Non-linear Calculations of Composite Sections and Semi-continuous Joints

Comprehensive research projects carried out at the Institute of Steel and Timber Construction at the University of Innsbruck over the last decade have resulted in essential know-how about the behaviour of steel and composite beam-to-column joints, representing an important contribution to the economical competitiveness of composite and mixed structures. At the same time the response of composite beams and slabs with partial shear connection and incomplete shear interaction were analysed, yet without first considering the interaction between beams and joints. On the one hand, this book collects and refines the results gained until now on partial shear connection and joint representation, including the knowledge gained while working out proposals for Eurocode 4. On the other hand, it develops a calculation tool for studying the behaviour of beams with incomplete shear interaction in combination with semi-continuous joints. For this purpose all the non-linearities of the material, the shear interface and the joint are taken into consideration. Since an appropriate finite-element program reflecting the joints does not exist, and since the handling of the program should be as simple as possible allowing the results to be exactly custom-made in view of specific interests, a special computer program was developed. Thus far non-linear calculations for the characterisation of composite sections and semi-continuous joints have been realised, and an overall semi-continuous beam analysis should follow, based on the combination of sections and joints.