Assessment of geometric nonlinear behavior in composite beams with partial shear interaction

Composite beams, two materials joined together, have become more common in structural engineering over the past few decades because they have better mechanical and structural properties. The shear connectors between their layers exhibit some deformability with finite stiffness, resulting in interfacial shear slip, a phenomenon known as partial shear interaction. Such a partial shear interaction contributes significantly to the composite beams. To provide precise predictions of the geometric nonlinear behavior shown by two-layered composite beams with interfacial shear slips, a robust analytical model has been developed that incorporates the influence of significant displacements. The application of a higher-order beam theory to the two material layers results in a third-order adjustment of the longitudinal displacement within each layer along the depth of the beam. Deformable shear connectors are employed at the interface to represent the partial shear interaction by means of a sequence of shear connectors that are evenly distributed throughout the beam's length. The Von-Karman theory of large deflection incorporates geometric nonlinearity into the governing equations, which are then solved analytically using the Navier solution technique. Suggested model exhibits a notable level of agreement with published findings, and numerical outputs derived from finite element (FE) model. Large displacement substantially reduces deflection, interfacial shear slip, and stress values. Geometric nonlinearity has a significant impact on beams with larger span-to-depth ratio and a greater degree of shear connector deformability. Potentially, the analytical model can accurately predict the geometric nonlinear responses of composite beams. The model has a high degree of generality, which might aid in the numerical solution of composite beams with varying configurations and shear criteria.