Modelling of continuous steel-concrete composite beams: computational aspects

Steel-concrete composite members are an interesting option for structural designers, but the reliability of design procedures both in the case of gravity and seismic loads is in continuous development. The issue is very complex, since behaviour of continuous composite beams results from local phenomena of interaction such as partial shear connection and bond. Furthermore, composite beams in buildings generally are not characterised by a full continuity due to the beam to column connections; thus the analysis and the detailing of such parts have a key role in the development of suitable design procedures. In the present paper, some computational aspects related to the modelling of composite flexural members are discussed with reference to continuous and semi-continuous structural systems widely used in practice. (C) 2002 Civil-Comp Ltd. and Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved