The authors are to be congratulated for a lucidly written easy-to-read paper. The discusser desires to know the type of connection between the slab and steel beam; in particular, was composite action of the deck and beam, envisaged in design? Will a simple seating connection enable a catenary-type of slab behavior? That any slab appropriately reinforced and sensibly detailed is capable of carrying loads through in-plane membrane forces generated through large deflections, has once again been brought out in this study, as has been done in an earlier instance, specifically the Ronan Point collapse which was triggered by gas explosion Arising out of this, the necessity for an ''alternate load carrying mechanism'' to be incorporated in design and detailing was emphasized; perhaps through a slab supporting the beam. For this to be effective, would not adequate shear connections be mandatory? What then would be the requirement of shear connections?
展开▼
