composite slab system made of a steel deck and a styrofoam plate, side by side, filled with reinforced concrete. The objective of the present study was the development of an efficient composite slab system that is easy to manufacture, erect and also economic.The investigation started with a parametric design study of the steel deck profile.When an optimum steel deck profile was established the investigation proceeded with a series of full-scale- experiments. The tests enable the establishment of the ultimate and serviceability limit states associated with the investigated system.Another aim of the experiments was to investigate the concrete versus steel deck connection. Solutions using only the natural concrete versus steel adherence and others utilising shear connectors made of self-drilling bolts in the steel deck were considered. Finally current steel design codes were used to compare the experimental results and access the accuracy of the composite slab system In this paper a composite slab system developed for low-cost building construction is presented. Results and conclusions from a theoretical and experimental study were summarized below the work. Finally these composite slab systems can be implemented in large scale construction, just by the development of portable rolling equipment that can produce very long and continuous profiles, as required by the construction teamwork.

The strength and behavior of composite slabs are governed by the shear interaction between the concrete and the steel deck. The interaction property depends on several factors and it is not possible to express the relationship from a purely analytical basis. As such, analysis and design methods available today use the interaction property derived from full scale performance tests. In numerical modeling, the interaction property is obtained from a variety of elemental push off tests which, for the most part, do not represent actual slab bending. This research comprises experimental, analytical and numerical investigations of composite slabs. The central objective of the experimental work is to develop a new small scale test method for evaluating the performance and behavior of composite slabs and also for determining the shear interaction property for use in numerical analysis. The characteristics of the new test specimen are simple, easy and economical to conduct, as well as comparable in performance and behavior with the more common full slab test. The analytical study was conducted to determine whether data from small scale tests can be used in the present analytical methods to predict the strength of the actual slabs, to use the same test data for input in the numerical analysis, and to improve the present Partial Shear Connection (PSC) design procedure. A model that relates the shear bond stress to slab slenderness, which can be used to estimate the shear interaction property for slabs with any slenderness, was developed. Finally, a finite element study was conducted to develop a simple modeling method that is suitable for analyzing composite slabs with variable slenderness. Parametric analyses to determine the effect of slenderness on the performance and behavior of composite slabs, and on the accuracy of the present design methods were also conducted. The results of this investigation demonstrate that the small scale test is feasible as a replacement for the full scale test. Data from the small scale test can be used not only in the analytical methods but also in the numerical analysis, thus eliminating the need for separate push off type tests. / Ph. D.

As cold-formed steel decks are used in virtually every steel-framed structure for composite slab systems, efforts to develop more efficient composite floor systems continues. Efficient composite floor systems can be obtained by optimally utilizing the materials, which includes the possibility of developing long span composite slab systems. For this purpose, new deck profiles that can have a longer span and better interaction with the concrete slab are investigated. Two new mechanical based methods for predicting composite slab strength and behavior are introduced. They are referred to as the iterative and direct methods. These methods, which accurately account for the contribution of parameters affecting the composite action, are used to predict the strength and behavior of composite slabs. Application of the methods in the analytical and experimental study of strength and behavior of composite slabs in general reveals that more accurate predictions are obtained by these methods compared to those of a modified version of the Steel Deck Institute method (SDI-M). A nonlinear finite element model is also developed to provide additional reference. These methods, which are supported by elemental tests of shear bond and end anchorages, offer an alternative solution to performing a large number of full-scale tests as required for the traditional m-k method. Results from 27 composite slab tests are compared with the analytical methods. Four long span composite slab specimens of 20 ft span length, using two different types of deck profiles, were built and tested experimentally. Without significantly increasing the slab depth and weight compared to those of composite slabs with typical span, it was found that these long span slabs showed good performance under the load tests. Some problems with the vibration behavior were encountered, which are thought to be due to the relatively thin layer of concrete cover above the deck rib. Further study on the use of deeper concrete cover to improve the vibrational behavior is suggested. Finally, resistance factors based on the AISI-LRFD approach were established. The resistance factors for flexural design of composite slab systems were found to be f=0.90 for the SDI-M method and f=0.85 for the direct method. / Ph. D.

