Strength of Concrete-filled Steel Deck Composite Diaphragms with Reinforcing Steel

Concrete‐filled steel deck floors are the most commonly used diaphragm system in steel buildings. While a considerable amount of testing has been performed on bare steel deck diaphragms, a limited amount of data exists on concrete‐filled steel deck floor diaphragms subjected to cyclic loads. As part of a testing program at Virginia Tech, a total of eight cantilever diaphragm tests were performed on diaphragm specimens that were 5.2 m by 4.1 m with varied parameters such as deck height, total concrete thickness, concrete type (lightweight and normal weight), layout of headed shear studs, and reinforcement. Three of the specimens included reinforcing steel: two with reinforcing bars and one with welded wire mesh. The goal of this paper is to investigate strength predictions for these concrete‐filled steel deck diaphragms with varying types of steel reinforcement. A prediction model for the shear strength of concrete‐filled steel deck diaphragms was proposed and validated using the results of this experimental program, as well as the results of a testing program performed at Iowa State University.