ULTIMATE STRENGTH OF FULLY COMPOSITE SECTIONS

The ultimate strength in terms of an ultimate depends on the yield strength and section properties of
the steel beam, the concrete slab strength, and the interaction capacity of the shear connectors joining
the slab to the beam.
The provisions of AISC-1.11 (1978) are nearly all based on ultimate-strength behavior, even though
all relationships are adjusted to be in the service-load range. These ultimate-strength concepts
were applied to design practice as recommended by the ASCE-ACI Joint Committee on
Composite Construction (1960) and, further modified as a result of research by stutter and Driscoll
(1965).

The ultimate strength in terms of an ultimate moment capacity gives a clearer understanding of
composite behavior as well as providing a more accurate measure of the true factor of safety. The
true factor of safety is the ratio of the ultimate moment capacity to the actually applied moment.
In both cases, whether the slab is termed "adequate", or "inadequate" compared to the tensile
yield capacity of the beam, the connection between the slab and beam is considered
adequate in the following development. Complete shear transfer at the steel-concrete
interface is assumed.
In determining the ultimate moment capacity, the concrete is assumed to take only
compressive stress. Although concrete is able to sustain a limited amount of tensile stress,
the tensile stress at the strains occurring during the development of the ultimate moment
capacity is negligible.
The procedure for determining the ultimate moment capacity depends on whether the
neutral axis occurs within the concrete" slab or within the steel beam. If the neutral axis
occurs within the slab, the slab is said to be adequate-i.e., the slab is capable of resisting
the total compressive force. If the neutral axis falls within the steel beam, the slab is
considered inadequate-i.e., the slab is able to resist only a portion of the compressive
force, the remainder being taken by the steel beam. Figure 2.9 shows the stress
distribution for these two cases.

Case 1: Slab Adequate

Referring to figure b and assuming the Whitney rectangular · stress block (uniform stress of
O.85fc' acting over a depth a), the ultimate compressive force C is

C = 0.85fc'abE
The ultimate tensile force T is the yield strength of the beam times its area:

T =AsFy

Equating the ultimate compressive force C to the ultimate tensile force T gives

a = 𝐴𝑠 𝐹𝑦 /0.85𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝐸

According to the ACI-accepted rectangular stress block approach shown in Fig. 2.9,
equals 𝛼⁄𝛽 , where β1 = 0.85 for fc’ = 4000 psi. The ultimate moment capacity Mu
1
becomes

Mu = Cd1 or Td1

Since the slab is assumed adequate, it is capable of developing a compressive force equal to
the full yield capacity of the steel beam. Expressing the ultimate moment in terms of the steel
force gives
Mu=AsFy(𝑑/2 + 𝑡𝑠 − 𝑎/2)

The usual procedure is to determine the depth of the stress block a by Eq. 2.13 and, if a is
less than the slab thickness ts, to determine the ultimate moment capacity by above
equation.

Figure: Stress Distribution at Uniform Moment Capacity

Case 2: Slab Inadequate
If the depth a of the stress block as determined by the equation
exceeds the slab thickness, the stress distribution will be shown
in figure c. The ultimate compressive force Cc in the slab is

Cc = 0.85fc'bEts

The compressive force in the steel beam resulting from the

portion of the beam above the neutral axis is shown in figure c as Cs.

The ultimate tensile force T' Which is now less than AsFy must equal

the sum of the compressive forces:

T' =Cc + Cs
Also,
T' = AsFy - Cs
Equating above two equations, Cs becomes
𝐴𝑠 𝐹𝑦 −𝐶𝑐
Cs =
2

Or
𝐴𝑠 𝐹𝑦 −0.85𝑓𝑐′ 𝑏𝐸 𝑡𝑠
Cs= 2

Considering the compressive forces Cc and Cs, the ultimate

moment capacity Mu for Case 2 is
Mu=Ccd2' + Csd2''
the moment arms d2' and d2'' are shown in figure c.
Whenever the Case 2 situation occurs, the steel beam is
assumed to accommodate plastic strain in both tension and
compression at ultimate strength. Certainly, it is implied that
such a steel section satisfy the requirements of "compact"
sections; that is, it should have proportions that insure its
ability to develop its plastic moment capacity. Little
research has been performed on Case 2 situations because
they rarely occur in practice.