Flexural behaviour of deconstructable composite beams

In order to promote the development of full life-cycle deconstructable steel-concrete composite beams, and to better understanding their flexural behaviour, an experimental study on the flexural performance of a novel deconstructable steel-concrete composite beam is carried out in this paper. With various connector (bolt) di-ameters (M20, M24) and material strengths (C40, C50 concrete) being incorporated, the failure mode, load-deflection response, load-slip response, strain distribution, ductility, characterised loading capacities and deconstructability are analysed thoroughly base on two-point loading tests. By comparing the test results with that specified in national standards for the flexural capacity and stiffness of the composite beams, new calcu-lation formulae for this new deconstructable composite beams are put forward. By employing the shear-slip constitutive model proposed previously for shear connectors of such deconstructable composite beams, a finite element model is developed and further validate against experimental results. Subsequent parametric analyses are carried out, and the mechanism of shear connection is analysed accordingly. In addition, effects of different parameters (including sectional dimension, strength of concrete and degree of shear connection) on their flexural capacity, stiffness and interface slip are clarified.