Sections

Steel-Concrete
Composite construction
using rolled sections

Steel-Concrete
Composite construction
using rolled sections

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

European standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Composite beams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Shear connection in composite beams . . 10
Design of composite beams . . . . . . . . . . 12
Partially encased composite beams . . . . . 14
Design of partially encased beams . . . . . 16
Verification of the fire resistance
for partially encased beams . . . . . . . . . . 17

Composite columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Design of composite columns . . . . . . . . . 21
Shear connection in composite columns . 24
Fire resistance of composite columns . . . 26
Construction details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Choice of column type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Pre-installed columns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Structure stability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

City Center Kirchberg, Luxembourg (L)

Introduction
Steel-concrete composite construction has
long been recognised and used in the form
of traditional composite beams in buildings
and bridges. In this simple form of construction, the rolled steel section is connected to the
concrete slab using mechanical shear connectors at the steel-concrete interface. Because
of the resistance to longitudinal shear provided by these connectors, the steel and concrete are linked structurally. The reinforced concrete slab can therefore be used not only to
provide a horizontal surface in the building, but
also as a compression element in the composite section. The presence of the concrete increases both the resistance and the rigidity of
the steel section, which forms the tension element in the composite section under bending
(figure 1).

Steel-concrete composite construction

Figure 1

Steel columns were traditionally often encased in concrete to increase their fire resistance.
This type of section was used long before the
adoption of true composite columns, for which
the reinforced concrete encasing the steel section is assumed to support part of the vertical
load (figure 2).
In the 1980s it was discovered (or rediscovered)
that even a partial encasement in concrete
(figure 3) provides a composite column with
substantial fire resistance. The open form of
steel H-sections facilitates filling with concrete
between the flanges whilst the steel section
is laid flat on the ground, prior to lifting into
place. This eliminates the cost of formwork,
and compensates for any overdesign that may
be needed to achieve the highest levels of fire
resistance. As a result of numerous research
projects, reliable methods have been established for calculating the fire resistance of
columns with precast concrete between the
flanges.

(a) Without link

(b) With link

Figure 2

Figure 3

The same technique of partial encasement first

used for columns has been extended to cover
beams in order to increase their fire resistance
(figure 4). Although the lower steel flange gradually looses resistance as it is exposed to a
fire, this loss is compensated by the presence
of reinforcement located within the concrete
encasement.

Composite construction therefore offers considerable possibilities faced to those offered by

traditional steel construction, be it in terms of
fire protection or otherwise to suit particular
design criteria. Because of the way steel
frames are constructed, it is also possible to
combine both composite and non-composite
members in a single project.

Other recent developments include improved

design methods for composite beams, taking
into consideration continuity at supports
(allowing for cracking of the concrete in tension), and partial shear connection (which, by
allowing some slip between the steel and concrete elements, can improve economy).

The fire resistance that can be achieved using

composite construction has greatly contributed to its success, with the added advantage
of being able to retain exposed steel surfaces
that can be used for attachments. The excellent ability of composite structures to resist
seismic loading is yet another advantage of
this form of construction.

Figure 4

Composite construction with openings in the web for the transmission of the technical devices

Scandia Building, Madrid (E)

European standards
Basic design philosophy
Composite construction has seen rapid adoption in countries possessing the necessary standards and design guidance. Methods for evaluating fire resistance were proposed in the
1980s in the form of specific national authorisations. Subsequently, the appearance of the
Eurocodes has led to a significant generalisation of design methods, not only for normal
service conditions but also under fire.
The general philosophy adopted for the Eurocodes is to ponderate the loads and forces
applied to a structure by using factors. The
values of these load factors depend on the
nature, and variation with time, of particular
types of load. Each member within a structure,
and the structure as a whole, must be checked
for all potential combinations of loads. In addition, particularly for beams, the designer must
verify that certain criteria are satisfied under
the levels of loading expected during service.
These criteria concern deflections, vibration,
and cracking of the concrete, which are known
as serviceability limit states.
Eurocode 4 Part 1.1 (ENV 1994-1-1) gives design
methods for composite beams and composite
columns under normal conditions. Part 1.2
(ENV 1994-1-2) gives methods for calculating
the resistance of these elements under fire
loading.
Eurocode 1 (ENV 1991) defines not only the
loads to be considered during design, but also
the safety factors to be considered under both

normal conditions and fire. For an accidental

fire condition the load factor is less than 1.0 for
most imposed loads, because it is considered
highly unlikely that an imposed load of maximum intensity would occur at the same time
as a fire. These standards were completed in
each country by a national application document for the Eurocode. Requirements for fire
resistance also continue to be defined at a national level and, unfortunately, there is some
disparity between different countries.

Quality of materials
Eurocode 4 permits the use of a wide range
of steel and concrete grades for the materials
combined in a composite member.
The traditional range of steel grades (S235,
S275 and S355) is supplemented with higher
strength grades S420 and S460. Steels of these
higher grades are achieved using the QST process (HISTAR sections), and are particularly useful for members subjected to substantial loads.
On the other hand HISTAR steel grades allow
a finishing without any preheating nor postheating during welding.
Concrete should be either grade C20 till C50,
with normal or lightweight aggregate. Any
commonly available reinforcement may be
used, S500 being the most common grade.

Fire resistance : ENV 1994-1-2

Composite sections, with either total or partial
concrete encasement, possess significant fire
resistance. However, it is not possible to assess
the fire resistance of a composite member simply be considering temperatures in the steel
(as is the case for bare steel sections, which
experience a more-or-less uniform temperature across the section).
The presence of concrete increases the mass
and thermal inertia of a member. The variation of temperatures within the body of the
member at a given time under fire loading is
significantly non-uniform, in both the steel and
concrete components. This leads to substantial
temperature gradients. The presence of areas
near the core of the section that are relatively
cold ensures that the member can remain
stable for some time under fire loading.

- use of tables that are essentially based on

the performance achieved in tests
- calculation of the ultimate resistance using
a simplified method based on test data
- numerical modelling using software that
has been sufficiently validated using test
results, such as CEFICOSS, which is used
by Arcelor Sections Commercial.
Both the accuracy of the method, and the
scope of its application, increase passing from
the first to the third of the methods listed
above. The great benefit of software such as
CEFICOSS is that the analysis of complete
structures, be they flexible or rigid, is a realistic
proposition. Fully encased beams and columns
are generally assessed using tables, which are
extremely simple to use for these applications.
Simple design methods based on test results
are generally used for partially encased sections.

