Push-out test of profiled metal decking slabs with cold-formed steel beams and rebar shear connector

Abstract

New methods to provide shear strength on the cold-formed steel (CFS) lipped c-channel section composite beam encased with concrete partially is proposed using rebars embedded in concrete. The development of research on the CFS composite beams technology with partial encasement shows that the section of the composite beam encased with concrete partially can provide ductile flexural action for the composite beam. The application of profiled metal decking slabs in the composite beam is becoming increasingly popular compared to solid slabs. However, it has a detrimental effect on the structural behavior of a composite beam. This research is aimed primarily at presenting the behavior of the rebar shear connector to evaluated ductility, shear capacity, and modes of failure. Two samples using a rebar 12 mm in diameter in the profiled metal decking slabs and solid slabs were tested using the standard push-out test till failure. For the composite beam design, the proposed shear connector embedded in the slab concrete and the CFS encased with concrete partially used the test results’ shear capacity, greater than the values as proposed by section 3.1, BS 5950. Due to rebars shear-off, the solid slab specimen failed with the highest load of 489.6 kN while the Profiled Metal Decking Slab specimen failed due to the formation of the cracks on the PMDS at 421.1 KN ultimate loading.