bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Boca del Cerro Bridge at Section 1 of the “Tren Maya” railway
Authors: Cornejo Miguel Ortega , Utrilla Pedro Atanasio , González Jokin Ugarte , Crespo Kevin Rincón
Published: September 2023

The new Boca del Cerro Bridge is in southern Mexico at the exit of the Usumacinta River Canyon, in the city council of Tenosique in the state of Tabasco. A place of an extraordinary environmental value.

This area is also a strategic crossing point, in which the actual Bridge over the Usumacinta River was built in 1950. It is a structure of extraordinary value, which is a milestone of the engineering of the time, with an upper arch of steel truss.

The new Boca del Cerro Bridge has been designed, for the new Section 1 of the “Tren Maya” railway, parallel to the actual bridge. The solution adopted for the new bridge consists of a main span of double steel truss with double composite action (steel and concrete) and variable depth, that will be embedded in two lateral compensation spans of prestressed concrete.

The new bridge has been designed in order to ensure a minimal “competition” and intrusion with the existing bridge and to enhance the beauty of the surrounding nature.

The structural typology election has been conditioned by the advantages of its constructive process, that allows structure built‐up without riverbed support. To achieve this, the central span is planned to be erected by incremental cantilevers, carrying truss segments over the deck.
General method for I‐section stainless steel beam‐columns
Authors: Arrais Flávio , Jandera Michal
Published: September 2023

A significant progress in the development of stainless steel design procedures which were implemented also in new design standards proposals, prEN 1993‐1‐4:2021 and AISI 370‐21, has been going on in the last 15 years. For compressed members, buckling curves were revised and beam‐column interaction formulas were published for hollow and open sections. Buckling curve was significantly improved for double‐symmetrical I section beams. The Continuous Strength Method was introduced in the code. Also, a verification procedure using a plastic global analysis was developed and implemented in design procedures very recently. However, clear design rules for geometrically non‐linear analysis with equivalent member and structural imperfections need further research. This approach, known also as the general method, became a very popular method for carbon steel structures, but cannot be used for slender stainless steel structures without modification. The stainless steel nonlinear stress strain diagram leads to a reduction of the bending stiffness and thus higher second‐order effect, which needs to be covered in the procedure. In this research, a comparison is made on numerical parametric studies. Limits will be set for the applicability of the carbon steel design procedures and a preliminary recommendation for general method of stainless steel members will be presented.
Urban Viaducts at Section 1 of the “Tren Maya” railway
Authors: Cornejo Miguel Ortega , Utrilla Pedro Atanasio , González Jokin Ugarte , Maroto Alberto Suz
Published: September 2023

The new Urban Viaducts at the Section 1 of the “Tren Maya” railway are located in southern Mexico, at the municipalities of Tenosique (State of Tabasco) and Candelaria and Escárcega (State of Campeche).

The structural solution for the urban viaducts' deck is made of a reinforced concrete slab with a pair of “I” main steel girders. The girders have vertical bracing trusses, in order to reduce the distortion of the cross‐section, and a lower horizontal bracing truss, to close the torsional circuit. Steel diaphragms are located at the supports to transfer vertical and horizontals forces to the column.

Viaducts consist of a succession of simply supported 40 m spans. The lengths of the viaducts are: 2920 m Tenosique, 990 m Candelaria and 1080 m Escárcega.

The viaducts are located in a zone of high seismicity hazard, so the columns' design has been developed by a displacement‐capacity analysis. As a result, they consist of a single shaft on which rests a pier cap, both of reinforced concrete.

This typology has been chosen because of the benefits of its construction process, which allows the execution of the spans to be independent. The steel structure of the deck also allows to reduce its mass, what helps to reduce the dimensions of the substructure.
Slotted lightweight steel sections for thermal improvement of building envelopes
Authors: Pauli Gesa , Kuhnhenne Markus
Published: September 2023

Thin‐walled steel sections are used as substructures in multi‐shell constructions of metal facades to create space for thermal insulation. They transfer parallel and vertical loads acting on the outer cladding into the load‐bearing system. Thus, they penetrate the layer of thermal insulation and form a thermal bridge. The resulting thermal losses can be e.g. compensated by higher insulation thicknesses or the change of material selection, but both options usually come along with an increased demand of material and additional costs. By inserting slots in the webs of the steel sections the thermal bridge effect can be reduced. The use of one‐piece substructures enables a faster and thus more cost‐effective installation compared to classic two‐part substructures consisting of a bracket and mounting rail system. Although linear components initially exhibit a greater thermal bridge effect, due to the prolongation of the heat flow through slotted webs these can be thermally improved. However, the insertion of slots weakens the section, which requires the consideration of its load‐bearing behaviour. The improvement of thermal behaviour and the reduction of the load‐bearing capacity is investigated in ongoing research. First results show that both thermal and structural requirements of building practice can be achieved by the investigated slotted steel sections.
Simplified nonlinear analysis of doubly corrugated cold‐formed steel arches
Authors: Casafont Miquel , Bové Oriol , Marimon Frederic , Ferrer Miquel , Soltanalipour Milad
Published: September 2023