Part 1.2 of Eurocode 4 gives several methods

for calculating the fire resistance of a composite member :

Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chausses, Marne-la-Valle (F)

Office-building, rue Reaumur, Paris (F)

References
Publications giving methods for the verification of the fire resistance of other composite
sections, and for more complex load situations, include the following:
[1] ECCS/CECM - N 55. Calculation of the
fire resistance of centrally loaded composite
steel-concrete columns exposed to the standard fire. Edition 1988
[2] Report EUR 13309 EN, Schleich, Mathieu,
Cajot : Practical design tools for composite
steel concrete construction elements submitted
to ISO-fire considering the interaction between
axial load N and bending moment M.

[3] Hosser, Dorn, El-Nesr : Entwicklung und

Absicherung praxisgerechter Nherungsverfahren fr die brandschutztechnische Bemessung von Verbundbauteilen. Abschlussbericht
zum Forschungsprojekt A39 (S24/2/91) der
Stiftung Stahlanwendungsforschung. Institut
fr Baustoffe, Massivbau und Brandschutz
(IBMB), TU Braunschweig, Juni 1993.
[4] B. Zhao : Abaques de dimensionnement
pour la rsistance au feu des solives de plancher
non protges connectes des dalles mixtes.
- Revue Construction mtallique - N 1 - 1999

Composite
construction
using castellated
beams

Composite beams
Figure 5

Beam and slab

Composite beams can be configured in several
ways based on rolled steel sections, as shown
in Figure 5. The simplest and most common
form is as shown in Figure 5a. It is generally
used for spans between 6 and 16 m, but can
be used to span over 20 m. When necessary,
this type of beam can be protected against fire
using an intumescent coating, sprayed fire
protection, or even boxed in using fireproof
boards.
The conception of this type of composite beam
is substantially linked to the form of reinforced
concrete slab that is adopted. The slab is generally cast in-situ using profiled, galvanised
metal decking as permanent formwork, or
sometimes using thin concrete precast slabs
as the formwork. Although the resistance of
the composite beam is relatively independent
of the manner of forming the slab, the beam
deflection under the dead weight of the concrete is significantly affected by the construction sequence. In order to eliminate, or at least
reduce, dead load deflections it is possible to :
- prop the beam during casting of the slab;
after hardening of the concrete and removal of the props the dead load of the concrete plus steel is supported by the composite beam section. Propping is essential
when a system as shown in Figure 5b, using
stub girders, is adopted.
- precamber the steel section during fabrication, by an amount calculated to compen-

Car park, Helmond (NL)

a) Simple composite beam

b) Beam with a reinforcing plate

c) Castellated beams (hexagonal openings)

d) Castellated beam (circular openings)

e) "Stub - Girder"

sate for deflections during concreting of

the slab. The precamber may be applied to
the steel section either when cold, using a
press, or by controlled local application of
heat.
- provide some continuity of the beam at the
end supports.

When propping is adopted the loads in the

props may be quite large. The designer/builder
should therefore think carefully before using
props in a multi-storey building, and must consider the rigidity and strength of any lower
levels that are used to support the props. The
use of propping becomes less economical
when there are significant inter-storey heights.

Provisory propping
of wide steel sheets
during concreting

Unless special measures are taken to control

deflections during concreting, the accuracy
that can be practically achieved using precambering is of the order of several centimetres. However, this should still allow accurate positioning of the formwork, and the
correspondance of holes in adjacent frame
members to be lined up so that connections
can be made. It is necessary to avoid any
harmful or uncontrolled rotation of the secondary beam connections due to the movement
of a precambered primary beam during concreting.
It is clearly necessary to verify that the lateral
torsional buckling resistance of the steel beam
is sufficient to support the loads applied during
concreting, and provide lateral restraint when
necessary. Correctly anchored profiled metal
decking often provides sufficient restraint.
Propping of the decking or precast slabs is
needed when they cannot support the weight
of wet concrete and the other construction
loads (for example the weight of the operatives) imposed during concreting. This is often
the case for spans in excess of 2.5 to 3.0 m.
It should also be remembered that the weight
of any additional concrete placed due to deformation of the steel beam and metal decking
during concreting (an effect known as ponding)
may not always be negligible.

Forming the slab with wide span metal decking

Precambering of beams, Car park of the stadium,

Luxembourg (L)

One implication of the various points discussed above is that the designer should carefully consider how the beams and slabs will
be constructed, and should clearly state the
assumptions made during the design on the
appropriate contract documentation.

Composite floor during erection,

Espace Lopold , Brussels (B)

Electric welding
of headed studs

Shear connection
in composite beams
The mechanical shear connection between the
slab and steel beam is essential for achieving
structural interaction between the two components under bending. The most common form
of connection comprises welded headed shear
studs (Figure 6a), which are attached to the
steel beam using a special welding gun. Uniform spacing is desirable to facilitate the correct positioning of the studs, and so that their
positioning can be checked visually. Several
other types of connector exist as an alternative to welded studs, including angles fixed
using shot-fired pins (Figure 6b). Although
these offer a reduced resistance, they avoid

Figure 6 : TYPES OF CONNECTORS

a) Headed studs

b) Angus fixed on behalf

of shot-fired pins

c) Shear connectors (T)

d) Shear connectors (Angle)

e) Shear connectors (Brackets)

f) Shear connectors (Buckle)

10

Car park
airport,
Brussels (B)

the need for welding and may therefore be

appropriate in certain circumstances. Various
other types of connector may be used, as
shown in Figure 6.
The types of connector shown in Figures 6a
and 6b are relatively flexible, whereas the other
types shown in the Figure are rigid. The difference is significant, because rigid connectors
do not allow redistribution of the longitudinal

For the thicknesses of decking (and galvanising) generally used it is possible to weld the
studs to the beams on site using what is known
as through-deck welding. Certain precautions
should be taken with regard to the conditions
of contact between the various components;
excess humidity, unclean surfaces, or the presence of paint (which can be avoided by applying masking tape to the beam before painting)
can all affect the integrity of the weld. Despite
these restrictions, through-deck welding of the
studs on site, using appropriate welding equipment, is widespread in practice.
On site, as in the fabrication shop, a simple
bending check applied to some of the welded studs allows rapid assessment of the
weld quality.

Non continuous metall decking over the beams :

the flutes have been closed with a press

shear force amongst themselves. The ability of

the more flexible connectors, which are known
as ductile, to redistribute the shear allows
the use of partial shear connection for beams
in buildings.
When possible, shear studs are welded to the
steel beams in the fabrication shop. This can
be done when the decking is not continuous
over the beams, or when precast slabs are
used. It should be noted that it is not necessary to protect either the studs or any surfaces
of the steel beam in contact with the concrete
against paint, given that the design method
takes no account of bond between the concrete and steel.

Steel decking with circular holes.

Occasionally, in order to avoid site welding of

the studs, the steel decking is delivered to
site with circular holes cut through it at the
shop-welded stud positions. Clearly this
requires the production of very precise drawings, or other appropriate information, and
a number of corrections on site are inevitable.

