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Composite Structures towards a More Sustainable Construction Sector
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Composite Structures towards a More Sustainable Construction Sector

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Advanced Composites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 July 2023) | Viewed by 8355

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hélder David da Silva Craveiro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ISISE—Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering, University of Coimbra, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: steel and composite structures; steel structures; cold-formed steel; structural stability; plug-and-play; fire; modular construction; pre-fabrication; industrialization; design for disassembly and reuse
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Rui António Duarte Simões

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ISISE – Institute for Sustainability and Innovation in Structural Engineering, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
Interests: composite structures; steel structures; steel and composite joints; pre-fabrication; industrialization; design for disassembly and reuse

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainability is a key driver in the construction sector requiring innovative solutions to face the existing challenges in terms of consumption of natural resources (responsible for the consumption of 40% of global materials) and construction waste management and treatment.

The use of composite structures is increasing in the construction sector due to their enhanced load-bearing capacity, enhanced structural fire performance, and greater potential to provide optimized structural solutions, effectively creating synergies between the structural materials. Additionally, their competitiveness may be improved in the near future introducing innovative concepts such as Design for Disassembly and Reuse, adopting new strategies towards a more sustainable industry promoting circular economy by the reuse of building components in multiple life cycles.

The aim of this Special Issue is to promote and disseminate innovative composite structural solutions combining different structural materials, such as steel and concrete, steel, and CLT (cross-laminated timber), among others, applicable to buildings, bridges, and infrastructures. Moreover, this Special Issue will focus on innovative solutions addressing prefabrication, modularity, and ease of erection and deconstruction. Understanding the efficiency of innovative connecting systems and the structural and functional performance of composite members/structural systems is crucial to address the existing challenges in the construction sector.

We encourage you to send manuscripts containing scientific findings in the field of innovative composite/hybrid structures, based on theoretical and practice-oriented papers, including experimental and/or numerical studies, case studies, and review papers.

Dr. Hélder David da Silva Craveiro
Prof. Dr. Rui António Duarte Simões
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • composite structures
  • hybrid structures
  • shear connecting systems
  • deconstruction
  • modular
  • reuse
  • sustainability
  • circular economy
  • composite action
  • buckling

