Experimental and Numerical Investigation of a New Type of Composite Slab with a Separate Joint

This study proposes a new type of composite slab with a separate joint, which not only improves the assembly rate but also enables unsupported construction. A static loading test was conducted to investigate the bending behavior of the composite slab with a separate joint under a distributed load. The test results showed that the test composite slab had good integrity and crack resistance. The separate joint can effectively transmit internal forces and conform to the requirements of practical engineering. In addition, a finite element model was developed for the composite slab. The experimental load and numerical load corresponding to the longitudinal crack penetrating the bottom surface of the slab were 9.0 kN/m2 and 8.6 kN/m2, respectively, with an error of less than 5%. It was demonstrated that the finite element model can accurately predict the mechanical behavior of the composite slab.