Through deck welding on site

11

Design
of composite beams
Resistance
at the ultimate limit state
According to Eurocode 4 the resistance of a
composite beam should be verified at the ultimate limit state for any cross section that could
be critical. This is true whether the beam is simply supported or continuous over several supports. Other than for certain relatively complex
cases associated with continuity and moment
redistribution (which are also covered by the
standard), in general this verification amounts
to no more than a simple comparison of the
plastic resistance moment and the applied
moment at one or two critical sections.
For the common case of a beam that is simply
supported at its extremities and subjected to
uniformly distributed loading, it is sufficient to
ensure that the ponderated applied moment
Msd is less than the ultimate resistance moment Mpl,Rd. This resistance is calculated according to the traditional rectangular stress
block method, as shown in Figure 7. No ac-

European parliament, Luxembourg (L)

count is taken of the concrete within the

depth of the decking profile, or within the
depth of the dry joint when precast concrete
slabs are used as permanent formwork.
Vertical shear forces are assumed to be resisted uniquely by the web of the steel section,
the ultimate shear resistance of which must
be greater than the ponderated applied shear.
It is necessary to consider interaction between
bending and vertical shear above the supports of continuous beams, or beneath concentrated loads, when the applied shear is
greater than 50 % of the web capacity.

Figure 7
Collaborating width
(L/4 distance between the beams)

Neutral
plastic
axis

Steel decking
or precast slab

12

Serviceabilty limit states

Shear connection

To ensure adequate behaviour in service it is

necessary to verify the beam deflections, the
cracking of the concrete at the supports, and
the natural frequency of the beam. The designer should also verify that the stresses
induced in the section under service loading
do not cause any local plastification, which
would invalidate any deflections calculated
using elastic theory.

Shear connectors and transverse reinforcement

placed in the slab above the beam transfer the
longitudinal shear force between the steel and
concrete. Any adhesion between the steel and
concrete is not taken into consideration.

The magnitude of the deflections depends on

the construction sequence. Dead loads may be
supported by either the composite section, or
the more flexible bare steel section, depending
on whether or not the beams and slabs are
propped during construction. The magnitude
of any precamber to be applied during fabrication will depend on the calculated dead
load deflections. The rigidity of a composite
member may be calculated according to classic
elastic principles ; the effective section of the
slab is transformed into an equivalent steel
section using an appropriate modular ratio
for the two materials. The designer must take
into account creep of the concrete under long
term loading (self weight etc), shrinkage of the
concrete, and possibly the influence of partial
shear connection.
Control of crack widths is necessary where the
concrete will be subject to tension, for example at the internal supports of a continuous
beam. This dictates the adoption of a certain
minimum area of longitudinal reinforcement
in the slab. In no case should the percentage
of reinforcement drop below either 0.4% or
0.2 %, depending on whether or not the slab
is propped during construction.

Beams provided with shear connectors

The headed shear studs normally used are ductile, which means that they have sufficient deformation capacity to enable the adoption of
partial shear connection. The term partial
shear connection refers to situations in which
the resistance of the composite beam is governed by the strength of the shear connection.
In other words, it is possible to reduce the number of shear connectors (within certain limits)
when full shear connection would lead to an
excess in beam capacity, as it is often the case.

For most cases when the slab will be subject

to normal people traffic design standards
recommend that the rigidity of the floor is
such that its natural frequency is greater than
3 Hz. This check is relatively simple, using a
formula which considers the span, the mass,
and the rigidity (EI) of the section.

Htel des Arts and Mapfre tower

(office building), Barcelona (E)

13

Partially encased
composite beams
Concreting of composite beams on the ground

The fire resistance of a traditional composite

beam can be improved considerably by infilling the areas between the steel flanges with
reinforced concrete (Figure 8). This process is,
however, only possible for beam depths greater
than 180 to 200 mm, which allow the inclusion
of appropriate reinforcement (with sufficient
cover) in the concrete. Clearly, the weight of
the structure increases due to the additional
concrete, which must be allowed for in the
design. However, this additional weight is
generally compensated by the increased rigidity of the beam, and so does not normally
result in an increase in the size of steel section required, when the beam is wide enough
to accept the concrete.
Concrete filling takes place on the ground
before erection of the beam. The steel beam
is laid on well aligned, rigid supports, which
are sufficiently closely spaced to avoid deformation of the steel section under the weight
of the concrete. Prefabricated reinforcement
cages are dropped into the voids between the
flanges, positioned, and held in place to ensure that adequate concrete cover is achieved.
If possible the concrete is poured directly from

Figure 8

Main reinforcing bar :

40 to 60 mm

14

the mixer truck into the prepared beam,

which can be turned over after only a very
short period to allow concreting of the opposing chamber.
The process of concreting on the ground requires delivery of the finished steel members
approximately one week before they are due
for erection. It also requires an area that can be
serviced by a crane; this area may be either on
site or perhaps in a nearby workshop or similar
depot.
The main longitudinal reinforcing bars, which
are placed in the concrete to enhance the fire
resistance of the composite section, are complemented by other secondary bars. In particular, stirrups are needed to avoid spalling of
the concrete in a fire and a resulting premature heating of the core of the section at one
precise location.
The concrete infilling between the flanges
must be mechanically anchored to the web of
the steel section so that thermal stresses do

Museum Museum fr Verkehr und Technik, Berlin (D)

not cause any break and fall off of the latter.

Several solutions are proposed in Eurocode 4 ;
headed studs can be welded to the web, or
reinforcing bars that penetrate the web may be
added, or stirrups may be welded to the web
(as discussed later).

ception of a 3 cm return towards the interior

of the flanges. It should be noted however that
the presence of paint on the web and studs has
no determinant influence on the behaviour of
the beam because, as already said, any natural
adhesion between the steel and concrete is not
considered in the design method.

In theory the steel surfaces in contact with the

concrete are not painted, with the possible ex-

15

Design of partially
encased beams
Design for normal
load conditions
Partially encased beams are often designed for
normal load conditions as traditional composite beams. The reinforced concrete between
the flanges is taken into account as a dead
load, but is completely neglected when determining the resistance of the section, and even
when calculating deflections.
Although such simplified assumptions are
clearly conservative, the basic version of Eurocode 4 gives no alternative rules specifically
for partially encased beams. The section of
the reinforcing bars needed is determined by
fire resistance requirements rather than normal load conditions.
In reality, the increase in rigidity of the section
due to the presence of the concrete and reinforcement may be considerable. Starting at
several percent for the smallest practical beams,
the increase in rigidity may exceed 20 % for the
largest beams in their final condition.
Unfortunately, an accurate calculation of the
rigidity for use in deflection calculations is
rather laborious. It is necessary to carry out
several elastic analyses to cover the various
stages of construction and the load application sequence. The evolution of the section
that is acting structurally, and of the concrete
properties in function of the time, must all
be considered.
Office building of the
general contractor
SKANSKA,
Gteborg (S)

16

If the presence of the reinforced concrete

infill has not been taken into account for
when determining the second moment of
area (I), the designer should be aware that
the actual deflections will be less than those
predicted. This will be true in both the final
state and intermediate states during construction, and can have a significant influence
on the magnitude of any precamber (when
specified). The increased rigidity will also be
significant at any other stage when it is necessary to predict the deflections, for example when determining the capacity for adjustment needed at interfaces with prefabricated
elements such as staircases or cladding panels.