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

10 pages, 2180 KiB  
Article
Prediction Model of VCA Formed by the Packing of Hybrid Lithological Coarse Aggregates Used in SMA
by Weiliang Jiang, Long Liu, Weidong Cao, Shanglei Yang, Shutang Liu and Jingchen Li
Materials 2022, 15(24), 8952; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15248952 - 14 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1194
Abstract
The voids in coarse aggregate (VCA) is an important volumetric index in the mineral aggregate gradation design of stone matrix asphalt (SMA) mixtures. To explore the law of variation for VCA formed by the packing of basalt and lime coarse aggregates, a uniform [...] Read more.
The voids in coarse aggregate (VCA) is an important volumetric index in the mineral aggregate gradation design of stone matrix asphalt (SMA) mixtures. To explore the law of variation for VCA formed by the packing of basalt and lime coarse aggregates, a uniform design method and vibrating compaction tests were used to establish the prediction model. Based on the test results and stepwise regression analysis, a reliable prediction model of VCA was obtained. There is a multiple nonlinear relationship between the VCA and the proportion of each coarse aggregate in the mixture. Regardless of the type of coarse aggregates used, the rule of VCA with different forms of aggregate gradation curves has universal significance. This conclusion can help to determine the aggregate gradation in the design of SMA mixtures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Composite Structures towards a More Sustainable Construction Sector)
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14 pages, 4183 KiB  
Article
Structural Fire Performance of Concrete-Filled Built-Up Cold-Formed Steel Columns
by Hélder D. Craveiro, Rohola Rahnavard, José Henriques and Rui A. Simões
Materials 2022, 15(6), 2159; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15062159 - 15 Mar 2022
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 2404
Abstract
Concrete-filled composite columns are widely used in the construction industry, exploiting the benefits of combining steel and concrete, providing, for instance, high load-bearing capacities and enhanced fire resistance. These solutions are extensively used in high-rise buildings and/or when high fire resistance performance requirements [...] Read more.
Concrete-filled composite columns are widely used in the construction industry, exploiting the benefits of combining steel and concrete, providing, for instance, high load-bearing capacities and enhanced fire resistance. These solutions are extensively used in high-rise buildings and/or when high fire resistance performance requirements are imposed. In this exploratory research, a new type of concrete-filled composite column is investigated using fire resistance tests. Promoting the use of cold-formed steel products and developing innovative solutions for low-rise buildings with lower passive fire protection requirements led to the solutions presented in this research. Hence, a set of fire-resistance tests were undertaken on concrete-filled closed built-up cold-formed steel columns, where single cold-formed steel shapes are combined and fastened to create a box-shaped cross-section. The experimental results were then compared with the corresponding bare steel solutions to assess, in detail, the observed enhancements. Additionally, the effect of restraint on thermal elongation was assessed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Composite Structures towards a More Sustainable Construction Sector)
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12 pages, 1928 KiB  
Article
Analytical and Numerical Approaches for the Design of Concrete Structural Elements with Internal BFRP Reinforcement
by Todor Zhelyazov and Eythor Thorhallsson
Materials 2022, 15(4), 1497; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15041497 - 17 Feb 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1569
Abstract
Although basalt fiber-reinforced polymers (BFRPs) have been known for a few decades, new trends such as sustainability and environmental care have provoked intensified research on its structural applications. In construction, BFRPs, as internal reinforcement, have to compete with traditional steel reinforcement products. Because [...] Read more.
Although basalt fiber-reinforced polymers (BFRPs) have been known for a few decades, new trends such as sustainability and environmental care have provoked intensified research on its structural applications. In construction, BFRPs, as internal reinforcement, have to compete with traditional steel reinforcement products. Because of their high resistance to aggressive environments, BFRPs have emerged as an attractive solution for the infrastructure in coastal zones. In this article, we discuss some aspects of BFRP applications such as flexural reinforcement of concrete beams. The mechanical performances of a BFRP-reinforced beam are illustrated by using a widely accepted model based on the classical beam theory. The elasticity modulus of the BFRP reinforcement is lower than that of structural steel. Therefore, to meet serviceability requirements (e.g., in terms of limitation on the mid-span deflection of a beam), BFRP could be pre-tensioned. The positive effect of pre-tensioning is outlined by finite element analysis. An original numerical procedure involves a constitutive relation for concrete based on damage mechanics. Experimental results previously reported in the literature provide the background for the numerical model procedures. The numerical procedure predicts the mechanical response of the concrete beam with BFRP reinforcement subjected to four-point bending in terms of load-deflection relationship and dominant failure mode. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Composite Structures towards a More Sustainable Construction Sector)
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15 pages, 5712 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Calculation Methods of Elastic Bonding: Limits of the Gamma Method Using an Example of a Wood–Concrete Composite Floor with Single Loads
by Christian Huber and Karl Deix
Materials 2021, 14(23), 7211; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14237211 - 26 Nov 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2177
Abstract
Various methods are available for the calculation of timber–concrete composite floors. The gamma method, which is important in construction practice, as well as the differential equation method, are based on the simplified assumption of a continuous bond between wood and concrete. This makes [...] Read more.
Various methods are available for the calculation of timber–concrete composite floors. The gamma method, which is important in construction practice, as well as the differential equation method, are based on the simplified assumption of a continuous bond between wood and concrete. This makes it possible to analytically calculate the internally statically indeterminate partial section sizes and deformation sizes, analogous to the force size method. In this paper, two typical load situations of concentrated loads (central and off-centre) were analytically and numerically evaluated and compared using the above-mentioned methods (gamma and differential equation), with a discrete method for the case of a timber beam reinforced with a concrete slab using screws as fasteners. The calculation results show significant deviations, which speak for the application of discrete methods in certain load situations and thus limit the usability of the gamma method under certain conditions. For the problem of deflection determination, which is not dealt with in the literature for the discrete method, a numerical method is described in the present work, which was first developed and presented by the first author. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Composite Structures towards a More Sustainable Construction Sector)
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