SCIENCE CHINA

Technological Sciences
• Article • November 2015 Vol.58 No.11: 1956–1962
doi: 10.1007/s11431-015-5877-1

Analytical model for ultimate loading capacities of continuous

composite slabs with profiled steel sheets
WANG YuHang1* & NIE JianGuo2
1
School of Civil Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China;
2
Department of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

Received December 28, 2014; accepted May 10, 2015; published online July 8, 2015

Composite slabs with profiled steel sheet are widely applied in practical structures now. Plenty of literatures can be available
about simply supported composite slabs with single span. However, continuous slabs always exist in high-rise building struc-
tures. In order to obtain the ultimate loading capacity of continuous composite slabs, the full scale test on slab specimens with
high cost need to be carried out. This paper presented an analytical model for calculating the ultimate loading capacity of con-
tinuous composite slabs. Only the small-scale slide block test needed to be carried out for determining some mechanical pa-
rameters, resulting in less cost, compared with the conventional m-k test method. Various load conditions and parameters were
considered in the analytical model. The comparison between test results and predicted results showed that the proposed method
had enough precision. Furthermore, the simplified method was also proposed for practical design.

continuous composite slab, profiled steel sheet, loading capacity, iterative solution

Citation: Wang Y H, Nie J G. Analytical model for ultimate loading capacities of continuous composite slabs with profiled steel sheets. Sci China Tech Sci,
2015, 58: 19561962, doi: 10.1007/s11431-015-5877-1

1 Introduction ous slabs often exist in practical structures, and some tests
have been already carried out [6,7], showing that the load-
ing capacity of continuous composite slabs was much high-
Composite slabs with profiled steel sheet have been widely
er than that of simply supported slabs. Then the regression
applied in practical structures from the 1960’s. Compared
method, called m-k method, has been used for calculating
with conventional reinforced concrete slabs, composite
the ultimate loading capacity of continuous composite slabs.
slabs have major advantages: no formworks, fewer scaffolds,
In order to use the m-k method shown in Figure 2, plenty of
higher loading capacity, lighter weight and faster construc-
tests on full-scale slab specimens must be carried out by
tion speed. Furthermore, due to the composite action created
changing the geometrical dimensions and material strength
by the bond and mechanical occlusion on the interface be-
levels, in order to determine the relation between the ulti-
tween the concrete and profiled steel sheet, the material
mate loading capacity versus various geometrical and mate-
strength of composite slabs can be fully utilized.
rial parameters of continuous composite slabs. Therefore,
Currently, a large number of literatures including exper-
the high cost must be paid for obtaining the regression
imental studies, theoretical models and design methods can
equation of composite slabs with various types of the pro-
be available about simply supported composite slabs with
filed steel sheet.
single span [1–5]. However, as shown in Figure 1, continu-
As shown in Figure 3, there are mainly four failure
modes of composite slabs with profiled steel sheet [8].
*Corresponding author (email: wangyuhang@cqu.edu.cn)

