Experimental bending tests of partially encased beams at elevated temperatures

Abstract This paper presents the result of an experimental research about the lateral torsional buckling instability during bending tests of Partially Encased Beams (PEB) at elevated temperature. A set of twenty seven four-point bending tests, grouped in ten series, were carried out to analyse the influence of relative slenderness, beam temperature and the shear bond conditions between concrete and steel in bending. In addition, this study compares the behaviour of PEB and bare steel beam under bending at room temperature. PEB specimens are based on IPE100 steel profiles, with two different lengths 2.4 m (medium series) and 3.9 m (large series), tested in bending using simple supporting conditions and exposed to different temperatures levels of 200 °C, 400 °C, and 600 °C. Two different shear bond conditions, between steel profile and lateral concrete, were analysed at 400 °C: one series with connectors formed by welded stirrups to the web and another series with natural adherence between steel and concrete, not welded stirrups. PEB attained lateral torsional buckling as deformed failure mode at the ultimate limit state, except for the case of PEB tested at 600 °C that results in a plastic hinge failure. The bending resistance was determined for the maximum load event (F u ) and for the displacement limit corresponding to L/30 (F L/30 ) and compared with the results of the Eurocode 3 part 1–2 simple calculation method, considering an adaptation of its formulae to PEB. The expected reduction in bending resistance at elevated temperature is in good agreement with the experimental reduction factor, when the deformation criterion is used.