Methods of composite construction There are three general types of Composite Beam.
There are three general types of Composite Beam. That are relevant to a particular project will affect flooring
What is composite materials?
A composite material (also called a composition material or shortened to composite, which is the common
name) is a material made from two or more constituent materials with significantly
different physical or chemical properties that, when combined, produce a material with characteristics different
from the individual components. The individual components remain separate and distinct within the finished
structure, differentiating composites from mixtures and solid solutions. The new material may be preferred for
many reasons. Common examples include materials which are stronger, lighter, or less expensive when
compared to traditional materials.
Examples of composite materials
Reinforced concrete and masonry
Reinforced concrete (also called reinforced cement concrete or RCC) is a composite material in
which concrete's relatively low tensile strength and ductility are counteracted by the inclusion of reinforcement
having higher tensile strength or ductility. The reinforcement is usually, though not necessarily, steel reinforcing
bars (rebar) and is usually embedded passively in the concrete before the concrete sets.
Fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) (also called fiber-reinforced polymer, or fiber-reinforced plastic) is
a composite material made of a polymer matrix reinforced with fibres. The fibres are
usually glass (in fibreglass), carbon (in carbon fiber reinforced polymer), aramid, or basalt. Rarely, other fibres
such as paper, wood, or asbestos have been used. The polymer is usually an epoxy, vinyl ester,
or polyester thermosetting plastic, though phenol formaldehyde resins are still in use.
Origin of composite material
The concept of combining different materials in building and construction has been around since ancient
history. One of the earliest examples of composite construction is around 3400 B.C., when Mesopotamians
glued wood strips at different angles to create plywood. One of the many ways material technology has changed
is a transition from these natural composites to man-made, synthetic composites. Advances in polymer resins
and glass fibers in the 1930s, along with the development of carbon fiber in the 1960s, laid the groundwork for
today’s materials used in fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composites. Since then, the industry has also
developed expertise in specialized molding processes that allow manufacturers to tailor the unique properties of
composites.
How and why composite construction works?
Concrete is a material that works well in compression but has negligible resistance in tension. Hence for
structural purposes it traditionally relies on steel reinforcement to carry any tensile forces (this is the role played
by the steel part of a composite cross section, which is effectively external reinforcement), or must be pre-
stressed so that even when subject to tension, an element is in net compression.
Type of Composite Beam
system is the most appropriate.
Downstand Beams
Long Span Solution
Shallow Floor Solution
Downstand Beam
The most common type of composite beam is one where a composite slab sits on top of a downstand
beam, connected by the use of through deck welded shear studs
A Beam could be a down-stand beam or an up-stand beam. The normal ones we are used to are down-
stand beams. Its a structural element used to support slabs, or staircase. From the top surface of the slab
measured downwards is a down-stand beam on the other hand, the bottom surface of the slab, measured
upwards is an up-stand beam. Both types perform the same structural function and it depends on the
difference in levels of two members.
Long span structure create unobstructed, column free spaces greater than 30 meter (100 feet) for a variety of
function.
The use of long span beams results in a range of benefits, including flexible, column free internal spaces,
reduced foundation, cost and reduced steel erection times.
Many long span solution are also well adopted to facilitate the integration of services without increasing the
overall floor depth.
The design of long span steel and (steel concrete) composite beam is generally carried out in accordance with
the IS
Shallow floor solutions
Shallow floors offer a range of benefits such as minimizing the overall height of a building for a given number
of floors, or maximizing the number of floors for a given height of building. Additionally, a flat soffit is
achieved - there are none of the interruptions found with downstand beams - which gives complete freedom for
the distribution of services below the floor. These benefits should be considered in the context of a given project
to identify when they are most appropriate.
The shallowness of the floors is achieved by placing the slabs and beams within the same zone. This is achieved
by using asymmetric steel beams with a wider bottom than top flange. The floor slab may be in the form of
a precast concrete slab or a composite slab with metal decking (either shallow or deep decking may be used).
An added benefit is that some forms of shallow floor construction inherently achieve composite interaction
between the beams and slab, thereby enhancing structural efficiency.
A number of shallow floor solutions are available, including Ultra Shallow Floor Beams (USFB) 
USFB with precast hollocore slabs USFB with deep decking
Shallow floor beams are typically asymmetric steel beams with a wider bottom than top flange, which enables Materials Used in Composite Construction
the slab to sit on the upper surface of the bottom flange with adequate bearing, rather than the upper surface of
the top flange as found with downstand beams. The floor slab may be in the form of a precast concrete slab or • Concrete = Compression
a composite slab with metal decking • Steel = Tension
Composite Slab By joining the two materials structurally, the result would be a highly efficient and lightweight design.
A composite slab is a slab made with profiled steel sheeting as permanent shuttering, capable of sustaining the Composite Beams
weight of the wet concrete, the reinforcement steel and the construction imposed loads in the construction
phase. Afterwards, the same sheeting is structurally combined with the concrete to create part of, or even the • The composite interaction is achieved by the attachment of shear connectors to the top flange of the
entire traction frame. beam.

