Experimental behaviour of composite beams subjected to a hogging moment

The present work addresses the rotational capacity of steel-concrete composite beams, which is a key issue for the seismic design of composite frames. Several experimental tests from the literature are summarised, and the effects of various parameters on the available plastic rotation are discussed. Furthermore, a number of remarks are made regarding the need for supplementary experimental results. The authors carried out experimental tests on four composite beams in which the type, width and connection degree of the slab were varied. During the tests, the deflection and strains in the steel profiles and bars were measured and recorded, wherein the observed trends in the measured parameters indicated that the failure mode of the beam was influenced by global and local buckling. A comparison of the experimental results to the theoretical ultimate strengths and moment-curvature relationships confirms that buckling phenomena occurred after section yielding, even if a consistent plastic rotation developed. This rotational capacity is well evaluated by a formulation that is available in the literature.