Parametric Study of Bonded Connection in Composite Tructures through the FE Modeling of Push-Out Test

AbstractThis paper investigates bonded connection in steel-concrete composite beams and presents the 3D modeling of pushout tests by the Finite Element Method. The exact three dimensional geometry of the problem is considered; the whole elements of the connection are taken into account. The mesh is optimized in order to ensure accuracy and convergence. The concrete is assumed to follow a damaged plasticity model. This model states that the two main failure mechanisms are tensile cracking and compressive crushing of the concrete material. The contact between the steel connector and the concrete is either perfect or described by a Coulomb law (friction with sliding). The effect of reinforcement and spacing of the connector on the structural behavior of the connector is presented and analyzed by comparison with results of push-out experiments, using load-slip curve. The importance of the contact nature and the friction coefficient as well as the concrete behavior and the exact geometry of the connection are put into evidence. The final aim is to develop a modeling able to reproduce the main features of the behavior of connections in composite structures but simple enough to be used in the modeling of real structures like beams or columns