The purpose of this research is to evaluate and compare the influence of four types of secondary reinforcement on various component strengths related to composite slabs. These components include the composite slab strength under uniform load, the strength of two types of shear connectors used with composite beams and joists, composite slab strength due to a concentrated load, and the flexural toughness and first-crack strength of fiber-reinforced concrete using ASTM C1018 (1998) standard test. The performance of the specimens reinforced with fibers are compared with that of the specimens reinforced with welded-wire fabric (WWF), with the purpose of determining if fiber-reinforced concrete can be used as an alternative to WWF. / Master of Science

The purpose of this research is to evaluate and compare the structural performance of composite floor slabs reinforced with 6 x 6 W1.4/W1.4 welded wire fabric (WWF) and STRUX 90/40 synthetic macro fibers. Slabs were subjected to flexural strength tests and concentrated load tests while monitoring load, steel deck strains, and deflections. Test results obtained from this test program were also compared to results from a similar test program conducted in 2001. Tests were also performed to obtain the average residual-strength of the fiber-reinforced concrete using the ASTM C 1399 (2003) standard test. All slabs were loaded until a complete failure was observed. The observed failure loads were compared to failure loads calculated by design guides published by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Steel Deck Institute (SDI). The flexural strength tests showed that composite slabs reinforced with synthetic macro fibers and WWF exhibited strength and behavior that was almost identical. The observed values of strength were also within the range that was predicted by ASCE prediction models. At a typical office design load of 70 psf, all slabs exhibited midspan deflections that were much smaller than those necessary for serviceability requirements. The concentrated load tests also showed that the observed strength of all composite slabs tested was above those values predicted by ASCE and SDI models. However, an effective comparison between the WWF-reinforced and synthetic macro fiber-reinforced slab was difficult due to a poor shear bond in the latter slab prior to testing. The results of the ASTM C 1399 test verified the ability of concrete reinforced with synthetic macro fibers to meet average residual-strength values recommended by the SDI. / Master of Science

Este trabalho apresenta uma abordagem abrangente das estruturas mistas aço-concreto, com ênfase em edifícios, e dos principais elementos que compõem esse sistema: as vigas mistas, simplesmente apoiadas e contínuas, as lajes mistas e os pilares mistos. São abordados os aspectos construtivos, o comportamento estrutural e os procedimentos para dimensionamento recomendados pelas principais normas aplicáveis, enfatizando a norma norte-americana do AISC e o EUROCODE 4. O projeto em situação de incêndio também é analisado, considerando o comportamento e o dimensionamento de elementos mistos frente à ação do fogo. No final, são desenvolvidos exemplos de dimensionamento, onde procura-se comparar e discutir os resultados obtidos pelas principais normas / This study consists of a broad analysis of composite structures, with particular emphasis on buildings, and the principal elements that make up this system, i.e., continuous and simply supported composite beams, composite slabs and composite columns. Several aspects of construction are broached, as well as structural behavior and the procedures for design recommended by the main codes, mainly the American AISC and the EUROCODE 4 codes. Fire design is also analyzed, considering the behavior and design of composite elements under fire conditions. The study concludes with some examples of design, comparing and discussing the results achieved by the principal codes