Re-entrant Decking • Increases the load carrying capacity and stiffness of the beam.

Trapezoidal Decking • Generally shallower than non-composite beams.

Advantages of Composite Slab Combination of steel and concrete increases the resistance

Versatility • Downstand Beam - most common type of composite beam; composite slab sits on top of a downstand
beam, connected by the use of through deck welded shear studs.
Resistance/Weight ratio
• Long Span Solutions - longer spans (20 m or more); solid web and rolled downstand beam.
Quick installation
• Shallow Floor Solutions – minimize the overall height of a building for a given number of floors.
Cost reduction
• Composite slabs are typically constructed from reinforced concrete cast on top of profiled steel
Disadvantages decking, (re-entrant or trapezoidal) shallow decking.
Crack • The decking is capable of acting as formwork and a working platform during the construction stage, as
Brittle well as acting as external reinforcement at the composite stage.

Might Cause Overloading • If the slab is unsupported during construction, the decking alone resists the self-weight of the wet
concrete and construction loads.
Benefits
Composite Columns
Reduce dead load
 Concrete infill steel column use the benefit of both material steel as well as concrete. Generally steel
Reduce height of building hollow section of circular or rectangular fill with plain or reinforced concrete. It is mostly used in
high-rise and multi-story buildings as columns, and as beams where a healthy and effective structural
Increase span length system is needed.
 The packages of sheets must be placed on the structure’s main beams. Once there, each sheet is  TYPES OF COMPOSITE COLUMN
installed in accordance with the layout plan and making sure that such factors as overlaps, alignment,
gaps, etc., are correctly observed. The most common option for installing INCO 70.4  1.) CONCRETE FILLED SECTIONS
Colaborante profiles is to attach them directly to the beam ends. The slab is then supported on top.
 a.) Circular concrete fill steel tube (CCFST)
• What is Composite Construction? It refers to two load-carrying structural members that are integrally
connected and deflect as a single unit.  b.) Rectangular concrete fill steel tube (RCFST)
 C.) Square concrete fill steel tube (SCFST)

 2.) TOTALLY OR PARTIALLY ENCASED SECTIONS

 a.) Totally encased concrete fill sections

 b.) Partially encased concrete fill sections

 Concrete Filled Tube

 Fully Encased Column

 Partially Encased Column What is Cable Structure?

ADVANTAGES of Composite Columns -It is a structural system that uses steel cables as the main principle means of support.

 To increase the available usable floor space area for given strength. -It is a structure that is stabilized by tension rather than compression.

 It has great fire and corrosion resistance where in the concrete encased columns. Steel Cable and how it is made

 By using it, has economic advantages over conventionally use structural steel or reinforced • Steel cable are strands of steel that are twisted and glued into interlocking to form a sort of steel rope
concrete. that can handle tension depending on how many are twisted together.

