Advanced finite element modelling of composite beams with high strength materials and deformable shear connectors

This paper presents a comprehensive numerical investigation into the structural behaviour of simply supported composite beams with high strength materials and deformable shear connectors. Advanced two and three dimensional finite element models of the simply supported composite beams are established, and they have been carefully calibrated against the results of two test beams reported in the literature. The two dimensional finite element models are then extended to investigate the structural behaviour of simply supported composite beams with different combinations of high strength steels and concrete. A number of key findings of the numerical investigation are presented after careful consideration on the predicted moment capacities of the composite beams determined from various methods. It is shown that an elasto-plastic stress distribution should be adopted to determine the moment capacities of composite beams using a wide range of steel and concrete materials with high structural adequacy.