Probabilistic three-dimensional finite element study on composite beams with steel trapezoidal decking

This paper presents a probabilistic study based on Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) to evaluate the influence of material uncertainties on the numerically simulated structural response of composite steel–concrete floors consisting of concrete slabs cast on steel profiled sheeting and connected to steel beams by means of shear connectors. The numerical analyses are performed using a three-dimensional finite element model developed using the commercial software Abaqus, implemented using an explicit formulation. The constitutive behaviour of all materials is nonlinear. Contact regions between the concrete and steel elements are simulated using surface-to-surface and embedment techniques. Analyses are carried out for three case studies including simply-supported and continuous beams for which experimental results are available in the literature. Different realization sizes are considered for the MCS in order to evaluate their influence on the statistical characterization of the structural response. Based on the obtained results, it is observed that the adopted realization sizes provide similar statistical representation of the structural behaviour, which highlights how even a reduced number of nonlinear analyses can lead to satisfactory approximations of the statistical description of the response uncertainties in composite steel–concrete floors.

► Three-dimensional FE model of composite steel-concrete beams with steel deck. ► Composite floor beams with trapezoidal steel profiled sheeting. ► Probabilistic study based on MCS. ► Evaluation of influence of material uncertainties on structural response.