ABSTRACT
Safety, serviceability and durability as related to cost, are the major considerations in the design of composite floor members. The Canadian steel building design standard S16.1, [1], encompasses design rules for structural safety in terms of strength and stability for floor members under construc tion or during occupancy. Means of assessing composite floor behaviour (walking-vibration characteristics and deflection), to fulfill occupancy comfort criteria as well as to produce acceptable interface to other building components (such as ceiling, floor finish, partitions, spandrel walls, etc), are also provided in S16.1. Further to the above serviceability requirements, the Canadian building code and its supplements [2] give recommendations for floor designs subjected to source of continuous vibration due to rhythmic h u m a n activities (dancing, jumping exercises, etc.), or due to vibrating mechanical equipment. Many special purpose composite floors (warehouse, retail floors, parking floors) require added structural durability against exposure, wear and structural use. Hence, guidance on practical design considerations are also needed.