© Science China Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015 tech.scichina.com link.springer.com
 Wang Y H, et al. Sci China Tech Sci
Figure 1 Continuous composite floor with profiled steel sheet.
Figure 2 (Color online) m-k method for determining ultimate loading
capacity of composite slabs.
Figure 3 (Color online) Failure modes of composite slabs.
(1) Flexure failure: At mid-span, the section of the profile
steel sheet yield, and then the concrete crush, but the longi-
tudinal interface between the steel sheet and concrete keeps
good condition, and little slip can be observed nearing the
edge support. (2) Longitudinal shear failure: Large slip ex-
ists on the interface, but the section at mid-span does not
yield. (3) Vertical shear failure: When the ratio of the span
to the height of slabs is relative small, the diagonal crack
will appear near the support, similar to the shear failure
mode of conventional reinforced concrete slabs. (4) Punch-
ing shear failure: When thin slabs bears heavy concentrated
load, the cone-shaped cracking occurs near the load point.
From test results available now, it can be found that the
flexure failure and longitudinal shear failure were the most
common failure modes of composite slabs with steel sheet.
Johnson has proposed simplified equations for calculating
the ultimate capacity of composite slabs with vertical shear
November (2015) Vol.58 No.11 1957
failure and punching shear failure modes [9], and the flex-
ural capacity of continuous composite slabs can be directly
obtained by the plastic equilibrium conditions on the section.
Therefore, the method for predicting the longitudinal shear
capacity of continuous composite slabs needed to be stud-
ied.
In this paper, a new analytical model was developed for
predicting the ultimate loading capacity of continuous
composite slabs with profiled steel sheet, and the test veri-
fication was also carried out, in order to investigate the so-
lution precision of the analytical model. Finally, simplified
design methods were proposed for calculating the ultimate
loading capacity of continuous composite slabs with pro-
filed steel sheet in practical structures.
2 Theoretical model
Firstly, in order to simplify equations for theoretical deriva-
tion, the section of the profiled steel sheet was equivalent to
an I-shape section. As shown in Figure 4, the width and
thickness of the flange and the height of the web plate of the
I-shape section were equal to the section of the profiled
steel sheet, and the thickness of the web plate tw was equal
to 2t/cos, where t was the thickness of the profiled steel
sheet, and  was the inclining angle of the web of the pro-
filed steel sheet.
2.1 MuTu relation
As illustrated in Figure 5, at the ultimate state, the relation
between the ultimate flexural capacity Mu of the section and
the tensile force Tu of the profiled steel sheet could be de-
termined by the slip strain r on the interface. The Mu versus
Tu relation had been assumed to be linear by Patrick [10].
However, conclusions in ref. [3] indicated that the linear
assumption of the Mu versus Tu relation would underesti-
mate the longitudinal shear capacity of composite slabs with
profiled steel sheet. Therefore, the Mu versus Tu relation
should be discussed in detail.
Figure 5 showed three typical strain-stress distribution
states on the composite section, corresponding to different
longitudinal shear connection degrees. When there was no
composite action on the interface (Figure 5(a)), the concrete
and steel sheet separately resisted the bending moment, and
no axial force existed on the pure concrete section and the
pure steel sheet section. If the concrete and the steel sheet
were completely connected (Figure 5(c)), no slip existed on
the interface, so the ultimate flexure state could be achieved.
However, as shown in Figure 5(b), in general, the longitu-
dinal slip often existed between the steel sheet and concrete,
especially for slabs with longitudinal failure modes, so the
theoretical model for calculating the ultimate loading capac-
ity of continuous composite slabs should be established.
1958 Wang Y H, et al. Sci China Tech Sci November (2015) Vol.58 No.11

Figure 4 (Color online) Simplification for composite section.

Figure 5 (Color online) Strain and stress distribution on section. (a) No composite (εr→0); (b) general state; (c) completely composite (εr=0).

According to the axial force equilibrium condition on the

section, the equilibrium equation could be established as:
f y tw (hs  2t  y2 )  f y b2 t
y1
 f c by1   f c b( y )dy  f y b1t  f y tw ( y2  t ), (1)
0