Doubly corrugated steel arches are made by pressing transverse corrugations on trapezoidal cold‐formed steel sheets. Several studies show that these transverse corrugations may have a significant detrimental effect on the stiffness and load‐bearing capacity of the original trapezoidal profile. This paper presents an experimental campaign aimed at investigating the effects of transverse corrugations on the behaviour of arches. The campaign includes reduced tests on flat sheets and sheets with a single corrugation, as well as full tests on arches with spans ranging from 10 to 20 m. Subsequently, a simplified design procedure based on nonlinear 2D beam finite element models is proposed. The models account for the transverse corrugation effects by using intermediate rotational springs and equivalent beam section areas, which are calibrated from the results of the reduced experiments. A brief sensitivity study of the finite element results with respect to different modelling factors is conducted, and the different effects of the corrugation assessed. Finally, the simplified finite element models are validated by comparing the experimental and numerical force‐displacement curves, which show reasonably good agreement. However, further research is needed to refine and extend the proposed procedure.
The effect of prebuckling deflections on the lateral‐torsional buckling of beams: numerical studies
Authors: ABU REDEN Ghaith A. , ADANY Sandor
Published: September 2023

In this research the effect of prebuckling in‐plane deflections on the critical moment to lateral‐torsional buckling of beams is investigated. Though this topic is already discussed in the literature, the relevant papers show that there are some discrepancies in the proposals and results from the various authors. In this paper a numerical parametric study is reported, conducted on doubly symmetric simple supported I‐shaped beams. The critical moment values were calculated with and without considering the effect of prebuckling deflections. Various methods were considered, including analytical formulae, thin‐walled beam finite element, and shell finite element calculations. The results justify that the in‐plane deflection has a positive effect on the critical moments, and that the effect is essentially determined by the ratio of in‐plane and lateral rigidities. However, the results highlight that the moment‐increasing effect of the prebuckling deformations can be much smaller compared to the prediction of the analytical formulae, if a shell finite element model is employed.
On the Capacity of Beams with U Cross Section Subjected to Bending and Torsion
Authors: Moscoso Caridad , Kraus Matthias
Published: September 2023

Beams with singly symmetric U cross sections are often subjected to bending about the strong axis and simultaneously to scheduled torsion, since the shear center is outside the section geometry. The member capacity of such sections, which is strongly influenced by effects of lateral torsional buckling, can therefore hardly be represented with the common design regulations based on reduction factors χLT of EN 1993‐1‐1. However, numerical approaches allow analyzing deeply the structural behavior of corresponding beams. In the present study, different numerical finite element simulations (GMNIA) including simplified numerical models based on the plastic zones theory are incorporated to determine member capacities and to derive corresponding reduction factors for simplified verifications. As the load‐bearing capacity of members susceptible to stability is strongly influenced by imperfections, the straightness according to manufacturing tolerances as well as approaches for the acquisition of structural imperfections (residual stresses) are considered in the numerical analyses. The investigations are carried out for selected structural systems with different sets of parameters, such as for the member lengths and cross section types. Concluding, a capacity curve is derived and compared to different reduction factors χLT specified in EN 1993‐1‐1.
Assessment of Embodied Carbon in a Tied‐Arch Bridge
Authors: Ruck Natalie , Naraidoo Elenor , Liu Chenying , Kamali Mohammadreza , Karabulut Burak , Rossi Barbara
Published: September 2023

The urgent need for carbon‐neutral structures arises from the construction industry's contributions to global carbon emissions and the unprecedented rate of global warming. This paper focuses on steel tied‐arch bridges and explores the possibilities of achieving carbon‐neutral design. Firstly, a scientometric study is conducted to identify key focus areas and emerging research trends in this field. The study encompasses publications that emphasize minimizing either the cost of structures or their detrimental impact to the environment. Taking a steel tied‐arch bridge as an example, we subsequently examine its embodied carbon under different design and manufacturing factors. The study reveals that structural design modifications and the use of high‐strength steel can significantly reduce the global warming potential of the bridge's superstructure. The paper then discusses current methods to reduce (or even cancel out) the embodied carbon associated with the bridge's steel superstructure and concrete substructure. It is demonstrated that the tied‐arch bridge's total embodied carbon can be reduced to up to 82%.
Experimental investigations on composite stub columns: hollow sections with embedded solid core made of HSS
Authors: Janiak Till , Nonn Jonas , Wolters Kevin , Classen Martin
Published: September 2023

