Novel Steel and Steel-Concrete Composite Structures

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 February 2025 | Viewed by 8634

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: steel and composite structures; structures with high-performance materials; structural stability theory; earthquake-resistant structural systems

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Guest Editor
College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: large-span steel-concrete composite structures; high-efficiency structural modeling

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: buckling of steel and steel-concrete composite structures; earthquake design of steel and steel-concrete composite structures; indutrial structures; steel shells

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Steel and steel-concrete composite structures have experienced rapid developments in recent years. To meet the requirements of practical engineering structures, including high bearing capacity, high seismic resistance and ductility, large span, good resilience, economic efficiency, etc., novel steel and steel-concrete composite structures are expected to improve the performance of current structural systems. The research toward novel steel and steel-concrete composite structures includes the development of novel structures, the structural behavior of novel structures and design approaches. Detailed investigations may be conducted by establishing new analytical and simulating techniques. The aim of this Special Issue is to promote novel steel and steel-concrete composite structural systems and expand their applications. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following aspects:

  • Novel steel structures
  • Novel steel-concrete composite structures
  • Steel plate-concrete composite structures and technique
  • Earthquake-resistant structures
  • Large-span and spatial structures
  • Composite structures with high-performance materials
  • Numerical simulation techniques of novel steel and steel-concrete composite structures

Prof. Dr. Jingzhong Tong
Prof. Dr. Wenhao Pan
Prof. Dr. Genshu Tong
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • steel-concrete composite structures
  • steel structures
  • novel structural systems
  • high-performance materials
  • stability analysis
  • seismic design
  • simulation technique

