• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.461-477
• /
• 2016

Steel-concrete-steel (SCS) sandwich composite wall has been proposed for building and offshore constructions. An ultra-lightweight cement composite with density1380 kg/m3 and compressive strength up to 60 MPa is used as core material and inter-locking J-hook connectors are welded on the steel face plates to achieve the composite action. This paper presents the numerical models using nonlinear finite element analysis to investigate the load displacement behavior of SCS sandwich walls subjected to axial compression. The results obtained from finite element analysis are verified against the test results to establish its accuracy in predicting load-displacement curves, maximum resistance and failure modes of the sandwich walls. The studies show that the inter-locking J-hook connectors are subjected to tension force due to the lateral expansion of cement composite core under compression. This signifies the important role of the interlocking effect of J-hook connectors in preventing tensile separation of the steel face plates so that the local buckling of steel face plates is prevented.

• Steel and Composite Structures
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.1001-1021
• /
• 2015

Ultra-lightweight cement composite (ULCC) with a compressive strength of 60 MPa and density of $1,450kg/m^3$ has been developed and used in the steel-concrete-steel (SCS) sandwich structures. This paper investigates the structural performances of SCS sandwich composite beams with ULCC as filled material. Overlapped headed shear studs were used to provide shear and tensile bond between the face plate and the lightweight core. Three-dimensional nonlinear finite element (FE) model was developed for the ultimate strength analysis of such SCS sandwich composite beams. The accuracy of the FE analysis was established by comparing the predicted results with the quasi-static tests on the SCS sandwich beams. The FE model was also applied to the nonlinear analysis on curved SCS sandwich beam and shells and the SCS sandwich beams with J-hook connectors and different concrete core including ULCC, lightweight concrete (LWC) and normal weight concrete (NWC). Validations were also carried out to check the accuracy of the FE analysis on the SCS sandwich beams with J-hook connectors and curved SCS sandwich structure. Finally, recommended FE analysis procedures were given.