Analysis of steel–concrete composite PR-frames in partial shear interaction: A numerical model and some applications

The combined effect of beam-to-column joint semi-rigidity and partial interaction in steel–concrete composite beams is considered in the present paper in order to quantify the relative importance of these two phenomena both affecting the global behavior of composite frames. A finite element model formulated by the authors in a previous paper is able explicitly to simulate partial interaction in composite beams and is extended herein with the aim also of analyzing framed structures, even those with semi-rigid beam-to-column joints otherwise called Partially-Restrained frames (PR-frames in the following). Final applications are devoted to point out the relative importance of partial interaction effect with respect to the well-recognized role played by joint semi-rigidity. Assessment of code provisions and alternative proposals are finally exposed for taking account of the effect of the former phenomenon on structural behavior.