Earthquake-Resistant Composite Steel/Concrete Structures

The mutually beneficial effects of combining steel and concrete in the same structural member and system are commonly utilised to advantage in design under primary (static) loads. For earthquake loading, different problems have to be addressed, as greater damping may be offset by increased mass and stiffness, leading to higher seismic loads. However, since composite construction is used extensively, especially for highrise construction, the seismic performance of this form of construction requires investigation and the development of specific design guidance. Over the past 9 years, extensive analytical and experimental studies have been undertaken at Imperial College, in collaboration with the University of Tokyo, Institute of Industrial Science. These studies confirmed that, with minimum design and detailing alterations, composite structures offer a most economical and reliable design alternative to steel and reinforced concrete structures.

Professor A.S. Elnashai, B.M. Broderick and Professor P.J. Dowling