Required and available moment redistribution of continuous steel–concrete composite beams

Based on the ultimate limit state analysis, the required moment redistribution to enable full plastic mechanism for continuous composite beams is derived. The composite beams studied are continuous over the internal support and with a uniform section along the beams which are one of the conventional steel structural forms in Chinese construction practice for buildings and medium span bridges. It is illustrated that the required moment redistribution for the beam increases as the ratio of negative to positive moment resistance reduces, but decreases as the span difference, or the difference of load in the two spans increases. A method to assess the available moment redistribution based on the rotation capacity at the notional plastic hinges of a composite beam is developed. The potential moment redistribution in a continuous composite beam is also assessed when the available rotation capacity at the notional hinge fails to satisfy the required capacity capable of a plastic design. For a continuous composite beam to develop full plastic design, the available moment redistribution for the beam should be greater than or at least equal to the moment redistribution required, hence the full moment redistribution from the hogging region to the sagging region in the beam is capable. The derived available moment redistributions agree with the test results and computer simulations, but in a general lower bound of the strength capacity. An example is given and the results are compared with that based on the moment redistribution proposed in the present Chinese design code for steel–concrete composite beams. The present study provide a design approach to assess the load carrying capacity for a continuous composite beam based on the available moment redistribution capable depending on the rotation capacity or the force ratio etc rather than a fixed value of moment redistribution proposed, so that in most cases, an economic design is capable.