Simplified lateral-torsional buckling analysis in special truss-reinforced composite steel-concrete beams

The paper addresses the lateral-torsional buckling for a special steel truss structure which is adopted to reinforce a particular class of composite steel-concrete beams. The investigated instability phenomenon deals with a transitory ultimate limit state that may occur when the truss structure is being assembled and is bearing the precast floor system, before the concrete has hardened. During this transitory stage the truss beam works as a steel structure and may exhibit local or global instability phenomena. It provides the reinforcement of the final composite steel-concrete beam once the concrete has hardened. The main result of this paper is an analytical approach for the estimation of the elastic critical moment which is required to calculate the final design lateral-torsional buckling resistance moment in accordance with the technical code in force (the European standard for steel structures is considered in this paper). The simplified analysis this paper presents leads to a closed-form solution for the elastic critical moment, thus providing a simple and rapid tool for the calculation of the lateral-torsional buckling resistance moment. A comparison to a finite element analysis has been performed to demonstrate the correctness of the proposed analytical formulation. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000390. (C) 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.