Time-dependent creep and shrinkage analysis of composite beams curved in-plan

This paper develops a numerical formulation for the time-dependent creep and shrinkage analysis of steel–concrete composite beams that are curved in-plan under conditions of service load. The creep behaviour of the concrete is considered by using the viscoelastic Wiechert model, in which the aging effect of the concrete is taken into account. The curved composite beam model that is developed also accounts for the partial shear interaction at the deck-girder interface in the tangential (or longitudinal) direction, as well as in the radial (or horizontal) direction, due to the flexibility of the shear connectors. Models based on the developed formulation are validated by comparisons with sophisticated and computationally intensive ABAQUS shell element models, and with available results reported in the literature. The effects of initial curvature and partial interaction on the time-dependent behaviour of curved composite beams are also illustrated in the examples.