 Constant outer dimensions of the column over a number of floors so, architecture detailing and
construction becomes easy.
 No need to additional reinforcing steel in case composite concrete filled tubular sections provide.
that’s why formwork avoidable for CFST columns. For large constructions, bridges, industrial,
workshops, etc.
CABLE-STAYED BRIDGE
has one or more towers, from which cables support the bridge deck. A distinctive feature are the cables or stays,
which run directly from the tower to the deck, normally forming a fan-like pattern or a series of parallel lines.
SUSPENSION BRIDGE

 Drying shrinkage and creep are much smaller of composite members than ordinary conventional This type of bridge has cables suspended between towers, with vertical suspender cables that transfer the live
reinforced concrete. and dead loads of the deck below, upon which traffic crosses. Like other suspension bridge types, this type often
is constructed without falsework.
Composite Connections
TENSILE STRUCTURE
Fin plate connections
• TENSILE STRUCTURE IS THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF THIN-SHELL STRUCTURE.
In the design of a fin plate connection it is important to identify the appropriate line of action for the shear.
There are two possibilities: either the shear acts at the face of the column or it acts along the centre of the • TENSILE STRUCTURE IS A STRUCTURE ELEMENTS CARRYING ONLY TENSION AND NO
bolt group connecting the fin plate to the beam web. COMPRESSION OR BENDING.

Flexible end plate connections
The end plate, which may be partial depth or full depth, is welded to the supported beam in the workshop.
The beam is then bolted to the supporting beam or column on site.
This type of connection is relatively inexpensive but has the disadvantage that there is little opportunity
for site adjustment. Overall beam lengths need to be fabricated within tight limits, although packs can be
used to compensate for fabrication tolerances and erection tolerances.
• MOST OFTEN USED AS A ROFF, AS THEY ECONOMICALLY AND ATTRACTIVELY SPAN
LARGE DISTANCES.
• MOST TENSILE STRUCTURES ARE SUPPORTED BY SOME FORM OF COMPRESSION OR
BENDING ELEMENTS SUCH AS MASTS, COMPRESSION RINGS OR BEAMS.
TENSILE STRUCTURE MATERIALS
A. STRUCTURAL FABRIC
-IS THE MATERIAL THAT DEFINES LIGHTWEIGHT TENSILE STRUCTURES.
 • READILY AVAILABLE

SAMPLE MATERIALS • EASY TO FABRICATE

• FIBERGLASS TRANSPORT AND ERECT

• POLYESTER CLOTH Types of tensile structures

• PVC The classification of tensile structures are made on the plane in which the tensile forces are acting in the
structure. On this basis, the tensile structure are divided into the following types.
• TEFLON
A. Linear tensile structures
REQUIREMENTS Linear tensile structures are the structure in which all the members are supported by the compression members,
• STRENGTH TO SPAN BETWEEN SUPPORTING ELEMENTS, CARRY SNOW AND WIND but the major loads are carried out by tensile members
LOADS, AND BE SAFE TO WALK ON. Common example of these structure is cable suspended bridges. The main pillars acts a compression members,
• BE ALRIGHT, WATERPROOF, FIRE REISTANT AND DURABLE. but the whole load is carried out by the cables which are in tension.

• TRANSMIT DAYLIGHT, REFLECT HEAT, CONTROL SOUND, AND BE EASY TO KEEP Linear tensile structures are classified into following types
CLEAN. • Suspension bridges
B. RIGID STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS • Draped cables
-SUCH AS MASTS,STRUTS AND ARCHES, ARE TO SUPPORT THE FLEXIBLE FABRIC AND
CABLE MEMBRANE,GENERATE ITS PEAKS, FROM ITS EDGES, AND CREATE THE • Cale-stayed beams or trusses
ANCHORS THAT HOLD IT DOWN
• Cable trusses

SAMPLE MATEERIALS • Straight tension cables

• STEEL B. Three-dimensional tensile structure

• REINFORCED CONCRETE
Three-dimensional tensile structure, is a compilation of elements that are primarily in tension, with the
• PRE-STRESS CONCRETE compression being transferred to a central mast and down into the ground.
• LAMINATED WOOD The most common occurrence of three-dimensional tension can be seen at sports arenas and usually serve as
roofs for these structures.
• ALUMINUM
Three-dimensional tensile structures are further classified into following types
• COMPOSITE SYNTHETIC MATERIALS
• Bicycle wheel (can be used as a roof in a horizontal orientation)
REQUIREMENTS
• 3d cable trusses
THE RIGID ELEMENTS IN TENSILE STRUCTURES MUST BE:
• Tensegrity structures
• STRONG
C. Surface-stressed tensile structures
• LIGHT

• RELIABLE
Surface-stressed tensile structures are same as other 2 tensile structure, but the surface members are tension a portable conical tent made of skins, cloth, or canvas on a frame of poles, used by North American Indians of
bearing members. the Plains and Great Lakes regions.

