Summary

• Composite beams involve connecting a steel beam to the concrete slab which it supports in such a way that the two act together.
• A steel beam to concrete slab connection is simply achieved by fixing stud connectors to the top flange of the steel beam, providing a positive key with the concrete slab.
• Composite beams are structurally very efficient.
• Composite floors consist of profiled steel sheets with a concrete topping. The steel sheet provides the reinforcement to the slab and acts as permanent shuttering for the wet concrete.
• The use of composite floors leads to extremely fast and efficient construction.