Structural Performance of Precast and Cast-in-situ Ultra High Strength Concrete Sandwich Panel

This paper investigates the flexural performance of a sandwich panel made up of ultra high strength concrete (UHSC) as top and bottom skin and cold formed steel as sandwich. A novel sandwich panel has been designed such a way that bottom skin of UHSC is of precast in nature and top skin of UHSC is cast-in-situ and cold formed steel (profiled sheet) as sandwich. The connection between top skin of UHSC and cold formed steel is made with self tapping screws. Flexural performance of UHSC sandwich panel has been tested under flexural loading and it is found that the post peak response of the panel is significant in terms of more energy absorption. It is observed that the final failure of the specimen is occurred by forming a dominant crack on the bottom face of the skin apart formation of many multiple cracks with increase of load. Numerical investigations have been carried out by simulating the experimental conditions and found that the response obtained through simulation is in good agreement with the corresponding experimental values. From the studies, it can be concluded that UHSC steel sandwich panels can be employed for structural and non structural applications.