A new composite column system using a solid core and an encasing jacket made from (ultra‐)high‐strength structural steel filled with concrete is presented in this paper that can serve as a promising alternative to prefabricated reinforced concrete columns from an economic and constructive point of view. Within the scope of a research project, this topic is being investigated in more detail by means of numerous experimental and theoretical investigations to enable the use of (ultra‐)high‐strength steels in the future. In this article, stub column tests were carried out to assess the resistance to pure compression and to gain insights into the structural performance of this new composite column system. Novel measurement techniques are used to evaluate the different normal force bearing components of the steel core, the hollow steel section, and the filled concrete over the entire loading process. A clear dependence of the load‐bearing behaviour on the cross‐sectional shape and the load introduction form (full‐surface load introduction vs. load introduction via the core surface) was observed.
Buckling tests on I‐section steel columns strengthened by additive manufacturing
Authors: Gardner Leroy , Li Jin , Meng Xin , Huang Cheng , Kyvelou Pinelopi
Published: September 2023

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is a method of metal 3D printing which, when strategically combined with traditional methods of manufacture, has the potential to make a significant impact on the construction sector. To illustrate this potential, an experimental investigation into the flexural buckling response of 13 hot‐rolled I‐section columns, strengthened by WAAM, has been undertaken and is presented herein. The WAAM material was added at the flange tips and distributed non‐uniformly along the member length. Complementary material tests on the conventional and WAAM steels were also carried out. 3D laser scanning was employed to determine the geometry and global geometric imperfections of all specimens, while digital image correlation measurements were taken to provide a detailed insight into the surface deformation characteristics of the specimens during testing. The beneficial effects of the WAAM stiffeners were an increased cross‐sectional area and second moment of area, enhanced local buckling capacity and a more favourable residual stress pattern. Increases in axial capacity of between 17% and 54% for increases of mass between 2% and 26% were achieved, highlighting the tremendous potential in terms of structural efficiency and material savings that can be realised by the combination of WAAM with traditional manufacturing methods.
Modelling and response of composite steel‐concrete members under cyclic loading
Authors: Sahin Burak , Bravo‐Haro Miguel Angel , Elghazouli Ahmed Y.
Published: September 2023

This paper deals with the modelling and assessment of the inelastic cyclic behaviour of composite members consisting of steel beams and reinforced concrete slabs, designed to European standards. The work involves the development of detailed continuum models that can simulate the asymmetric behaviour and cyclic degradation characteristics of composite members. The generated model is first validated against available experimental results then used to investigate the influence of important parameters affecting the moment‐rotation relationships at the dissipative composite beam ends under cyclic loading. Based on the results, nonlinear relationships for modelling the response of composite members are proposed. It is shown that the degradation modelling parameters are most influenced by the cross‐section slenderness of the structural steel and the depth of the composite beam. Together with significant asymmetry in cyclic behaviour, around 20% higher cyclic degradation is observed in composite members compared to their bare steel counterparts. In addition to providing information required for the seismic design and assessment, the proposed expressions are utilised for the calibration of lumped plasticity models with cyclic degradation suitable for computationally efficient frame‐level analysis.
Buckling resistance of stiffened panels subjected to constant transverse compression stresses
Authors: Pourostad Vahid , Kuhlmann Ulrike
Published: September 2023

In a box girder cross‐section with inclined web panel, transverse compression may be introduced into the bottom panel from both sides in addition to constant longitudinal compressive stresses. In EN 1993‐1‐5, the only analytical method for determining the resistance of panels to biaxial compression is the Reduced Stress Method (RSM). However, the current rules were mainly derived for longitudinal stresses. Due to missing rules, in practice the longitudinal stiffeners need being verified according to flexural member buckling considering the transverse updrift forces.

Therefore, in order to assess the real behaviour, a large parametric study of stiffened panels with closed longitudinal stiffeners under transverse compressive stresses was carried out using a verified numerical model. LBA and GMNIA are performed for each case. To apply the RSM, all critical buckling stresses were determined considering the torsional stiffness of stiffeners. According to EN 1993‐1‐5, the support of the edges of the panels parallel to the load direction should be set free when determining the critical stress for column‐like behaviour. In the case of a longitudinally stiffened panel under transverse stresses, it is not clear whether the support of the plate and the stiffeners or only the plate should be released. In this paper, these interpretations are discussed and results are compared. Finally, a simplified procedure to determine the global reduction factor of plate buckling for transverse stresses in a single step is proposed.
Method For Determining the Cross‐Sectional Resistance of Transversely Corrugated Cold‐Formed Steel Arches Under Compression
Authors: Al‐Maisari Abdullah , Ma Zhongcheng , Havula Jarmo , Lu Wei , Puttonen Jari
Published: September 2023

