Durability of Composite Concrete Steel Bonded Structures

Abstract

The use of composite materials is based on taking advantage of the specific mechanical behaviour of each material. The use of steel and concrete composite structures is constantly growing and is proving to be efficient both in the construction of new buildings and in rehabilitation. The pursuit for sustainable development in construction is directly related to a reduction in the use of natural resources, together with a reduction of waste and an optimized use of the structural solutions. For this purpose, this work aims to develop construction solutions that facilitate the rehabilitation of existing constructions and construction systems with high performance in terms of life cycle. This study focuses on sustainability as a possible result of a better understanding of the phenomena associated with the durability of materials and components of the composite steel and concrete construction system and the search for more durable and optimized solutions. In this work, it is intended to extend the knowledge on steel and concrete composite systems that combine galvanized cold-formed steel profiles with concrete, using structural adhesives as the connection between these components. In this context, it is intended to highlight the degradation processes and their influence on the global behaviour of the analysed composite solution. Tests were carried out on structural elements in cold-formed galvanized steel glued to concrete elements, with the aim of evaluating the durability of these structures when exposed to unfavourable environmental conditions. The obtained results show that, although in some cases the degradation partially affects the resistance capacity of the elements, in other cases, this type of constructive system can be used maintaining the expected load capacity.