Design of Partially or Fully Composite Beams with Ribbed Metal Deck Using LRFD Specifications

A Hindu saying states, "One picture is worth a thousand words (numbers)." With this optic in mind, the design aspects of steel-concrete composite beams using the recently adopted LRFD specifications are analyzed critically and the significance of several parameters is brought out clearly. Charts are then constructed to facilitate the design of partially or fully composite beams using rolled-steel, wideflange sections of A36 steel or A572 Gr. 50 steel. The slab may be a composite metal deck slab with ribs perpendicular to the beam, a haunched slab or, simply, a flat soffit concrete slab. The charts cover both adequate and inadequate slabs. The charts provided are a valuable tool from the practical standpoint, and also familiarity with them should contribute to the students and young engineers overall feel of the composite beam design problem. The design charts given here complement the composite beam design tables provided in the LRFD manual.