Transversely corrugated cold‐formed steel (CFS) arch elements are widely used as self‐supporting building roofs. The transverse corrugations and the unusual cross‐section shapes complicate the design of such members under compressive loading. Since the current Eurocode does not cover the design rules for CFS arches with transverse corrugations, the objective of this study is to develop a method for determining the effective cross‐section of such members under compression load. In total 36 stiffness tests and 27 compression tests were carried out on the corrugated CFS arches with different thicknesses and curvatures. Steel arch profiles with thickness of 1.5 mm has 55% higher ultimate load value than the profiles with 1.1 mm thickness due to a bigger effective area to resist the axial compressive forces. The smaller the steel arch radius is, the more susceptible it is to buckle and stability failure due to the eccentricity of compression load along the curvature. The stiffness is directly proportional to the thickness and inversely proportional to the radius of the steel arches. Based on the thickness and the radius, the correction factors between 0.90 and 1.37 are proposed for determining the resistance of curved steel arches with corrugations. The method developed in this research can be used for designing similar types of arches.
Flexural resistance of Cold‐formed steel‐lightweight concrete (CFS‐LWC) composite beam
Authors: Rahnavard Rohola , Craveiro Hélder D. , Simões Rui
Published: September 2023

This paper discusses the flexural behaviour of innovative built‐up cold‐formed steel lightweight concrete (CFS‐LWC) composite beams through an experimental study. Two full‐scale CFS‐LWC composite beams were tested. The specimens included two distinct configurations of the innovative CFS composite beams. The tested CFS‐LWC composite beams consisted of a lightweight concrete slab supported by profiled metal decking, connected to a CFS built‐up using bolted shear connectors. Two degrees of shear connection were considered. The specimens were uniformly loaded, and the load was increased until failure occurred. The test procedure, setup, and results were recorded in detail, including load‐bearing capacity, deformation, and failure modes. The validity of the design predictions following EN 1994‐1‐1 for the innovative CFS‐LWC composite beams was investigated. Both equilibrium and simplified methods were used to predict the bending resistance of the CFS‐LWC composite beam. The results showed that the design predictions following EN 1994‐1‐1 (equilibrium method) accurately predicted the bending resistance of the CFS‐LWC composite beam, while the simplified method underpredicted the experimental results.
Design and weight optimisation of Offshore Topside platforms using High Strength Steel
Authors: Candeias Miguel , Di Silvestro Elena , Wain Geraldine , Ville Wishnu , Cecchini Luca
Published: September 2023

Current offshore topside platforms are steel intensive structures, made of a variety of steel products such as plates, rolled beams, welded plate girders, and welded and seamless tubes. These structures are complex and generally designed using S355 steel grade mainly due to raw material availability, experience and knowledge when using this steel grade. In this study an optimisation of two offshore platforms is made by replacing the standard S355 steel with high strength steel in order to achieve a lightweight and optimised design with the same structural performance. The study has been carried out considering the full life cycle of an Oil&Gas topside platform and an Offshore substation topside, using as reference two topside structures built in the North Sea. Results indicate that for the same structural performance, by using high strength steel there is a reduction of the total weight which may reduce the overall life cost of the topside platforms, in particular fabrication and installation costs.
Proposal and experimental verification of additive manufactured beam‐column connection designed by topological optimization
Authors: Gil Beatriz , Goñi Rufino , Fábregas María , Bayo Eduardo
Published: September 2023

The aim of this research is to provide an alternative for the conventional design of beam‐to‐column connections in building structures. The new design is performed by means of Structural Topological Optimization and executed by means of additive manufacturing with steel.

Regarding the methodology, the joint that would be manufactured by conventional methods (i.e. welded and bolted plates) is modelled by means of finite elements in the first place. Its behavior is obtained, as well as the boundary conditions and the loads to be applied to the part that is going to be optimized. Subsequently, a solid part is defined and optimized by means of the optimization module TOSCA. Then, the complete joint is simulated with the optimized connection, and the behavior and the weight of the material used are compared with those of the conventional joint. Some modifications are made to improve some aspects of the design.

Afterwards, the optimized joint is printed with steel S316L, the connection is assembled with the columns and beams, and it is tested. The experimental results are analyzed to be able to make the necessary adjustments both in the connection and in the design methodology.
Experimental Investigation of Sheathed Cold‐Formed Steel Sigma Studs Under Compression Loading
Authors: Yousefi Amir M. , Samali Bijan , Yu Yang
Published: September 2023