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 38019 KiB  
Article
Seismic Performance of Cross-Shaped Partially Encased Steel–Concrete Composite Columns: Experimental and Numerical Investigations
by Qiuyu Xu, Yong Liu and Jingfeng Wang
Buildings 2024, 14(7), 1932; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14071932 - 25 Jun 2024
Viewed by 595
Abstract
Special-shaped partially encased steel–concrete composite (PEC) columns could not only improve the aesthetic effect and room space use efficiency, but also exhibit good mechanical performance under static load when used in multi-story residential and office buildings. However, research on the seismic performance of [...] Read more.
Special-shaped partially encased steel–concrete composite (PEC) columns could not only improve the aesthetic effect and room space use efficiency, but also exhibit good mechanical performance under static load when used in multi-story residential and office buildings. However, research on the seismic performance of special-shaped PEC columns is insufficient and urgently needed. To investigate the seismic performance of cross-shaped partially encased steel–concrete composite (CPEC) columns, three CPEC columns were designed and tested under combined constant axial load and lateral cyclic load. The test results show that the CPEC columns had good load capacity and ductility, and that the columns failed because of concrete crushing and steel flange buckling after the yielding of the steel flange. The plump hysteresis loops indicated that the CPEC column also had good energy dissipation capacity. Due to the constraint of hydraulic jacks, increasing the load ratio would decrease the effective length, thereby increasing the load capacity of the CPEC column and decreasing the ductility. A finite element model was also established to simulate the response of the CPEC columns, and the simulated results agree well with the experimental results. Thereafter, an extensive parametric analysis was performed to study the influences of different parameters on the seismic performance of CPEC columns. For the CPEC column with an ideal hinged boundary condition at the top, its lateral load capacity gradually decreases with the growth of the load ratio and link spacing and increases with the rise of the steel yield strength, concrete compressive strength, flange and web thickness, and sectional aspect ratio. This research could provide a basis for future theoretical analyses and engineering application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Steel and Steel-Concrete Composite Structures)
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23 pages, 7749 KiB  
Article
Design and Performance Study of a Six-Leg Lattice Tower for Wind Turbines
by Miao Li, Hao Li and Yang Wen
Buildings 2024, 14(4), 965; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14040965 - 1 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1273
Abstract
A new type of spherical node was used to design a laboratory-scale prototype of a six-leg lattice of steel tubes and concrete for application as a wind turbine tower. Repeated load tests were performed on the prototype tower for several weeks to evaluate [...] Read more.
A new type of spherical node was used to design a laboratory-scale prototype of a six-leg lattice of steel tubes and concrete for application as a wind turbine tower. Repeated load tests were performed on the prototype tower for several weeks to evaluate its load-carrying capacity, deformation, energy consumption, stress distribution based on damage patterns, hysteresis curves, skeleton curves, strength, and stiffness degradation curves. The findings indicated that the prototype tower underwent thread damage to the high-strength bolts of the inclined web and weld damage between the inclined web and sealing plate. Although the stress differences between different measurement points were significant, the stress values were small at most of the measurement points. The maximum equivalent stress value was 294 MPa, which appeared in the middle layer of the BC surface. The P-Δ hysteresis curve had an inverse “S”-shape, and the bearing capacity was high. The maximum energy dissipation appeared in the 1.75 Δy loading stage. The peak load of the specimen can reach 376.2 kN, and the corresponding peak displacement is 37 mm. However, the average ductility coefficient was only 2.33, indicating little plastic deformation. The maximum strain of the tower column foot is 1800 με, and the force of the inclined web member in the middle layer is the largest. The strain of the transverse web bar increased significantly after the tower yielded, which contributed to maintaining the integrity of the structure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Steel and Steel-Concrete Composite Structures)
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17 pages, 3068 KiB  
Article
Optimal Design of a Novel Large-Span Cable-Supported Steel–Concrete Composite Floor System
by Meiwen Tan, Yifan Wu, Wenhao Pan, Guoming Liu and Wei Chen
Buildings 2024, 14(1), 113; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010113 - 31 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1661
Abstract
This paper optimizes the design of a novel large-span cable-supported steel–concrete composite floor system in a simply supported single-span, single-strut configuration, aiming for cost-effective solutions and minimal steel consumption. The optimization considers various cross-sectional dimensions, adhering to building standards and engineering practices, and [...] Read more.
This paper optimizes the design of a novel large-span cable-supported steel–concrete composite floor system in a simply supported single-span, single-strut configuration, aiming for cost-effective solutions and minimal steel consumption. The optimization considers various cross-sectional dimensions, adhering to building standards and engineering practices, and is based on a non-linear programming (NLP) algorithm. Parameters of live loads ranging from 2 to 10 kN/m2 and spans from 20 to 100 m are considered. The optimization results show that cable-supported composite floors with a single strut exhibit robust economic feasibility for spans of less than 80 m and live loads under 8 kN/m2. Compared to conventional composite floors with welded I-beams, the cable-supported system offers more cost-effective cross-sections and reduces steel consumption. The savings in economically equivalent steel consumption range from 20% to 60%. Discussion on the area ratio of cables to steel beam in the optimal cross-section reveals that the secondary load-bearing system (i.e., bending of the main beam with an effective span length of L/2) may require more steel in cases of ultra-large spans. Therefore, the economical efficiency of cable-supported composite beams with multiple struts and smaller effective span lengths warrants further exploration in future studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Steel and Steel-Concrete Composite Structures)