where fy was the yield strength of the steel and fc was the
compressive strength of the concrete. y1 and y2 were the
height of the compressive zone of concrete and steel sheet
respectively. b(y) was the width of the concrete section be-
low the top flange of the steel sheet. Figure 6 (Color online) Relation between Mu and Tu.
Then equations for calculating Mu and Tu could be ex-
pressed as:
no bond between the profiled steel sheet and concrete (εr
 M u  f y b2 th  f y tw (hs  y2 )(hc  0.5hs  0.5 y2 ) approaching infinite), the profile steel sheet was at pure
 bending state, so the tensile force Tu of the profiled steel
  0.5 f c by12  f y b1thc  f y tw y2 (hc  0.5 y2 )
 sheet was equal to zero, and Mu was the same as Ms, where
 y1 (2)
   f c b( y)(hc  y)dy, Ms was the flexural capacity of the pure section of the pro-
 0
filed steel sheet.
Tu  f y tw (hs  2 y2 )  f y (b2  b1 )t . Based on a large number of numerical calculations, the
Mu versus Tu relation could be obtained, as shown in Figure
Introducing eq. (1) into eq. (2), the parametric equation 6. Furthermore, the Mu versus Tu relation could be simpli-
group about Mu and Tu with single parameter y2 could be fied as:
obtained. It could be observed that the tensile force Tu of the
2
profiled steel sheet had linear relation with the parameter y2, Mu  M   Tu 
and the ultimate flexural capacity Mu of the section had a  1  1  s    1  . (3)
Mp  M
parabolic relation with the parameter y2, so there was para-  p   Tp 
bolic relation between Mu and Tu, as plotted in Figure 6. Equations for calculating Ms and Mp could be obtained
As shown in Figure 5, there were totally two mechanical as:
boundary condition. (1) When the slip strain εr was equal to
zero, the tensile force Tu of the profiled steel sheet reached M s  f yWp , (4)
its upper limit Tp, and the ultimate flexural capacity Mu of
the section reached its upper limit Mp. (2) When there was M p  f y Ap (h  ep  0.5 f y Ap / f c b) , (5)
 Wang Y H, et al. Sci China Tech Sci November (2015) Vol.58 No.11 1959

where Wp and Ap were the section modulus and the section

area of the profiled steel sheet respectively, ep was the dis-
tance from the bottom of the slab to the plastic neutral axis
of the profiled steel sheet.

2.2 Ultimate tensile force of profiled steel sheet

After the Mu versus Tu relation was obtained, the ultimate

tensile force Tu of the profiled steel sheet section should be
determined. In continuous slabs, as shown in Figure 7, the
longitudinal shear failure surface might appear in two seg-
ments along the span: the segment A between the inflection
point of the bending moment diagram and the load point,
and the segment B between the side bearing and the load
point. According to the force equilibrium condition, the
ultimate tensile force Tu of the profiled steel sheet sec- Figure 8 (Color online) Slide block test for determining bond coefficient
tion was equal to the longitudinal shear force on the inter- between steel sheet and concrete.
face between the profiled steel sheet and the concrete.
As shown in Figure 7, when the longitudinal interface of
of the side bearing, (3) the shear capacity of studs at edge.
the segment A failed, the ultimate tensile force Tu of the
Therefore, the ultimate tensile force Tu of the section of the
section of the profiled steel sheet could be calculated as:
profiled steel sheet determined from the segment B could be
Tu,A   u bx  Tp  f y Ap , (6) obtained as:

where u was the shear strength of the interface between the
profiled steel sheet and concrete, which could be calculated
as [10]:
 u   fc  ,
where fc′ was the cylinder compressive strength of the con-
crete. was the bond coefficient of the interface determined
by the rough degree and constructions of profiled steel
sheets, which could be obtained by the small-scale slide
block tests with low cost and high precision, as shown in
Figure 8.
As shown in Figure 7, when the longitudinal interface of
the segment B failed, the ultimate tensile force Tu of the
section of the profiled steel sheet could be regarded as the
summation of three parts. (1) The shear stress on the inter-
face, (2) the frictional force produced by the reaction force
Tu, B   u bxL  Vu  nsVud  f y Ap , (8)
where was the frictional coefficient between the profiled
steel sheet and concrete, which could be also determined by
(7) small-scale slide block tests. Vu was the ultimate vertical
shear force near the side bearing, ns was the number of studs
at the edge, and Vud was the shear capacity of the stud,
which could be calculated as [11]:
Vud  0.43 Ast Ec f c  0.7 f yd Ast , (9)
where Ast was the section area of the stud, fyd was the tensile
strength of the stud, and Ec was the elastic modulus of the
concrete.
Finally, the ultimate tensile force Tu of the profiled steel
sheet could be determined as the minimum value of Tu,A and
Tu,B:
Tu  min (Tu, A , Tu, B ) . (10)