Cold‐formed steel sections are used to form various components of low‐and medium‐rise buildings. Such sections are commonly constructed with sheathing board, providing thermal and acoustic separation between interior partitions. In contemporary projects, these sheathing boards have been used to provide bracing and increasing lateral stiffness. The strength and stiffness of sheathing‐braced structural assemblies is governed by connections between framing elements and sheathing components. This paper describes an experimental investigation of stability and strength of sheathed cold‐formed steel lipped sigma wall studs under compression loading. A total of 35 experimental tests conducted covering various parameters including, sheathing plasterboard thickness, stud and track thickness, plasterboard configuration and density. Sheathing density and thickness are found to be significant in impacting the compression strength of the sheathed cold‐formed steel lipped sigma studs. A clear pattern was noted between plasterboard material and thickness on the stability and strength of the sheathed stud. It is found that higher density boards provided the greatest restraint against buckling, as did increased thicknesses. Isolating direct loading of the sheathing, and Composite action between the stud and sheathing are shown to be significant in determining the strength and controlling limit state of the stud.
Parametric design and dynamic analysis of a hybrid steel‐FRP bridge.
Authors: van IJselmuijden Kees , van Schaik Rik , Cornelissen Lieuwe , de Leur Merijn , Schakel Dennis , Christensson Pontus
Published: September 2023

In Gothenborg, Sweden a new pedestrian bridge was needed. In the proposed design, the bridge was composed of a Fiber‐Reinforced Polymer (FRP) deck and a main steel structure, which provided two intermediate supports to the deck. The design of the main steel structure was the responsibility of Systra AB in Sweden, while the FRP deck was designed by Royal HaskoningDHV in the Netherlands. The main design challenge met was the dynamic behaviour of the bridge due to human induced vibrations. Besides the technical challenges, there were also challenges to find a reliable and efficient way to for the two companies to collaborate while in two different countries. To accommodate these challenges, it was decided to create a parametric coordination model, in Rhino/Grasshopper, from which the design and calculation models were generated. This coordination model served as the single source of truth ‐ ensuring that at any time both companies had an up‐to‐date version of the model. This proved crucial as the dynamic behaviour of the bridge was significantly influenced by the interaction between the steel and FRP components. Due to the parametric nature of the model, a variation study was possible, where a total of 200 variants were produced to find an optimal design.
Investigations on the stability behaviour of axially loaded sandwich panels with integrated longitudinal profiles
Authors: Janczyk Kevin , Kuhnhenne Markus
Published: September 2023

This paper presents investigations on the load‐bearing behaviour of sandwich panels under bending load and axial load. The sandwich panels investigated here have the special feature that they consist of two face sheets, a polyurethane core and two integrated reinforcement profiles. These integrated profiles allow the stiffness of the panels to be significantly increased, resulting in a delayed wrinkling failure and thus opening up new fields of application. Experimental results from bending tests are presented. From these results, analytical approaches are then described that can be used to predict the load‐bearing behaviour under axial loading. In addition, the test setup is described, which will be used in the future for the experimental investigation of the panels under axially loading.
Testing and analysis of optimised wire arc additively manufactured steel trusses
Authors: Kyvelou Pinelopi , Spinasa Athina , Gardner Leroy
Published: September 2023

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is a method of metal additive manufacturing (AM) that can be used to fabricate optimised large‐scale structural elements of complex form in a cost‐effective manner, opening up opportunities to unleash the true potential of structural optimisation. To demonstrate this potential, two optimised steel cantilever trusses were fabricated by means of WAAM and tested to investigate their structural performance. The tested specimens comprised members of tubular cross‐section of varying diameter and thickness. The geometric features of the tested specimens were determined using 3D laser scanning, while digital image correlation was employed to monitor the displacement and strain fields during testing. Full details of the experimental programme are provided; the obtained results are analysed and comparisons against equivalent conventional reference designs are made. The results of complementary numerical simulations, undertaken to gain further insight into particular features of the structural response of the examined specimens, are also presented. The structural efficiency of all optimised trusses, as measured by the capacity‐to‐mass ratio, was found to be at least 80% higher than that of the corresponding reference designs, underlining the benefits in terms of structural efficiency that can be achieved by the combination of WAAM with advanced optimisation methods.
Stiffness of L‐stubs loaded in compression
Authors: SAROU Lynita , COUCHAUX Maël , HJIAJ Mohammed , SIRE Stéphane , DOUROUX Jean‐François
Published: September 2023

The stiffness of T‐stubs in compression is generally assumed infinite except for column base plates. For bolted circular flange connections and double web angle connections, the stiffness of L‐stubs and T‐stubs in compression should be determined to accurately calculate the position of the center of compression. Simple expressions have been recently proposed for these components in contact with a rigid foundation. However, the end‐plate can be in contact with a flexible foundation.