Eurocode 4 (ENV 1994-1-1)

Annex G
Tests have shown that the presence of concrete between the steel flanges not only increases the rigidity of a beam, but also its
ultimate bending moment resistance and its
vertical shear capacity.
Annex G of Eurocode 4 proposes supplementary rules which take into account the concrete between the flanges under service conditions. The rules are applicable whether or
not there is a participating slab.
The annex proposes a simplified method for
calculating the second moment of area of
the beam (I), ignoring any concrete in tension.
Normal, relatively weak concrete (C20) is generally used to infill between the flanges.

Verification of the
fire resistance for
partially encased
beams
Resistance to an ISO
standard fire
Eurocode 4 Part 1-2 proposes two methods
for determining the resistance of a partially
encased composite beam subject to a standard ISO fire. The first of these, the tabular
method, requires some resistance calculations
in conjunction with interpolation of tabulated values. This method is very conservative,
and predicts very high values for the areas of
reinforcement required. Ideally, it should not
be used in preference to the second, simple
calculation, method.
It is possible to measure the progressive heating through a section during a fire test.
Zones of different temperature can be defined for each material, in which the loss of
resistance due to the elevated temperature
can be evaluated.

Figure 9
REDUCED TRANSVERSE SECTION
FOR THE POSITIVE MOMENT CALCULATION

The constraints for calculation in the steel

are progressively reduced according to different
temperature zones in which the steel section is divided

Figure 10
REDUCED TRANSVERSE SECTION
FOR THE NEGATIVE MOMENT CALCULATION

The simple calculation method for predicting

fire resistance considers the ultimate moment
resistance of the section, which is calculated
by dividing the section into different zones.
The material properties for each zone are
modified using reduction factors, which depend on the average temperature in the zone.
These temperatures are determined by considering the section to be exposed to an ISO
fire for the required fire resistance period.
The method is equally applicable for both positive moments (Figure 9) and negative moments
at supports (Figure 10). Unfortunately, even
though simple, hand calculations using this
method still take some time. However, the
method has been programmed, and software
is available on request from the Technical
Assistance department at Arcelor Sections
Commercial.

The constraints for calculation in the steel

are progressively reduced according to different
temperature zones in which the steel section is divided

17

Museum Landesmuseum, Mannheim (D)

Fire resistance is assured if the moment resistance calculated for the time required (with
material strengths reduced to reflect the zone
temperatures at that time) is greater than the
moment applied by the combination of loads
appropriate for the accidental fire condition.
Eurocode 4 Part 1.2 allows redistribution of
the moments in a beam under certain conditions, even if the beam has been assumed to be
simply supported under normal service loading.
In order to comply with reinforced concrete
design standards it is always necessary to have
at least a minimum level of continuity reinforcement (anti-crack reinforcement). This reinforcement will remain cold during a fire, and
limit the rotation capacity of the composite
beam. In order to benefit from a redistribution
of moments it is necessary to ensure that the

Isotherms in a partially encased

beam subjected to an ISO fire
of 90 minutes

18

gap at the ends of the beam satisfies a defined limit (10 to 15 mm according to the situation, which may well be achieved anyway).
In practice some moment redistribution is not
needed in the majority of cases for simple
beams. A minimum of two 12 to 20 mm bars
(see Clause 5.3.2 of ENV 1994-1-1) placed at
the bottom of the infill concrete is generally
sufficient to achieve 90 or 120 minutes fire
resistance for floor beams.

Composite columns
The types of composite column illustrated in
Figure 11 are the most common, being of either
square or rectangular cross-section. They are
compared below. Sections that are completely
encased in concrete may also contain two steel
members placed side by side, with sufficient
gap between these members to allow correct
filling with concrete.

Figure 11
Common forms of composite columns

composite column
filled with concrete

Circular sections are also used, primarily to

meet architectural requirements. They may
be formed either using traditional formwork
(Figure 12), or by placing the steel member
inside a metallic tube (Figure 13). The former
type is effectively a variation on the more common completely encased rectangular section,
with the same advantages and disadvantages
as described below.

Figure 12
Circular composite
H column encased
in concrete

Figure 13
H column encased
in concrete inside
a metallic tube

composite column
encased in concrete

Office building
Winthertur,
Barcelona (E)

Bank Bruxelles Lambert, Brussels (B)

19

Motor car
plant Saab,
Malm (S)

So-called cruciform cross-columns (Figure 14)

comprise two steel sections, sometimes identical, one of which is cut into two Ts. The Ts are
welded to the web of the other steel girder. This
type of column is used when the buckling
length is substantial in both axes. The steel
members used for this type of composite
section are generally considerably deeper
than they are wide, with a depth greater than
400 mm, or even sometimes 500 mm. Concreting on the ground prior to erection is possible, but requires four operations and a fairly
complex procedure to fix the reinforcement.
Figure 14
Cruciform column filled
with concrete

Other types of section that combine two steel

members may also be used (Figure 15). The
main steel girder is reinforced in each the area
between the flanges by one or more smaller
steel sections. The latter are typically H sections, or thick flanged T sections, which are
welded to the web of the main member. The
provision of this quantity of steel within the
body of the concrete clearly leads to a composite column with excellent fire resistance
capabilities.

Figure 15
Composite section with
reinforcements welded on the web

It is worth noting that the list of composite

column section types described above is not
exhaustive, and other types can certainly be
imagined.

reinforcements
with or with
T
H

20

Composite columns with reinforcements welded on the web

Sony Center Potsdamerplatz, Berlin (D)

Design of
composite columns

Figure 16

Eurocode 4 proposes a method for the design

of composite columns at the ultimate limit
state. The apparent complexity of this method is
in fact relatively superficial, and it can be easily
programmed. The method may be used for any
of the typical types of section described above
when loading is primarily axial. Additional bending moments may be present.

Axial compression
The designer must verify that the axial load in
service, increased by using the appropriate load
factors, is less than the resistance of the composite member. The buckling resistance of the
member is a function of the plastic compression load, suitably reduced using a coefficient
that reflects the slenderness of the member
(Figure 16).

