Composite beam

Primary and secondary beams in composite steel frames are rigidly connected to the floor slab using shear studs. This allows the floor slab, and the beams beneath, to act compositely. Beam depths are therefore less than in equivalent non-composite frames.

Floor slabs generally comprise profiled steel floor deck with in-situ concrete cast over the deck. The deck acts as permanent shuttering and spans in a direction transverse to the secondary beams.