Calculation analysis on flexural performance of partially encased concrete cellular beams
Abstract
This study examines the flexural performance of partially encased concrete cellular beams (PECCBs), in which continuous openings are introduced into the web of the main steel component (MSC). To evaluate the influence of web openings and their geometries on structural behavior, six PECCBs with different configurations and one conventional partially encased concrete beam (PECB) were tested. The parameters investigated included three cellular geometries (circular, square, and hexagonal), two opening ratios, and three flange thicknesses. Experimental results indicated that conventional PECB specimens primarily failed through concrete crushing and flange buckling, whereas PECCBs exhibited lower flange tensile failure with concrete damage or upper flange buckling in compression. The presence of cellular webs enhanced the overall energy absorption capacity, with circular openings delivering the best performance, followed by hexagonal and square shapes. The cracking load was governed by both the opening ratio and geometry, with the highest value of 27.14 kN·m obtained for circular-cellular beams. Based on the test results, a cracking load prediction formula and an analytical deflection model were developed using the discounted web thickness method. Comparisons with JGJ 138-2016 and T/CECS 719-2020 demonstrated that the proposed deflection model achieved superior accuracy, with an average error of 4.20% and a standard deviation of 0.045.
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