21

Axial compression and

uniaxial bending
When the axial load is accompanied by moments about one axis it is necessary to determine the N-M interaction curve for the section
bent about that axis (Figure 17). The designer
must then verify that at the ultimate limit state
the ponderated moment does not exceed the
moment resistance limit, which generally increases as the level of axial load decreases (shaded part of the diagram). The interaction curve
can be determined by calculating numerous
successive points, considering the movement
of the plastic neutral axis across the section.
Alternatively, the curve can be determined relatively easily by establishing several critical
points using the procedures given in Eurocode 4.

Sony Center Potsdamerplatz, Berlin (D)

Figure 17
RESISTANCE TO COMPRESSION AND BENDING

22

TAZ, building of a newspaper editor,

Berlin (D)

Axial compression and

biaxial bending
In the case of biaxial bending an N-M interaction curve must be determined for bending
about both axes. Corresponding points on the
curves in the y-y and z-z planes are joined by a
straight line which defines, along with the axes,
a surface inside which the factored moments
about the two axes must remain (Figure 18).

The reduction coefficient to allow for buckling is applied for the axis that is considered
to be critical, which in theory means that each
axis must be checked successively.

Figure 18
CALCULATION OF BIAXIAL COMPRESSION AND BENDING

a. Plane in which a failure is supposed possible

in taking into account the buckling
b. Plane without taking into account the buckling
c. Interaction diagram showing
the bending resistance

23

Shear connection in
composite columns
Industrial printing, Lausanne (CH)

Region of load introduction

Loads are only rarely introduced into the
column via a header plate which distributes
them correctly between the steel and concrete components. Normally, the floor beams
are attached directly to the steel component
of the column, so that part of the load must
be transferred into the other component (the
reinforced concrete).
This necessitates provision of adequate transfer studs in a transfer zone as described below
(Figure 19).
Industrial printing, Lausanne (CH)

Finishing of composite columns with

supplementary connectors in the transfer zones

transfer zone

Figure 19

24

transfer
studs

b= smallest transversal
size of the column

Longitudinal shear resistance

Shear transfer is achieved either by frictional or
adherence stresses between the contact surfaces, or by mechanical shear connection which
prevents any significant slip between the steel
and concrete.
When relying on friction and adherence it is
clearly necessary to avoid any painting of the
steel surfaces. These types of shear transfer
may be sufficient when the steel component
is fully encased.
Partially encased sections, with concrete only
present between the steel flanges, must in all
cases adopt a certain number of mechanical
shear connectors fixed to the web of the steel
member. Without such connection the concrete may spall away from the web under the
action of thermal stresses during a fire, and indeed fall off the steel member. The mechanical
shear connection required may be achieved in
a number of ways, either using headed studs
welded to the web, or welding the stirrups
to the web, or perhaps using bars passing
through holes in the web and linking the stirrups on either side (Figure 20).
Rembrandt Tower, Amsterdam (NL)
Figure 20

a) interlinked stirrups and studs

b) and c) welded stirrups

d) bars passing through holes

Composite column

25
e) stirrups and bars

Fire resistance of
composite columns
Fully encased sections
When the steel member is completely encased
in concrete a composite column possesses a
very high resistance to fire. Eurocode 4 Part 1.2
proposes a simple table (Figure 21) which allows
Figure 21
ENV 1994-1-2 CALCULATION TABLE

RESISTANCE TO STANDARD FIRE

min hc and bc
min c
min us
min hc and bc
min c
min us

R30 R60
150 180
40
50
(20) 30
or

200

40

(20)

R90 R120 R180 R240

220 300 350 400
50
75
75
75
30
40
50
50
250 350
40
50
(20) 30

400
60
40

the fire resistance of a column to be verified for

most practical cases, without the need for calculations. If necessary, the documents referenced earlier provide any additional information
that may be required to undertake a more accurate verification.

Partially encased sections

The fire resistance of partially encased sections
is less than that of fully encased sections, because some of the steel surfaces remain exposed to the fire.
Figure 22 shows the general behaviour of a
structural element subjected to a standard ISO
fire. Starting with the failure load at room temperature, fire tests under progressively diminishing loads demonstrate ever increasing fire
resistance capabilities. A curve can be developed for any structural element ; the rate at
which resistance falls in a fire is greatest when
the materials used are the most sensitive to
fire.
For a level of load corresponding to the combination of actions under the fire condition,
this resistance curve can be used to predict

Figure 22
GENERAL BEHAVIOUR OF A STRUCTURAL ELEMENT
SUBJECTED TO ISO FIRE

26

Fire test of a composite column

the fire resistance period for the element in

question. The natural fire resistance period
for partially encased composite columns is generally in excess of 60 minutes.

Verification of the
fire resistance of
partially encased columns

When the natural fire resistance of a composite column is less than that required it is necessary to choose another section which has
a higher resistance curve. The curve must demonstrate that the required fire resistance (90
or 120 minutes) can be achieved under the
proposed level of loading in fire.

Even when the simplified tables proposed in

ENV 1994-1-2 are used, some calculation is
necessary. It should also be noted that the
simplified design method proposed in Annex F
is more commonly used, having been widely
disseminated in the form of software.
As for partially encased beams, this method
considers contours of temperature within
the body of a section after 30, 60, 90 and
120 minutes of exposure to an ISO standard
fire (Figure 23). The section is divided into
zones (Figure 24) in which the mechanical
properties of the different constituent materials vary as a function of the average temperature in the zone. The collapse load is then
calculated using a process which is essentially the same as that used to calculate the collapse load under normal service conditions,
but considering reduced material strengths.

The procedure described above generally leads

to overdesign of the column under normal
service conditions. However, the excess cost
remains moderate for a fire resistance of 90
minutes (R90) provided a logical choice of a
section with thin flanges is made. The required
overdesign is preferably achieved by adopting
one or more of the following measures :
- increase the design grade of the steel
- increase the grade of concrete
- increase the amount of reinforcement
If the last of these measures is adopted the
maximum percentage of reinforcement can
exceed the maximum value of 4 % specified
in the relevant standards, which is appropriate
for normal service conditions. Up to 6 % may
be adopted in order to achieve the necessary
fire resistance.

Figure 24
REDUCED SECTION OF A COMPOSITE COLUMN
FOR THE CALCULATION OF THE FIRE RESISTANCE

For most current applications in buildings increasing the material strengths or the amount
of reinforcement is not sufficient to achieve
two hours fire resistance (R120), and it is also
necessary to increase the size of the steel member.

Figure 23 : isotherms in a composite column subjected to an ISO fire of 90 minutes

27

Figure 25
DESIGN OF A COMPOSITE COLUMN

The fire condition may govern design for this

type of column, particularly when fire resistance requirements exceed 1 hour. The measures described above to overdesign the
section can be adopted. A reduced buckling
length (Figure 25) can generally be adopted
provided the floor slabs ensure compartmentalisation of the fire.

