Sensitivity Analysis of Composite Cellular Beams to Constitutive Material Models and Concrete Fracture

Abstract

Composite cellular beams are an advantageous solution that can be used to reduce floor height by solving service ducts problems. In the previous literature, there is little information on numerical modeling that considers sensitivity analysis in composite cellular beams, varying the constitutive models of steel and concrete materials. The concrete, when submitted by external loading, undergoes volume variations caused by inelastic deformations. The parameter that measures dilatancy is known as the dilation angle. This work aims to analyze the sensitivity of the computed response of composite cellular beams to the constitutive models of steel and concrete materials, and the parameters that constitute concrete damage plasticity (CDP). Geometrical nonlinear analyses are performed based on tests, considering solid elements for the composite slab and shear connectors, and shell elements for the cellular beam. It was concluded that the flexural behavior was not sensitive to dilation angles, unlike structures in which the resistance is governed by shear forces. For a dilation angle equal to [Formula: see text], a better post-peak behavior was observed in the load-displacement relationship. It was found that by varying the viscosity parameter (or relaxation time), the load-displacement behavior relationship is not affected.