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12 pages, 1577 KiB  
Article
Optimal Design of Crossbeam Stiffness Factor in Bridge Towers Using a Reliability-Based Approach
by Wenhao Pan, Yi Zhu, Chuanhao Zhao and Jingzhong Tong
Buildings 2023, 13(8), 2095; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13082095 - 17 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1203
Abstract
Optimal design of the crossbeam is essential for the economical design of bridge towers as the crossbeam could considerably enhance the lateral stiffnesses of these towers by providing a special bracing for the tower columns. By using a reliability-based approach, this paper studies [...] Read more.
Optimal design of the crossbeam is essential for the economical design of bridge towers as the crossbeam could considerably enhance the lateral stiffnesses of these towers by providing a special bracing for the tower columns. By using a reliability-based approach, this paper studies the optimal design of the crossbeam stiffness factor in bridge towers; this is defined as a dimensionless crossbeam stiffness relative to the tower column stiffness. A novel second-order matrix stiffness method (MSM) is applied to obtain a closed-form solution of the lateral stiffness of the bridge tower. The structural second-order stiffness matrix consists of combinations of the second-order element stiffness matrices and coordinate transformations. Subsequently, a reliability analysis to study the optimal design of the bridge tower is performed by considering the uncertainties arising from the design and construction of the bridge tower. The lateral stiffness of the bridge tower is set as an objective function while the total usage of materials is set as a constraint condition. Then, the influence of the crossbeam stiffness factor on the lateral stiffness of the bridge tower, including the fragility curve and the probabilistic behavior, is examined. Based on the reliability analysis, optimal design recommendations on the crossbeam stiffness of the bridge tower are presented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Steel and Steel-Concrete Composite Structures)
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22 pages, 11883 KiB  
Article
Elastic Local Buckling of I-Sections under Axial Compression Incorporating Web–Flange Interaction
by Qianjing Zhang, Lei Zhang, Yujia Zhang, Yufei Liu and Jia Zhou
Buildings 2023, 13(8), 1912; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13081912 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 913
Abstract
The local buckling of I-section columns is investigated in this paper, where the interaction between the web and flanges is taken into account. An analytical method is first developed based on the classical theory of the elastic buckling of thin plates, with which [...] Read more.
The local buckling of I-section columns is investigated in this paper, where the interaction between the web and flanges is taken into account. An analytical method is first developed based on the classical theory of the elastic buckling of thin plates, with which the main parameters affecting the interaction between the web and flanges are analyzed. The interactive behaviors of the buckling deformations of the I-section with different parameters are then revealed by employing finite element analyses. Simple approximate solutions for the buckling coefficients of the web and flanges are proposed using the energy method, which is capable of providing very accurate predictions compared to the analytical results. Using the simple solutions for buckling coefficients, the limits for the width-to-thickness ratio of I-section columns are proposed. Comparisons between the existing solutions and provisions in design codes indicate that the proposed limits for width-to-thickness ratio are capable of precisely considering the web–flange interaction at the local buckling of I-section columns. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Steel and Steel-Concrete Composite Structures)
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18 pages, 5893 KiB  
Article
Development of Hybrid Machine Learning Models for Predicting Permanent Transverse Displacement of Circular Hollow Section Steel Members under Impact Loads
by Sy Hung Mai, Duc Hanh Nguyen, Viet-Linh Tran and Duc-Kien Thai
Buildings 2023, 13(6), 1384; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13061384 - 26 May 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1774
Abstract
The impact effect is a crucial issue in civil engineering and has received considerable attention for decades. For the first time, this study develops hybrid machine learning models that integrate the novel Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) model with Particle Swam Optimization (PSO), Grey [...] Read more.
The impact effect is a crucial issue in civil engineering and has received considerable attention for decades. For the first time, this study develops hybrid machine learning models that integrate the novel Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) model with Particle Swam Optimization (PSO), Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), Moth Flame Optimizer (MFO), Jaya (JA), and Multi-Verse Optimizer (MVO) algorithms for predicting the permanent transverse displacement of circular hollow section (CHS) steel members under impact loads. The hybrid machine learning models are developed using data collected from 357 impact tests of CHS steel members. The efficacy of hybrid machine learning models is evaluated using three performance metrics. The results show that the GWO-XGB model achieves high accuracy and outperforms the other models. The values of R2, RMSE, and MAE obtained from the GWO-XGB model for the test set are 0.981, 2.835 mm, and 1.906 mm, respectively. The SHAP-based model explanation shows that the initial impact velocity of the indenter, the impact mass, and the ratio of impact position to the member length are the most sensitive parameters, followed by the yield strength of the steel member and the member length; meanwhile, member diameter and member thickness are the parameters least sensitive to the permanent transverse displacement of CHS steel members. Finally, this study develops a web application tool to help rapidly estimate the permanent transverse displacement of CHS steel members under impact loads. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Steel and Steel-Concrete Composite Structures)
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