Cruciform sections and

sections with reinforced
steel members
There is no simplified direct method of design
for these types of section. The designer must
use numerical simulation (CEFICOSS), or interpolate values from reference tables [2] (that
are based on numerical simulations) using engineering judgment to draw analogies.

28

TAZ, printing newspaper office, Berlin (D)

RIGID CORE
(Braced
structures)

COLUMN
SUBJECTED
TO FIRE

STANDARD SERVICE CONDITIONS (b)

N = 1.35 G + 1.5 Q (in most of the cases)
max 4 % of reinforcing bars
Buckling length Lcr = L (generally)
VERIFICATION UNDER FIRE (c)
N = 1.00 G + 0.5 Q (often)
0.5 - 0.9 according to the category
of the building
max 6 % reinforcing bars
Buckling length Lcr = 0.5 L or 0.7 L

Construction details
The two basic components of a composite
member - the steel and the reinforced concrete
- must clearly respect any application rules relevant to their individual domains.
However, composite construction owes its success above all to the levels of fire resistance
that can be achieved, and certain construction details are important in order to assure
this fire resistance.

Figure 26
CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

welding

Welding of the stirrups to the web

Positioning of the
reinforcement
Traditional concrete rules must be respected
when considering resistance and cracking requirements under normal service conditions.
In particular, rules govern minimum diameters
for bars and stirrups, the spacing of stirrups,
the configuration of the stirrups as a function
of the spacing between the reinforcing bars in
compression, concrete cover requirements etc.
An additional risk must be considered for the
fire condition - local spalling of the concrete
may occur. Even if this appears to only cause a
slight reduction in the area of the effective section, it is an important phenomenon because it
leads to an acceleration in thermal penetration, which may lead to local weakening of
the member.

Bars passing through the web to link the reinforcing cages

Studs

As a consequence of the phenomenon described above, the part of Eurocode 4 (ENV 19941-2) dealing with fire proposes several additional rules for reinforcement detailing (Figure 26). In particular, for beams the spacing of
the stirrups must not exceed 250 mm, and
mesh must be added to the exposed faces
of the infill concrete, with cover not exceeding 35 mm.

29
Museum
Museum fr
Verkehr und
Technik,
Berlin (D)

Mechanical shear
connection to the web
Mechanical shear connection to the web can
be achieved in different ways, as previously discussed ; by welded studs, by welded stirrups, or
by passing bars through the web to link the
reinforcement cages. For beams with concrete infilling the maximum spacing of the shear
connectors, and their dimensions, must respect
certain design limits (Figure 26). The same is
true for columns with concrete infilling between the steel flanges, unless closer spacing is
required to achieve the necessary shear transfer under normal service conditions.

Continuous reinforcement
in partially
encased columns
The density of continuous reinforcement required in connection regions may make it difficult
to accommodate the necessary erection bolts.
This problem is eased when the steel section is
locally strong enough to resist the applied loading, perhaps with the addition of strengthening
plates. In such cases the reinforcement may be
interrupted in these regions, provided that the
necessary force can be transferred from the
concrete to the steel components, and in the
other way below the beam.

30

Girder with openings in the web

Web openings in beams

Openings in the webs of partially encased
beams are achieved in exactly the same way
as for bare steel sections.
The openings are generally reinforced using
a short length of tube, or by a surrounding
frame made from plates. This local web reinforcement also performs the role of formwork
during the placing of concrete between the
flanges (photo).
Provided that the longitudinal reinforcing bars
in the concrete remain suitably encased, the
presence of web openings only influences the
shear resistance of the section (due to increased heat penetration into the web). However,
the excess in vertical shear capacity of an encased web during a fire is often considerable.
An estimate of the reduced capacity next to
an opening may be made considering the
reduced yield strength of the web steel using
a simplified method proposed in Eurocode 4
(ENV 1994-1-2). In principle this method is
conservative, because radiation effects are in
fact reduced when an opening is present.
Clearly it is also possible to seal regions were
pipes pass through the beams using fire insulation after fixing of the pipework.

City Center Kirchberg, Luxembourg (L)

Choice
of column type
Comparison of the two most common solutions
Fully encased columns

Partially encased columns

Figure 27

Width 240 mm

- Perimeter formwork is required.

- In theory no formwork is required (unless

there are difficulties associated with lifting,
or specific requirements for a very smooth
or special textured finish on the concrete).

- Normally concreted after erection.

- Concreted horizontally, on the ground, before erection.

- No exposed steel surfaces.

- Steel surfaces remain exposed.

- Preferably based on steel sections with thick

flanges (HEM, HEB, HD).

- Preferably based on steel sections with thin

flanges, in order to limit the volume of steel
directly exposed to the fire (HEAA, HEA,
HP).

- Reinforcement must be fixed around the

steel member in its final, erected position.

- Reinforcement cages can be prefabricated,

and rapidly positioned.

- Relatively small percentages of reinforcement are used. Bars should preferably only
be positioned at the corners of the section.

- To achieve fire resistance in excess of one

hour it is advisable to adopt the maximum
allowable percentage of reinforcement
(6 % in the fire condition, of which only
4 % is taken into account for design under
normal service conditions).

- The steel member should not be painted.

- Paint is normally applied to the exposed surfaces of the steel flanges, generally for purely aesthetic reasons.

- A small number of mechanical shear connectors are usually sufficient. They are primarily needed in regions of load introduction.

- Mechanical shear connectors (studs, or similar) are normally needed along the whole
length of the column, to prevent the concrete falling off during a fire.

- Structural fire resistance is inherently very

high.

- Fire resistance, with possible over-design

in excess of 60 minutes.

- On site the full structural resistance of the

composite column is only achieved following encasement.

- Because of the over-design needed to satisfy fire resistance requirements, there is often
considerable over-strength during the construction phase.

31

Pre-installed
columns

Pre-installed columns

Basic principle
Pre-installed, or plunge columns are frequently used in urban locations because they
eliminate a number of problems associated
with deep excavations on sites adjacent to existing buildings. Each column, of a height equal
to the depth of the basement to be constructed, is lowered into a bored hole. The foot of
the column is then embedded in concrete,
which is poured into the bottom of the shaft,
either at, or below, the final foundation level.
A slab is then used to link the individual columns, and the building superstructure is erected on top of this slab. It is then possible to
excavate below the slab to form successive
basement levels whilst the superstructure is
being erected.

Construction method
To prevent buckling of the columns during
construction, the bored holes are filled with
gravel, amongst which may be interspersed
weak concrete plugs at predefined locations.
The position of the heads of the columns, in
both plan and level, can be controlled relatively accurately on site. It is more difficult to
adjust the verticality of the columns in their
shafts, and variations on site may be more
substantial than with more conventional
construction methods. It is, however, possible to reduce problems of non-verticality using
horizontal hydraulic pistons which can be
placed near the base of the columns and
controlled from the surface.

