Experimental behaviour of concrete-filled steel tube composite beams

The main objective of this study is to highlight the performance of beams composed of lightweight concrete-filled steel tubes (square and circle sections) composite with reinforced concrete deck slab. A total of nine composite beams were tested included two circular and seven square concrete-filled steel tubes. Among the nine composite beams, one beam, S20-0-2000, was prepared without a deck slab to act as a reference specimen. The chief parameters investigated were the length of the specimen, the compressive strength of the concrete slab, and the effect of the steel tube section type. All beams were tested using the three-point bending test with a concentrated central point load and simple supports. The test results showed that the first crack in the concrete deck slab was recorded at load levels ranging from 50.9% to 77.2% of the ultimate load for composite beams with square steel tubes. The ultimate load increased with increasing the compressive strength of the concrete slab. Shorter specimens were more stiffness than the other specimens but were less ductile. The slip values were equal to zero until the loads reached their final stages, while the specimen S20-55-1100 (short specimen) exhibited zero slip at all stages of the load. The ultimate load of the hollow steel tube composite beam was 13.2% lower than that of the reference beam. Moreover, the ductility and stiffness of the beam were also higher for beams with composite-filled steel tubes

Tests of Residual Shear Transfer Strength of Concrete Exposed to Fire

Reinforced concrete is one of the most widely used structural components about which much scientific research has been conducted; however, some of its characteristics still require further research. The main focus of this study is the effect of direct fire on the shear transfer strength of concrete. It was investigated under several parameters including concrete strength, number of stirrup legs (the steel area across the shear plane), and fire duration. The experimental program involved the testing of two sets (groups) of specimens (12 specimens each) with different concrete strengths. Each set contained specimens of two or four stirrup legs exposed to direct fire from one side (the fire was in an open area to simulate a real-life event) for a duration of one, two, and three hours. The results of the comparison showed the importance of using high-performance concrete (instead of increasing the number of stirrup legs) to resist shear stress for the purpose of safety. A significant reduction in shear strength occurred due to the deterioration of the concrete cover after three hours of direct fire exposure