2.3 Ultimate loading capacity of continuous slab

Based on the Mu versus Tu relation of the composite section

Figure 7 (Color online) Mechanical state of continuous composite slabs
at ultimate state. (a) Bending moment diagram; (b) force equilibrium con-
dition of steel sheet and concrete.
and the force equilibrium condition along the span, the ul-
timate loading capacity of continuous composite slabs could
be calculated. Firstly, in order to obtain the area of the lon-
gitudinal shear failure surface, the position of the inflection
point of the bending moment diagram should be determined,
but it was related to the ultimate positive bending moment
at the load point. Therefore, the iterative solution needed to
be carried out. In following parts, methods for calculating
the ultimate loading capacity of continuous composite slabs
under various load condition were discussed in detail.
1960 Wang Y H, et al. Sci China Tech Sci November (2015) Vol.58 No.11

2.3.1 Two-span continuous slab, subjected to single con-

centrated load at mid-span
As shown in Figure 9, for two-span continuous slabs sub-
jected to single concentrated load at mid-span, according to
the force equilibrium condition, the bending moment Mu at
the load point could be calculated as:
M u  0.25 Pu L  0.5M n , (11)

where Mn was the ultimate negative capacity of the compo-

Figure 10 (Color online) Calculation diagram of composite section sub-
site section at the mid bearing. The existing test results in- jected to negative moment.
dicated that the local buckling of the profiled steel sheet
always occurred when the section of composite slabs sub-
jected to negative bending moment, so the contribution of at each iterative step, which could be determined according
the profiled steel sheet to the negative ultimate capacity Mn to the solution precision, and e was the error limit for the
of the composite section could be neglected. As shown in iterative solution.
Figure 10, the negative ultimate capacity Mn of the compo-
site section could be calculated as: 2.3.2 Two-span continuous slab, subjected to 2-point
concentrated load
M n  f yr Ar (hr  0.5 f yr Ar / f c b) , (12) As shown in Figure 12, for two-span continuous slabs sub-
jected to 2-point concentrated load, based on the force equi-
where Ar and fyr were the total area and yielding strength of
librium condition, the bending moment at the two load
steel bars at the top of the section, hr was the distance from
points could be obtained as:
steel bars to the bottom of the composite section.
Based on the bending moment diagram shown in Figure  L  L1  L1
M 1  0.5Pu L1  1  2  Mn,
L  L
9, the position of the inflection point could be determined

as: (14)
 L  L2  L  L2
M 2  0.5 Pu L2  1  1  Mn,
x  0.5 L
Mu
. (13)  L  L
Mu  Mn
where L1 and L2 were the distance of the two concentrated
Taking eqs. (3), (6), (11)–(13) as a non-linear equation forces to their adjacent supports.
group, the ultimate loading capacity of continuous compo- Then the position of the inflection point could be deter-
site slabs could be obtained by the iterative solution method, mined as:
as illustrated in Figure 11. M was the incremental moment
M2
x L2 . (15)
M2  Mn

2.3.3 Two-span continuous slab, subjected to uniform

Figure 9 (Color online) Bending moment diagram of two-span continu-
ous slabs subjected to single point load.
distributed load
As shown in Figure 13, different from the 2-point concen-
trated load condition mentioned above, for two-span con-
tinuous slabs subjected to uniform distributed load, the po-
sition of the section, where the bending moment was maxi-

Figure 11 (Color online) Iterative flow for solving non-linear equation group.
 Wang Y H, et al. Sci China Tech Sci November (2015) Vol.58 No.11 1961

