FE modeling and numerical investigation of shallow cellular composite floor beams

•Design a shallow cellular composite floor beam (SCCFB) with innovative shear connection system•Develop a finite element analysis procedure for investigation of the structural behavior of SCCFB•Carry out an intensive parametric study to investigate the geometric parameters influencing the behavior of SCCFB•Models showed good agreement with test results.•Implement the geometrical requirements for the design and construction of SCCFB

The behavior of shallow cellular composite floor beam is normally governed by the shear transfer mechanism at the contact interface between the concrete slab and the encased steel beam, thus by the influence of the two materials. A detailed finite element modeling approach in investigating the structural behavior of shallow cellular composite floor beam is presented. The shear bound at the contact interface between the concrete slab and the steel beam is simulated by using the contact modeling and considering the adhesion, the friction and the local compression at all the contact zones. Both the material and geometric nonlinearities are considered in the FE modeling of the shallow cellular composite beams. The FEA results are calibrated and validated against the test results and the comparisons indicated that the FE analysis procedures with the contact modeling agree well with the test results, and can accurately predict the flexural behavior and the load bearing capacity of the composite slim floor beam. An extensive parametric study is further conducted to investigate all the likely influences of the parameters such as geometric dimensions and the web openings size and spacing on the structural performance of the shallow cellular composite floor beam.