As lajes mistas de aço e concreto consistem de um sistema estrutural formado por fôrmas de aço (chapas perfiladas) permanentes sobre a qual é lançado o concreto armado. Após a cura do concreto, esses elementos trabalham conjuntamente, garantindo o comportamento misto. Esse tipo de sistema é amplamente utilizado na construção civil brasileira, por propiciar diversas vantagens, como a não utilização de fôrmas de madeiras e escoras. Com a finalidade de avaliar o comportamento térmico, estrutural e termoestrutural acoplado desse tipo de sistema, foram desenvolvidos modelos numéricos em elementos finitos no pacote computacional TNO DIANA em duas etapas distintas. Na primeira etapa é feita uma análise térmica bidimensional, cujos campos térmicos na seção transversal da laje são calibrados por meio de resultados experimentais disponíveis na literatura, avaliando os principais parâmetros que influenciam na distribuição de temperatura na laje, como a emissividade resultante e a resistência térmica na interface aço/concreto. Nessa etapa também se desenvolve um pós-processador em Visual Basic 11.0 capaz de ler os campos térmicos gerados pelo DIANA e calcular o momento fletor plástico resistente em função do tempo de exposição ao fogo. Esses resultados são comparados com aqueles calculados de acordo o modelo de cálculo da ABNT NBR 14323:2013. A segunda etapa consiste no desenvolvimento de modelos numéricos tridimensionais para se avaliar o comportamento termoestrutural acoplado de lajes mistas simplesmente apoiadas. Nessa etapa, primeiramente se faz a validação e calibração dos modelos numéricos à temperatura ambiente, avaliando fatores como a simetria dos modelos e a resistência ao cisalhamento longitudinal na interface entre a fôrma de aço e o concreto. Posteriormente, se realiza a validação do modelo numérico em temperatura elevada por meio de resultados experimentais disponíveis na literatura, considerando os efeitos dos gradientes térmicos na degradação das propriedades mecânicas e na expansão térmica do aço e concreto. Após a calibração do modelo numérico tridimensional em temperatura ambiente e elevada, se realizam análises paramétricas considerando a influência da armadura positiva, da espessura fôrma de aço, da resistência à compressão do concreto, da altura da laje e do vão entre apoios, por meio da curva de incêndio padrão. Os resultados obtidos dos modelos numéricos tridimensionais são comparados com aqueles obtidos pelo método do momento fletor plástico, calculados por meio dos resultados dos modelos térmicos, e de acordo o modelo de cálculo da ABNT NBR 14323:2013. / Steel-concrete composite slabs consist on a structural system comprising of permanent steel sheeting on which reinforced concrete is cast. After the cure of concrete, these elements work in conjunction, ensuring the composite behavior. This structural system is widely used in Brazilian civil construction, especially for providing several advantages, such as no use of formwork and post shores. In order to assess thermal, structural and staggered flow-stress behavior of this structural system, finite elements numerical models were developed in software TNO DIANA in two distinct steps. In the first step a two-dimensional thermal analysis is carried out, whose thermal fields in the slab cross section are calibrated by experimental results available in the literature, evaluating the main parameters that affect the temperature distribution in the slab, as the resulting emissivity and thermal resistance in the steel/concrete interaction. In this stage is also developed a post-processor in Visual Basic 11.0, which is able to read the thermal fields generated by DIANA and calculate the plastic bending moment capacity versus fire exposure time. These results are compared with those calculated according to the ABNT NBR 14323:2013 calculation model. The second step consists in the development of three-dimensional numerical models to evaluate the staggered heat-flow behavior of simply supported composite slabs. In this step, first is done the calibration and validation of the numerical models at ambient temperature, assessing factors such as the symmetry of the models and the longitudinal shear resistance between steel sheeting and the concrete. Later, numerical models are validated in fire through experimental results available in the literature, considering the effects of thermal gradients in the degradation of the mechanical properties and thermal expansion of steel and concrete. After validation of the three-dimensional numerical models at ambient and elevated temperature, parametric analysis are performed considering the influence of sagging reinforcement, the thickness of steel sheeting, compressive strength of the concrete, the slab height and the span between supports, through standard fire curve. The bending resistance of tri-dimensional numerical models is compared with that obtained by the plastic theory, calculated through the results of two-dimensional thermal models, and according to ABNT NBR 14323:2013 calculation model.