Double skin steel/concrete composite beam elements: experimental testing

Steel-concrete-steel (double skin), composite, construction consists of a core of concrete sandwiched between relatively thin steel plates. Elements of double skin construction have structural applications in submerged tunnels, gravity seawalls, bridge deck slabs and blast walls. For efficiency, full composite interaction is required between the core and surface skins. This can be promoted using steel with textured surfaces and this paper describes experimental details on beams using steel plate having four different interface preparations: plain, Durbar, Expamet and Wavy wire. 32 beams were tested in all, inclusive of three grades of core concrete: C40, C80 and C150. Full composite behav-iour was observed utilising Durbar, Expamet, and Wavy wire interfaces. Expamet and Wavy wire details are recommended for practical application.

N. K. Subedi, BSc(Eng), PhD, CEng, FIStructE, FICE, FASCE
Reader, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 4HN