Finite Element Modeling of Push-Out Test for Embossed Steel Plate Connector

Steel-concrete composite frames are form by casting flange of steel beam in concrete slabs or by connecting steel beam and concrete slab with the help of shear connectors. Steel-concrete composite beams, particularly, are structures consisting of two materials, a steel section located mainly in the tension region and a concrete section, located in the compression cross sectional area, both connected by metal devices known as shear connectors. This mechanical connector allows the joint behavior of the beam-slab which also restricts the vertical deflection and longitudinal deformation. Shear connector in the type of checkered plates were used in this paper to obtain the results. In the present study an accurate nonlinear finite element model of the push-out specimen has been developed to study the structural behavior, with emphasis on the beam-slab interface, the capacity of embossed steel plate connectors embedded in a solid slab in addition to vertical deflection and longitudinal deformation. Simulation is carried out using ANSYS.15 based on the Finite Element Approach. The material nonlinearities of concrete, embossed steel plate, steel beam were included in the finite element model. Contact between the elements is simulated using surface-to-surface and embedment techniques. The results obtained were compared with those provided either by Standards, experimental work or found in the literature, with variation about 15 to 20 %. It shows the good agreement of results and demonstrated ANSYS.15 is a valid tool in analyzing steel concrete composite beams performance for various parameters.