The objective of the present paper is to propose simple expressions of the compressive stiffness of L‐stubs in contact with rigid or flexible foundations. A refined beam model resting on Winkler foundations is derived and applied to the L‐stub model. To facilitate the practice of engineering, simplifications are proposed for the contact pressure distribution and the compressive stiffness. The analytical results are then compared against finite element calculations performed with ANSYS APDL
Experimental investigation on cyclic behaviour of wire arc additively manufactured carbon steel
Authors: Wang Zhongxing , Hou Yuhang , Xu Fangda
Published: September 2023

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is a metal 3D printing technique that has attracted significant interest from the construction industry for its ability to efficiently and rapidly build large‐scale component. However, there is currently limited information on the cyclic performance of WAAM metal materials. To address this gap, an experimental investigation was conducted to study the cyclic behaviour of WAAM carbon steel. The investigation involved the testing of forty specimens with two nominal thicknesses and two surface finishes under ten cyclic loading protocols. Following this, the failure modes, cyclic performance, and elastic modulus degradation were analysed. The results indicate that WAAM carbon steel exhibits excellent ductility under cyclic loading. The phenomenon of Bauschinger effect, cyclic hardening and elastic modulus degradation were observed in the experiment. The cyclic performance of WAAM carbon steel was found to depend on strain amplitude and strain history.
Resistance and behaviour of carbon steel and stainless steel columns with axial and rotational end‐restraints in fire
Authors: Quan Chunyan , Murtaza Hasan , Kucukler Merih
Published: September 2023

Due to the presence of neighbouring structural elements, carbon steel and stainless steel columns are typically axially and/or rotationally restrained at their ends in fire. Despite the significant influence of the axial and rotational end‐restraints on the behaviour, the fire design rules for steel columns provided in the European structural steel fire design standard EN 1993‐1‐2 were originally developed considering the structural response of axially unrestrained steel columns with pin‐ended support conditions. Thus, EN 1993‐1‐2 may provide inaccurate ultimate resistance predictions for axially and/or rotationally restrained steel and stainless steel columns in fire. Considering this, this paper investigates the behaviour and design of carbon steel and stainless steel columns with axial and/or rotational end‐restraints at elevated temperatures. A number of carbon steel and stainless steel I‐section columns are considered, taking into account different axial and rotational end‐restraint stiffnesses, room temperature loading ratios, member and cross‐section slendernesses. A new design method for the fire design of axially and/or rotationally restrained steel and stainless steel columns is put forward. The accuracy of the proposed new design method is extensively verified against the results from nonlinear shell finite element modelling.
Residual Stresses in Cold‐Formed Square Hollow Sections of High Strength Steel
Authors: Petukhovskaia Iuliia , Saremi Pooya , Lu Wei , Puttonen Jari
Published: September 2023

In this study, the residual stresses were experimentally studied for cold‐formed square hollow section (CFSHS) with dimensions of 150×150×10 mm. The residual stresses were measured in both longitudinal and transverse directions for S355J2H/S420MH and S700MLH tubular sections. The results showed that measuring the longitudinal residual stresses on the outer and inner surfaces at a distance of 60‐70 mm from the end of the tubular specimen is an accurate and convenient method. For both steel grades studied, the highest residual stresses on inner and outer surfaces were on the flat regions close to corners. On the face opposite to the weld seam, the residual stresses scattered clearly among different repetition tests and differed from values reported in the literature. The influence of the steel grade on the residual stresses was more observable on the faces with the weld and opposite to the weld. As on the face with the weld, the combined effect of cold forming and temperature affect residual stresses, it is recommended to quantify residual stresses separately for the face with the weld and other faces. In the flat regions, the longitudinal residual stresses were so dominating that the transverse residual stresses can be neglected. The scatter of the longitudinal residual stresses on the face opposite to the weld and the irregular values of the transverse residual stresses in the corners indicate that additional tests are needed to quantify the randomness characteristic of local residual stresses.
Uncertainties in the structural design of the high‐bay cold storage warehouses
Authors: Sánduly Annabella , Kelemen Andrea , Nagy Zsolt
Published: September 2023

The paper presents the structural analysis and critical evaluation of the modelling process of a high‐bay cold storage warehouse structure, which is a clad rack structure, composed of cold‐formed steel members, with different profile shapes and thicknesses. A major issue of the global structural analyses of these types of steel structures is the mixed application of design rules since the design is governed by racking structural rules, seismic design rules and cold‐formed steel design rules. To manage this problem, the structure's spatial model was divided into characteristic partial models, and spring supports were used to make the behavior of the partial models more realistic. The influence of the gravity loads (self‐weight, show), horizontal loads (wind and seismic action), geometrical imperfections, and loads induced by the temperature variation on the structure was investigated in the structural design. Even the wind actions resulted as dominant, some uncertainties related to the seismic analysis of these structures are presented in the paper.
Numerical Modelling of the Self‐Erecting Tower for Onshore Wind Turbines
Authors: Merino Pablo Gascon , Morales Mariela Mendez , Rebelo Carlos
Published: September 2023

