Experimental investigation of composite steel–concrete beams using symmetrical and asymmetrical castellated beams

Abstract This study aims to investigate the behavior of concrete slabs acting compositely with symmetrical and asymmetrical castellated beams. Stud connectors are used to connect the concrete slab and steel section. The use of castellated steel beams to build up composite steel-concrete beams is now common practice in building construction. Five simply supported composite beams were examined under two-point loading. Two specimens built up from standard steel beams were used as control specimens and three specimens were built up from castellated steel beams. One of these specimens was built up using a castellated steel beam with an asymmetrical cross-section fabricated from two different standard sections (IPE120/HEA120). The concrete slab of all composite specimens had the same dimensions and properties. The experimental results showed that strength and rigidity were considerably greater for composite castellated steel beams compared to composite beams built up from the parent sections. The ultimate load capacity of a composite castellated beam fabricated from an IPE120 section was 46% greater than that of a composite beam built up using the parent beam, and the ultimate load capacity of a composite castellated beam fabricated from a wide-flanged HEA120 section resulted in an increase of 21% over the parent beam control specimen. The ultimate load capacity of the composite specimen built up using the asymmetrical castellated beam (IPE120/HEA120) achieved increases of 69% and 12%, respectively, compared to the control specimens built up from standard sections.