Analysis and Design of Steel Plate Composite Beams for Shear

Development of tall buildings require innovative use of composite materials for optimal element sizing while ensuring structural stability. Steel composite concrete elements have widely been used when element dimensions are restricted and to ensure the structural performance of the element, where typically concrete would have imposed material restrictions. Steel I or H sections have widely been used for concrete encased composite elements and the use of steel plates have been used for coupling beams under seismic loading. This study takes into account steel plates used to withstand the induced shear in transfer beams where shear stresses are limited by the concrete shear resistance. The study shows the design process carried out for the steel composite beam element to withstand the action. An advanced finite element analysis was carried out to verify the load transfer mechanism and to illustrate the use of steel plate composite elements to transfer shear. The study shares the design process of the complex structural elements and intends to provide a guideline in designing similar complex structural elements.