Massive wind energy converters are becoming more popular in the market. However, such technologies are troublesome to implement onshore due to logistic issues and costly erection techniques. Hence, industry and research have focused on producing lighter and modular towers to overcome these limitations. The Self‐Erecting Tower (SeT) is made from modular staves that are assembled by an internal crane. This crane is supported by a helicoidal rail attached to the inner face of the staves, allowing it to move along the tower's height to help with erection, maintenance, and future disassembling of the structure. Finite element analyses of the tower and its parts have been performed with the primary objective of assessing the structural feasibility of this innovative concept. A parametric analysis based on the first natural frequency of the tower was performed to define the SeT gross geometry. Later, a specific combination of variables was analysed to evaluate the maximum stresses. A significant level of confidence was achieved through the numerical modelling, confirming that the SeT can support the design actions imposed by a 5 MW wind turbine for 160 m hub height. Lastly, an economic evaluation of the final design was conducted and compared with other traditional solutions.
Column web component under out‐of‐plane loading: experimental and numerical studies
Authors: Lemma Melaku , da Silva Luis Simões , Conde Jorge , Rebelo Carlos
Published: September 2023

Characterization of the column web under out‐of‐plane tension or compression (CWOP) is required for the application of the component method to the design of joints in which a beam is directly attached to a column web (open sections) or face (hollow sections). This component, however, is neither covered by the current version of the Eurocode EN 1993‐1‐8 (2005), nor its ongoing revision. While several researchers have worked on characterizing the column faces, primarily in welded tubular section connections, only a few studied the component in open sections. A set of experimental campaigns are currently underway at the University of Coimbra to characterize the resistance and stiffness of connections bolted to the webs of hot‐rolled and welded columns. The current paper highlights the experimental results of two tests and calibration of their numerical models.
Numerical study on steel plate girders ‐ Intermediate transverse stiffeners axial force
Authors: Nascimento Sérgio , Pedro José Oliveira , Kuhlmann Ulrike
Published: September 2023

Transverse stiffeners are used in steel plate girders with slender webs to provide lateral support to the web along the span and thus increase the plate girder shear resistance. Furthermore, transverse stiffeners anchor the tension field, resulting in axial compression in the stiffener. Despite this, it is widely assumed that the design axial force provided by the FprEN 1993‐1‐5 [1] for the transverse stiffeners is significantly greater than that observed in experimental testing and numerical simulations.

The results of 550 nonlinear numerical simulations of plate girders loaded in shear up to failure are presented. Shear resistance and axial stiffener forces are evaluated while the effects of a wide parameter range as web aspect ratio and thickness, flange‐to‐web area ratio, and steel grade are investigated. The numerical results are compared to the European standard design values. Finally, a statistical analysis of the set of results is presented.

The numerical analyses show that the axial forces installed in the intermediate transverse stiffeners are significantly lower than those specified by FprEN 1993‐1‐5 [1].
Seismic Performance of Brace Middle‐Connection in Steel Concentrically Braced Frames with X‐Bracing
Authors: Cano Pablo A. , Imanpour Ali , Tremblay Robert
Published: September 2023

This paper presents the experimental investigation of two brace middle connections: 1) using a slotted tube knife‐plate connection (STKPC), and 2) a bolted sandwich plate connection (BSPC). The STKPC consists of a gusset plate slotted through the continuous brace and welded to discontinuous braces. The BSPC consists of two cover plates and four U‐shaped plates connecting the discontinuous braces using bolts. The two cover plates pass on either side of the continuous brace and are bolted to the U‐shaped plates. These connections are used to join the discontinuous braces in steel concentrically braced frames (CBFs) configured with X‐bracing. These connections were tested as part of a full‐scale CBF using quasi‐static testing. In both specimens, seismic energy dissipated through yielding and buckling of the braces. However, in the specimen with STKPC, axial deformation is concentrated in a single discontinuous brace, which led to local buckling at mid‐length and subsequent fracture. In contrast, the BSPC is able to better distribute axial deformation between the two discontinuous braces delaying local buckling. Moreover, the measured buckling capacity of braces when using the BSPC matches well the expected compressive resistance calculated using an effective length factor K = 0.45.
Structural performance evaluation of thin‐walled concrete filled steel tube column to reinforced concrete wide beam connection
Authors: Kim Jinwon , Lee Kyungkoo , Kim Daehee
Published: September 2023

