Mechanical Response of Steel Sheets with Perforations for Composite Floor Systems with Reinforced Concrete and the Application of Emitted Magnetic Signals as an Approximate Tool for Structural Monitoring.

Abstract

Recently composite flooring systems have been widely accepted as a construction solution, due to their various constructive advantages, Among them mainly the savings during construction which results in lower costs. This calls for a continuous study to improve said flooring system. In the present research, the flexural capacity of a series of composite flooring prototypes (made of concrete plus a steel deck with a surface modification into a vented deck), helped in comparing the mechanical response (maximum load and deflection) with classical composite steel deck systems. At the same time as monitoring deflection (as the load changed), one sensor reported the surface magnetic flux at a nearby area. It was possible to see a strong correlation between larger changes in deflection and the emanated magnetic flux at the surface of the steel deck. Three stages are available to see as the test continued: i) complete elastic behavior, ii) rise in tensile demand on the steel deck, iii) loosening of the composite behavior and ultimately collapse. Mechanical results show almost no difference between those composite flooring systems made with continuous steel decks when compared to those with vented decks.