Numerical evaluation for the effective slab width of continuous composite beams

Basic beam bending theory and the effective width concept are commonly used in the design and analysis of steel–concrete composite beams to evaluate deflections, stresses, and strengths. The shear-lag effect is partially accounted for by adopting a reduced ‘‘effective” slab width rather than the actual slab width. Besides the precise numerical values obtained via numerical analysis of a composite beam, Code provisions should provide a simplified practical technique for calculating effective slab width that is both simple and precise. Current design codes propose effective width values that are essentially a function of the beam span, ignoring the effects of other essential factors. Finite element analysis of continuous composite beams is a complex task, as large numbers of contacts and meshing elements are required to catch all the physical phenomena; this leads to potential convergence difficulties using a general static analysis. In this paper, several 3D numerical simulations of a composite continuous beam are conducted using the RIKS method available in ABAQUS. Comparisons to available experimental results are used to validate the proposed FE model. Then, the so-validated numerical model is utilized to perform a parametrical study to assess the effect of the longitudinal reinforcement at the hogging moment region and the influence of
the concrete slab width on the effective width evaluation. Finally, the proposed finite element model and EC4 specification results are compared to draft a useable design guide.