4 Simplified calculation method

Although the analytical method was established, it was still

Figure 12 (Color online) Bending moment diagram of two-span contin-
uous slabs subjected to 2-point load.
Figure 13 (Color online) Bending moment diagram of two-span contin-
uous slabs subjected to uniform distributed load.
not convenient to be applied for the practical design, due to
the iterative solution procedure. Therefore, the simplified
method should be developed. In practice, composite slabs
were always used for floors in buildings, which were mainly
subjected to the uniform distributed load, so the simplified
method was suitable for slabs subjected to uniform distrib-
uted load.
Dimensionless parameters  =1–Ms/Mp and  = ubL/Tp
were defined. Then introducing the eqs. (3), (6) and (17)
into (18), the formula about qu could be derived as:
L6 qu3  1 L4 qu2   2 L2 qu   3  0 , (19)
where 1, 2 and 3 were parameters, which could be cal-
culated as:

mal, could not be previously known, and should be found at 1  8M p [  (  1)2  0.5M n / M p  1],
first. According to the force equilibrium condition, the  2  8M p M n [0.5M n / M p   (  1)], (20)
bending moment at each section along the longitudinal sec-
tion could be obtained as:  3  8 M p M n .
2 2

M ( x)  0.5qu x( L  x )  xM n / L, (16) Solving the non-linear eq. (19), the ultimate loading ca-
pacity of continuous slabs could be obtained as:
where x′ was the distance from the section to the side bear-
ing, qu was the uniform distributed load value. 3m  
Differentiating eq. (16) and setting dM (x′)/dx′=0, the po- qu  2 2
cos  12
3L 3 3L
sition of the inflection point could be obtained as: (21)
( M n  2 M P )  ( M n  2 M P )2  M n2
x  0.5L  M n / qu L . (17) 2 ,
L2
Introducing eq. (17) into eq. (16), the maximal positive where
moment could be calculated as:
  arccos(1.5n(3m)0.5 / m 2 ),
M u  0.125qu L  0.5M / qu L  0.5M n .
2 2 2
(18)
n
m  12 / 3   2 , n  213 / 27  1  2 / 3   3 .

In eq. (21), the upper limit for qu corresponded to the ul-

3 Test verification
In order to verify the proposed analytical model, the com-
parison calculations were carried out based on tests reported
in refs. [12,13]. All the results were illustrated in Table 1. It
could be observed that the proposed method has enough
solution precision for predicting the ultimate loading capac-
ity of continuous composite slabs with steel sheet.
timate loading capacity of slabs with flexure failure mode.
Based on eq. (21), the influences of different parameters
on ultimate capacity of continuous composite slabs were
calculated, as plotted in Figure 14. From Figure 14, it could
be seen that as the ultimate shear strength of the interface
between the steel sheet and concrete increased, the ultimate
capacity of continuous composite slabs increased obviously,
and gradually approached its upper limit, corresponding to

Table 1 Comparative results between predicted results and test results

Ref. No. Specimen No. L (mm) h (mm) Pu, cal (kN) Pu, test (kN) Pu, cal/Pu, test
B-6 2600 165 138.33 146.80 0.94
Chen [12] B-7a 2600 165 140.25 119.75 1.17
B-7b 3200 165 106.58 119.75 0.89
CSI-130-0.4(HS) 3000 130 91.57 96.00 0.95
Lee et al. [13] CSI-150-0.4(HS) 3000 150 110.81 110.00 1.00
CSI-150-0.4(MS) 3000 150 111.42 128.00 0.87
1962 Wang Y H, et al. Sci China Tech Sci
Figure 14 (Color online) Influence of different parameters on ultimate loading capacity of continuous composite slabs.
the flexure failure mode. However, the concrete strength
had little effect on the ultimate capacity of continuous
composite slabs. Furthermore, as the thickness of the steel
sheet increased, resulting in the increment of the area of the
steel sheet, the ultimate capacity of continuous composite
slabs and its upper limit were both significantly affected,
and the more obvious effect on the upper limit of qu could
be observed when the thickness of the steel sheet was rela-
tively large.
5 Conclusions
Comparison with test results showed that the analytical
method had enough precision for predicting the ultimate
loading capacity of continuous composite slabs. Different
from the conventional m-k method with high cost, only the
the small-scale slide block test with low cost needed to be
carried out to find the bond coefficient.
The simplified method could be used for continuous
composite slabs subjected to the uniform distributed load in
practical design, and the flexural failure mode and longitu-
dinal shear failure mode were both considered.
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