DUCTILITY OF PROFILED COMPOSITE BEAMS .1. EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY

A series of experiments on profiled composite beams is reported. The e xperiments include two profiled composite beams and two reinforced con crete beams that were previously tested under sustained service loads. The tests reported were used to ascertain the flexural strength of th e beams and to validate the hypotheses of the previously reported serv ice-load tests. Companion specimens of concrete cylinders were tested for compressive strength and elastic modulus properties, for both seal ed and unsealed conditions. Specimens of profiled steel-sheeting coupo ns and reinforcing steel bars were tested in tension to ascertain thei r yield stress and elastic modulus. The tests here are shown to verify the previously mentioned hypotheses and to provide benchmark results used to validate the theoretical predictions of a companion paper. Fai lure is shown to occur progressively through a combination of bond-sli p failure and local buckling of the steel sheeting. The tests are then used to calibrate a theoretical model for the cross-sectional behavio r of profiled composite beams. Local buckling was observed and is pred icted by the use of a finite-strip method developed elsewhere.