32

Banque Bruxelles Lambert, Brussels (B)

Office building Woluwe Garden, Brussels (B)

Steel members are ideal for this type of application because they are light and easy to
manipulate. Unfortunately, fire resistance requirements for basement locations (typically
R90 or R120) do not permit the use of steel
members without additional fire protection,
which is not always welcome in locations that
are mostly used for parking. Composite columns are often preferred because of their
compactness, and inherent fire resistance. The
choice between a fully or a partially encased
composite section depends on the considerations discussed below.

Fully encased sections

Although a fully encased section may be completely prefabricated before dropping it into
its bored hole, it is more common to utilise the
bare steel section during the construction
stage (when the loads are less than in the final
service condition). The steel member is then
progressively encased in concrete, to form the
composite section one level at a time as the excavation progresses and floor slabs are formed.
For this type of application composite columns offer the following benefits and disadvantages :

ground in order to determine the different

load combinations and corresponding buckling lengths during construction.
- The section is very compact, and can be formed in different shapes (for example square
or circular). However, excessively wide members (> 40 cm) may prove difficult to arrange
efficiently between parking spaces.
- Formwork can generally be reused several
times. By placing the formwork eccentric
to the steel member it may be possible to
compensate for any slight misalignment (up
to several centimetres) of the latter during
its placing.
- Fixing of the formwork and reinforcement,
and placing of the concrete, are not particularly easy operations. In particular, it is necessary to leave openings or ducts in the
slabs to permit subsequent placing of concrete in the lower level of column. Correct
filling and local load transfer capacity must
be ensured. The need to achieve lapping of
the longitudinal reinforcing bars means that
they must extend into the ground below the
level being concreted, so that they act as
starter bars at the top of the following
level.

- The member to be lifted is relatively light and

robust, and need not be painted.
- In principle it is not necessary to over-design
the column relative to the final service loads.
However, it is necessary to verify that the
member is adequate for each stage during
construction. Excessive slenderness, or delayed encasement of the lowest sections of
the column, may necessitate the use of a larger steel section. In some instances the bare
steel section may be sufficient for the service loading, in which case the concrete encasement serves merely as fire protection. It is
clearly necessary to evaluate the speed of
construction both below and above the

33
Pre-installed columns
during erection

K-Galerie building, Dsseldorf (D)

Partially encased sections

Floors

Partially encased sections are concreted at

ground level prior to being lowered into bored
holes. They have the following characteristics :
- The composite members are relatively heavy.
- It is necessary to identify an area big enough
for concreting to take place. If necessary,
substantial lengths of column can be achieved
using several pieces, which are bolted
together as needed during the lowering operation. The joints are normally located within
the basement floor slabs, and are therefore
invisible in the final condition. This means
that the joints can be made using cover
plates and external bolts. Lateral buckling
restraints should be placed in the shaft,
according to the spacing of the joints.
- Design for fire resistance often leads to an
over-strength under normal service conditions. However, this can be exploited during
construction to increase the allowable buckling length and possibly permit excavating
of several levels at a time.
- Because the width of the steel sections is
typically only approximately 300 to 400 mm,
this type of composite column may offer a
greater useable floor area between parking
spaces than alternative solutions.

Steel or composite columns used in this type

of construction are compatible with all types
of floor structure. When it is possible to use
beams these may also be composite, either
partially encased or fire protected. It is easy
to provide connection pieces, or box-outs to
allow the subsequent passage of continuous
reinforcement. When necessary, such connection details can be provided with a means of
accommodating any differences in the final
levels of the columns that may occur on site.

K-Galerie building,
Dsseldorf (D)

34

The framework formed by the floor beams is

used to stabilise the basement walls during
construction. Partial encasement of the floor
beams ensures they have a significant buckling resistance.
It is also worth remembering that the use of
galvanised decking as permanent formwork for
the floor slabs practically eliminates the need
for cranage during construction of the basement, and that the decking is an ideal complement to the steel or composite beams.

Column with brackets

before erection

Connections
The connections between composite members
are almost always formed between the steel
components, and are designed and detailed
according to the usual rules for steel construction.
Their conception is driven by the philosophy
of placing the bolts, or lengths of weld, in
positions where they are sheltered from direct
heat in a fire. Clearly it is also necessary to
maintain sufficient access for bolting or welding during erection of the frame, and to
avoid the need for additional fire protection
as much as possible.
As an example, bolts placed within the depth
of the concrete slab (plus any finishing screed)
will be buried in the mass of concrete and
therefore protected without any need for supplementary fire protection in the final condition.
The general considerations described above
have led to the development of several relatively common basic types of composite connection, as described below.

Beam to column
connections
- using a bracket (figure 28) : the bracket
may be placed either below or within the
depth of the beam. Additional bolts are
added within the depth of the slab to aid
erection. There is no need to fire protect the
bracket provided the upper weld, which is
not exposed directly to the fire, is reinforced,
and that the bracket is sufficiently thick.
Alternatively, fire protection can be avoided
by adding shear studs to the bracket, and
passing these through holes drilled in the
column flange so that they can be embedded in the column concrete.

Figure 28

bolts

Column connection using brackets

a) below the beam b) within the beam

35

Column connection with brackets

- using a web plate (figure 29) : the bolted

connection must be fire protected after erection, either using specific fire protection materials or by embedding the connection in
concrete. The latter operation is facilitated
by oblique cutting of the top flange of the
beam, to allow filling of the cavity during
casting of the slab.

- using an end plate with upper bolts

(figure 30) : when possible the bolts should
be concentrated within the depth of the
slab, or at least a sufficient number of sufficient diameter bolts to resist the combination of loads applied in the accidental fire
condition. A spacer plate may be used to
ensure that the connection is free to rotate.

Figure 29
Column connection using a web plate

Figure 30
end plate with upper bolts
end of
the
concreting

bolts

end of concreting
cavity to be filled
after erection

Column connection using a web plate

36

top
decking
slab

- using direct support from the column

(figure 31) : this type of detail has been used
with large prefabricated columns, which are
interrupted at each floor level. In order to
transfer the loads it is necessary to include
thick capping plates and various other large
steel components locally within the slab.

Large prefabricated piles (as found in the basements of multi-storey buildings) can be made
with web openings at each floor level to accommodate the floor beams. It is possible to include a means of adjusting the level of such
openings to accommodate any variations on
site (Figure 32).

Figure 31

Figure 32
Section B-B
slab

slab

beam
bolts on side
of the beam

column

Section A-A

Post-office P&T, Saarbrcken (D)

Prefabricated piles
with web openings
to accommodate
the floor beams

37

Beam to beam connections

- using direct support (figure 33) : this very
simple type of detail results in a relatively
deep floor, which does however provide
good flexibility when it comes to the
layout of the services etc. A continuity
plate may be welded to the flanges of the
secondary beams after erection. Bolts used
to aid erection can be left in place, without
fire protection. The upper flanges of the
primary beams, which are not connected
to the slab, may be provided with an insulating plate to increase their fire resistance
and thereby reduce the area of reinforcement required in the composite section.

