Numerical simulation of composite slabs with steel deck under fire conditions
Conference Paper
Overview
Research
Additional Document Info
View All
Overview
abstract
A composite slab consists of a concrete topping cast on the top of a steel deck. The concrete is
usually reinforced with a steel mesh on the top and may also be reinforced using individual rebars.
The steel deck also acts as reinforcement and may be directly exposed to accidental fire
conditions. This composite solution is widely used in every type of buildings which require fire
resistance, in accordance to regulations and standards. The scope of this investigation concerns
the fire rating for insulation (I). Numerical simulation was developed, using Matlab PDE toolbox
and ANSYS, to find out the thermal effects of standard fire exposure. The results of the numerical
simulation are compared with experimental results available in the literature in order to validate our approach. The results are also compared with the simplified
method proposed by Eurocode 4-part 1.2.
A composite steel-concrete slab consists of a concrete topping cast on the top of a profiled steel
deck. Normally, the concrete is reinforced with an anti-crack mesh positioned on the upper part
and individual reinforcing bars placed within the ribs, see Figure 1. The steel deck acts as a
permanent formwork and the composite action between the steel and concrete is generally
achieved by indentations or embossments in the steel deck. Due to the reinforcement provided
by the steel deck, composite slabs are generally slenderer and more efficient than flat concrete
slabs because require less additional reinforcement and less concrete as well. The reduction of
the construction time, simplicity of installation and reduction/elimination of struts are other
advantages of composite slabs that should be highlighted.