Seismic Behavior and Failure Mechanism of the Steel Moment Frames with Composite Beams

This paper examines the dynamic behavior of steel moment-resisting frames with steel-concrete composite beams with welded connections. One story-two bay frames with and without composite beams with rigid and simple connections were modeled with ABAQUS software and analyzed under earthquake accelerations. The distribution pattern of plastic hinges, rotation of plastic beam to column joints, plastic energy dissipation capacities of frame components and crack mechanism of slabs near the interior and exterior connections were studied. The results revealed that the frames with composite beams and welded rigid connections have the lowest values of period, plastic energy dissipation capacity, plastic rotation of joints and early frame mechanism. Failure mechanism in the exterior connection was in the form of concrete pre-tensioning from the starting at the corner of the column stretching in oblique around the edges of the slab. At the interior connections, it was in the form of concentrated compressive stress over the outer flange of the column. Strength and ductility of steel in tension and compression capacity of concrete in steel-concrete beams (composite beams) make this system suitable for long spans and considerable growth in recent years. In Euro Code 8, rules are stated for mechanisms between concrete slab and steel column in bending and sagging moment modes. The mechanism in bending and sagging moment regions, where concrete slab has enclosed steel column, is shown in Figure 1. In the first mechanism, the compressive stress is applied directly onto the outer side flange of the column. Whereas in the second mechanism, the concrete slab exerts pressure through a 45 degree angle to the column web. The performance of the first mechanism leads to removal of contact friction between the concrete slab and the column. But the second mechanism leads to removal of contact element (Hard Contact) between the concrete slab and the inner core of the column web and flange. Therefore, activation of both mechanisms manifests a better performance of the system. Formation the plastic hinges in frames generally start at the column base, particularly at the middle column and then expand to other members, connections and the concrete slab. In this study, the use of composite beam, instead of steel beam, causes plastic hinges to form in the connections instead of beams. In composite frames with simple connections, due to stress concentration, the major plastic hinges are formed at the welded connections. In these frames, the first plastic hinge is formed earlier than others. But the failure capacity of these frames is higher than rigid ones. In rigid connections, the added rigidity due to enclosure by concrete slab causes initial stiffness for the frame and delays the formation of the first plastic hinge. However, it induces sudden stresses on the welds at the upper part of the beam. Thus will eventually lead to weld rupture and slab failure. This produces early failure in the frames.