[Abstract: This study summarized the full scale test results of the thin walled concrete filled steel tube column to reinforced concrete wide beam connection. The thin walled concrete filled steel tube column to reinforced concrete wide beam connection does not have any structural element that can reliably transfer shear forces and moments between steel column face and concrete, while in the conventional reinforced concrete system, continuity is ensured by the monolithic casting of concrete. The composite anchor is needed to effectively transfer the moment and shear force of the wide beam to the column. In order to verify the efficiency of the proposed composite anchor, nine full size specimens were fabricated and tested by applying a load downward to the upper column of the specimen upside down in order to simulate the gravity load imposed on the beam. Experimental results show that the strength of thin walled concrete filled steel tube column and reinforced concrete wide beam connections with the proposed composite anchor can exhibit superior performance than that of the conventional reinforced concrete beam to column system.
Shear Buckling Behavior of Tapered Steel Plate Girders with Sinusoidally Corrugated Webs
Authors: Wang Jian , Li Zheng , Pasternak Hartmut , Euler Mathias
Published: September 2023

Steel plate girders with I‐section are frequently used in industrial buildings and bridge design as prismatic members that means as members with parallel flanges and rectangular webs. The structural efficiency can significantly be achieved if such members are designed with tapered webs that means with non‐rectangular webs. Depending on the flange inclination and the moment diagram, the stress in the webs of tapered plate girders is significantly affected also as known as Résal effect. Furthermore, the structural efficiency of plate girders can be improved if the flat webs are replaced by corrugated webs. The gain in out‐of‐plane stiffness due to the corrugated webs reduces the buckling sensitivity of the web. As tapered plate girders with sinusoidally corrugated webs under shear forces have not been subject of research up to now, a numerical investigation on the shear force resistance of such girders has been made. The most important findings are presented. It can be stated that the shear force resistance of tapered girders with corrugated webs cannot accurately be predicted by the existing calculation models for prismatic members.
An Analytical Design Approach for Outstand Steel Plates in Compression
Authors: Becque Jurgen
Published: September 2023

Current design approaches to determine the capacity of plates in local buckling are based on empirical equations, in particular the widely used Winter equation. In contrast, this research presents a novel analytical approach, focusing on outstand steel plates. The derivation of the method is rooted in the Föppl‐von Karman equations, which are first simplified by making a number of basic mechanical assumptions about the post‐buckling stress field. An approximate solution to the emerging differential equation is obtained, which assumes a polynomial displacement profile in the transverse direction of the plate. This solution agrees eminently well with the results of finite element simulations, both for the case of a geometrically perfect plate and a plate containing an initial imperfection. By combining the obtained post‐buckling stress profile with a failure criterion based on von Karman's effective width concept, a closed‐form strength equation for compressed outstand plates is derived, which is seen to be a sole function of the plate slenderness and a dimensionless imperfection factor. This equation agrees closely with the available experimental data.
Design for disassembling, reuse, and the circular economy: a demonstration building, “Petite Maison”
Authors: Odenbreit Christoph , Yang Jie , Kozma András , Romero Alfredo , Popa Nicoleta , Hanus François , Obiala Renata
Published: September 2023

For sustainability purposes, steel reuse at the material, structural element, and structure levels has been proposed and encouraged in recent years. Designing for deconstruction or disassembly is identified as one key strategy. A recent RFCS (Research Fund for Coal and Steel) project – REDUCE – has investigated the methodology and opportunities to design and facilitate the reuse of composite structures in steel frames. Furthermore, a demonstration building – the Pavilion “Petite Maison” – has been constructed using the solutions developed within REDUCE. The “Petite Maison” is located in Esch‐sur‐Alzette, Luxembourg, and it contributes to Esch2022, European Capital of Culture, by promoting circularity, reuse, and sustainability. It is open to public visits and is planned to be deconstructed with elements being tracked for reuse. This paper presents the design concept of the structural system of the “Petite Maison”, proposals of standard and modular elements and kits, and the analyzing methods for adaptable steel connections and demountable shear connections that are applied in the system.
Experimental determination of the fatigue behavior of dowel strips in ortho‐composite slabs for road bridges
Authors: Wisnewski Joachim , Stroetmann Richard
Published: September 2023

In contrast to reinforced concrete and conventional composite bridges, the orthotropic steel deck slab offers a high load‐bearing capacity combined with a low dead weight. It is therefore ideally suited for slender and long‐span structures. However, the notch sharpness in the details and drastically increased traffic loads led to extensive fatigue damage and, as a consequence, often to premature repair or replacement work. With the ortho‐composite slab a lightweight and robust construction is currently being developed as an alternative. It combines the significant advantages of a low dead weight, long service life and economical production. The construction consists of a modified orthotropic stiffened steel plate and a thin, single‐layer reinforced in‐situ concrete. Composite dowel strips (CDS) with a clothoid shape are provided as shear connectors. In this paper, the experimental test program will be introduced. It comprises static push‐out tests on CDS in longitudinal and transverse directions as well as static and cyclic beam and segment tests. The focus lies on the test set‐ups, sample preparations, measurement concepts and the results of the so‐called beam tests. The investigations presented here were carried out as part of the AiF‐FOSTA research project P1265 [1].