Resistance of Composite Beam Subassemblies Subjected to Impact Load Close to the Beam–Column Connection

Given the frequent occurrence of falling debris impacts in some serious collapse accidents, it is of great practical significance to conduct in-depth research and improve the structural resistance to such impacts. The current research on structural falling debris scenarios has focused on conducting impact tests on the midspan or end of structures, but actual falling debris may act on any position of the lower structure, causing different dynamic behaviors of the structure. Therefore, experimental studies were conducted on three different types of half-scale composite beam components with different connections in the 1/5 span impact scenario, including welded unreinforced flange-bolted (WUF-B), fin plate (FP), and reverse channel extended end plate (RC-EEP) connections. On this basis, a finite-element model was established to verify the experimental results. The results showed that the shear resistance of the specimens at the RC-EEP joint is superior to that of the other two specimens and can effectively prevent shear failure to the greatest extent. The compressive arch effect of the initial loading specimen can be ignored, and the flexural action is the primary source of resistance for WUF-B and FP specimens. The finite-element model captures the peak load and ultimate displacement in the test, which can provide a basis for further parameter studies.