Steel reinforced concrete: a high-tech way to build critical

Structures from systems with the name of composite steel concrete are a special category where the ratios of steel and concrete components are successfully balanced. This class of material is a combination of monolithic reinforced concrete or slabs, steel elements and connecting stops or anchors.

Today, steel concrete structures are actively used in construction around the world. Abroad, they are designated as “composite construction” in English-speaking countries, or “verbundbau” in the states with the German language.

This material gives buildings exceptional power and high technical performance.

Types of construction

1. Rolled, welded or bent steel profiles. They are located outside the reinforced concrete base. These are beams of bridges and ceilings, steel-concrete spans.

1. With the use of metal profiles as a rigid base. In this case, the reinforcement is located inside the concrete. Used for the manufacture of supports, beams, columns.
2. Sheet profiles or rolled steel, placed around the perimeter, edges, or around the section. To this type include pipe products.
3. Permanent steel formwork that simultaneously carries the load on the reinforcement. Fixed construction is optimal as floors and tanks.

The main properties of the material

The combination of materials and materials tested by time and experience, their correct combination and observed technologies give the expected effect. For the construction of grand buildings, enterprises, bridges, public buildings steel-reinforced concrete is not replaceable.

Characteristics and purpose

1. Abroad, the considered structures are actively used in the construction of floors in industrial and public places. That is, where there are constant tangible loads and mechanical stress.

Note! The probability of shifts in places of contact of elements is minimized. Components, due to good adhesion, force of friction of elements, remain motionless. Here, the presence of both flexible and rigid stops or anchors, linking the components together, is justified.

1. High-quality work of parts on a bend is provided by hard stops. In this case, the compression deformation will evenly spread over the entire area.
2. Anchors will provide a smooth and even distribution of stretch. If the instruction is followed, and highly qualified specialists participated in the design of the building, the object will last for a century.
3. The type with steel profiled sheets is equally in demand. Due to the friction and adhesion of concrete with the sheet, both a strong connection and minimization of shear forces are ensured.

Note! Construction companies often have patented methods of combining elements. The rights to the technology belong in this case to the manufacturer of the structures. The organization also assumes responsibility for the calculation of the steel-concrete superstructure, respectively, bearing responsibility for the project.

The advantages of combining concrete and steel

1. It is worth noting a smaller, in comparison with reinforced concrete systems, the mass of structures.
2. Steel consumption will be less in structures combined with reinforced concrete. Fully steel systems are distinguished by high prices as well as costs for the source material.
3. The combination of reinforced concrete with steel gives the highest rigidity indicator.
4. Full compliance with modern requirements and standards of building technology.
5. Extreme simplicity of nodal connections developed by specialists, which greatly simplifies the installation process.
6. Due to the inclusion of reinforced concrete in the construction with the presence of steel components, the consumption of the latter is reduced by 15%.

System flaws

1. Due to external influences (temperature difference, high humidity, soil deformation), specific changes to the finished buildings occur.
2. The need to install bonding supplements increases the construction time.
3. Rather complex calculations of stiffness and strength, requiring a qualified approach and increased costs.
4. The need to take into account all the points of operation of the system itself, and related factors (mobility of concrete, shear, compressive and tensile loads, friction forces, etc.).

Staging work

When calculating the technology of large-scale structures (steel-concrete bridges, workshops, hypermarkets, ports, sports complexes), the specialist must take into account all stages of work. 

1. Assembly stage. Prior to the monolithing of concrete, all the loads, including from its mass, are assumed by the steel frame. It is clear that the calculations should take into account the safety factor of the metal components.
2. Operational stage. When the concrete has reached the degree of a given strength, the structure already combined with it carries the total own weight plus the load from the floors, walls, floors and the like.

Note! Compression loads in the described systems are perceived mainly by concrete parts, and tensile loads - by steel. Due to the combination of two types of building materials, the necessary margin of safety is created.

Features of the calculations

It is worth noting two types of work on the development and calculations - at the household level, and on an industrial scale.

1. A private trader, leading the construction of their own hands, takes all the responsibility for the reliability of the building. In most cases, the ratio of steel and concrete parts, their thickness, weight and characteristics are selected intuitively.
2. The process of construction in large volumes involves a clear and well-coordinated work of a whole team of professionals. In this case, we cannot do without specialized firms.

Conclusion

Innovative technologies, areas where there are steel-reinforced concrete, have become a real breakthrough in modern construction. That is why today the construction of mega facilities has passed from the category of fiction to reality.

The enclosed video in this article offers to explore even more useful details.