Figure 33

- using a web plate (figure 34) : the ends of

the secondary beams, which are left free
from concrete during prefabrication, are
attached to plates which protrude beyond
the concrete encasement of the primaries.
These plates do not interfere with the reinforcement in the primary beams provided
they do not extend too far towards the lower
flange ; the upper bars used to facilitate prefabrication of the reinforcement cages can
simply be cut at these locations during placing of the cages. As for beam to column
connections of this type, it is necessary to
fill-in with concrete, or otherwise protect,
the region around the bolts after erection.
Figure 34

bolts for the

positionning

38

Beam to beam connection

Post-office building P&T, Saarbrcken (D)

Figure 35
erection bolts

- using a bracket (figure 35) : as for the

beam to column detail, it is possible to
make a beam to beam connection using a
bracket, with an upper fixing to aid erection. However, if the bracket is placed too
low in the primary beam it may interfere
with the main reinforcement, which should
then be installed in the workshop of the
steel contractor.

Beam to beam connection using brackets

39

- using a nib on the upper flange (figure

36) : a thick steel nib may be welded to the
upper flange of the secondary beam. This
simply rests on the primary, with a bolt used
for location during erection. This very common detail allows all the members to be
completely filled with concrete, and does
not hinder in any way the reinforcement in
the members.

Figure 36
thick steel nib

Preconcreted beam using a nib on the upper

flange before erection

40

Beam to beam connection of preconcreted beams using a

nib on the upper flange

Frame stability
Diaphragm action
of the slabs
The monolithic nature, and resulting in-plane
rigidity of the concrete floor slabs means that
they can be used to transfer horizontal loads to
the vertical members that provide frame stability. It is however necessary to provide other
ways of maintaining the stability of the structure during construction, before the concrete
achieves sufficient strength.

Sony Center Potsdamerplatz, Berlin (D)

Vertical bracing
Although composite members can be used for
diagonal bracing, the nodal connections are
normally rather complicated. There are currently several solutions to the problem of providing vertical bracing :
- bracing is configured so that it may be left
unprotected against fire because there is
at least one bracing system outside the fire
compartment.
- the bracing is placed behind a wall, which
protects it from any fire.
- simple steel bracing is embedded within a
concrete wall following erection, the wall
being cast between and around the columns.
- the frame is stabilised by attachment to a
concrete element (such as a lift shaft or stair
case), or to nodes that are unaffected by fire.
Clearly any such elements must be in place
at the time of beginning erection of the steel
frame.

41

Structural models

Expansion joints

The structural model applicable under normal

service conditions may evolve for the fire condition, depending on the construction details
used. Several examples are considered below :

Notwithstanding certain requirements for the

slab reinforcement being satisfied, buildings
with a surface area in excess of 6000 m2, and
up to 120 m in length, have been built using
composite construction without any expansion joints. It is however more common to respect the usual limits for steel structures when
considering the frequency of expansion joints
in a composite beam and column frame. Intermediate joints may be necessary in the reinforced concrete floor slabs according to concrete
code requirements.

- A beam which is assumed to be simply supported in normal service may be allowed to

benefit from some assumed continuity during a fire. The presence of continuity reinforcement in the slab above the beam supports will prevent excess rotation of the
beams in a fire.
- When the lower bolts are not fire protected, connections that are assumed to be rigid in normal service may either remain rigid
or tend towards pinned behaviour during a
fire, depending on the sense of the applied
moment. It is clearly necessary that the protected upper bolts are sufficiently strong to
transfer the appropriate loads to the column
in the accidental fire condition.
- When the slab is relatively thick (for example to achieve the required acoustic performance) and the secondary beams are at
relatively close centres (for example to avoid
propping during construction) it is possible
to consider fire protecting only one joist in
two. It is then necessary to check that the
slab can achieve a double span under
fire loading, and provide the necessary
reinforcement. The protected joist must also
be checked for the fire condition, considering an appropriate loaded area and load
combination for this accidental condition.
In summary, it is necessary to verify the resistance of the structure for both normal service
and fire, considering not only different loads
appropriate to each condition, but also potentially different structural models.

Sony Center Potsdamerplatz, Berlin (D)

42

Structural integrity
The structural integrity and robustness of a
building frame are fundamental requirements
which are part of the basic philosophy embodied in the Eurocodes. According to this philosophy, an accidental load (explosion, impact
etc) must not lead to disproportionate damage
of a structure.
One of the measures needed in order to ensure appropriate integrity is to tie together the
frame members horizontally. All the connections are therefore required to possess at
least a minimum resistance to horizontal tensile forces. In some countries, such as the UK,
the levels of load needed to satisfy this requirement have been quantified in an annex to
the National Application Document for the
Eurocode.

A steel frame normally responds very well to

this fundamental requirement for integrity, because of the inherent tensile strength of the
frame members and of traditional connections. For composite construction it may be
necessary to verify the suitability of some types
of bracketed connection. In practice the number and size of the bolts used to aid erection
should be kept at a reasonable level, or low
tensile resistance of some components can
be compensated by detailing additional bars
that are suitably anchored in the slab.

European parliament Espace Lopold, Brussels (B)

43

Technical Assistance
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rolled sections. A team of advisory engineers is
at your disposal to answer any questions concerning design, fabrication, construction, metallurgy, welding, surface treatment and fire
protection. They are ready to collaborate with
all those involved in planning, design and
construction in order to work out optimized
solutions.

CERTIFICATION

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Truss Girders
Bridges with Rolled Sections
Composite Beams and Columns
High-rise Buildings

Photographs
Bauen mit Stahl
Stahl information Zentrum
Staalbouw instituut
V. BUYCK N. V.
DYNABAT S.A.
ECCS

Although every care has been taken in producing this brochure, Arcelor Sections Commercial cannot accept liability for any errors or for
information which is found to be misleading
nor for resulting damages.

44

66, rue de Luxembourg

L-4221 Esch-sur-Alzette
LUXEMBOURG
Tel. +352-5313 3007
Fax. +352-5313 3095
www.sections.arcelor.com
[email protected]

Arcelor Building & Construction Support (BCS) promotes

the development of constructional solutions using steel.
www.constructalia.com

Your contact :

66, rue de Luxembourg

L-4221 Esch-sur-Alzette
LUXEMBOURG
Tel. + 352-5313 3007
Fax + 352-5313 3095
E-mail: [email protected]
Visit our Web-site :

www.sections.arcelor.com

1-2005

ISO 9001