Fabric tensile structures are the great examples of surface-stressed tensile structures, where the vertical pillars YURT/yərt/_______
hold the special designed fabric which is in tension.
A yurt is a portable, circular tent traditionally covered with skins or felt and was and still is used as a dwelling
Surfaced-stressed tensile structures are further classified into following types by nomadic people in the steppes of Central Asia.
• Fabric structure
Yurts have been used as dwellings in Asia for over 3,000 years.
• Prestressed membranes
A traditional Kazakh yurt in 1860 in the Syr Darya Oblast; note the lack of a compression ring at the top.
• Pneumatically stressed membranes
Cable Net Structures
• gridshell
Frei Otto’s first large-scale project was the sprawling 86,000 square foot German Pavilion for the Montreal
Shapes of tensile structures Expo in 1967.
The four basic shapes used in the tensile structures are the following Tensioned Fabric Structures
A. Conical tension structure Tensile structures are one of the most promising trends in contemporary architecture. Once again, this era
Highly effective for covering large areas, a conical tension structure is easily identified by its tent-like started in Germany in the 1950’s, when Frei Otto began building cotton fabric canopies using tent technology.
shape. Conical designs can feature either single or multiple masts.
CABLE STAYED BRIDGE
B. Hypar or anticlastic structure
As one of the most common of all tensioned membrane structures due to its aesthetically pleasing  A typical cable stayed bridge is a deck with one or two pylons erected above the piers in the middle of
look,hypar (hyperbolic paraboloid) shapes are notable for their excellence with shape retension and the span. The cables are attached diagonally to the girder to provide additional supports.
water runoff.
Structural components
C. Parallel arch or barrel vault structure
 The three main components of a cable-stayed bridge are the bridge deck/girder, the stay cables and the
These symmetical curved parallel arch designs from an incredibly functional tensioned membrane
pylons. Each of the three fundamental load-bearing elements contributes in their own way to the
canopy that can span long distances such as a sports arena or smaller areas such as an entryway.
structural behaviour of the whole.
D. Cable net and membrane structure
For long-span tensile membrane roofing applications typically found in stadiums or large spaces, 3d
cable net or cable grid structures are an effective solution for lightweight tensile architecture.

History of Tensile Structures

Tent, Tepee, Yurt

Tensile Architecture in earlier ages.

TENT/tɛnt/_______

A tent is any supported structure covered by flexible material. FOUR MAJOR CLASSES OF CABLE-STAYED BRIDGE
“The first evidence of tent construction can be carbon dated to around 40,000 B.C.”
MONO DESIGN
TEPEE/ˈtē-pē/______
 The mono design uses a single cable from its towers and is one of the lesser-used examples of the class
 FOUR ARRANGEMENT OF SUPPORT COLUMN

The single arrangement

double arrangement

Portal arrangement

HARP OR PARALLEL DESIGN A-Shaped design

 the cables are nearly parallel so that the height of their attachment to the tower is proportional to the ADVANTEGES & DISADVANTEGES OF TENSILE STRUCTURE
distance from the tower to their mounting on the deck.
AND CABLE TRUCTURE

ADVATEGES OF TENSILE STRUCTURE

. Shelter of environment (sun, rain, wind)

2. Translucency in general, possibilities

to design effect

3. Light weight & durability

FAN DESIGN
4. Endless form possibilities, catching character
 the cables all connect to or pass over the top of the towers. The fan design is structurally superior with
a minimum moment applied to the towers 5. Short building time

6. Large spans

7. Recyclability and Eco friendliness

8. Adaptability to exciting building technology

9. Simplicity of maintenance & Easy repair or

replacement
STAR DESIGN DISADVANTEGES OF TENSILE STRUCTURE
 the cables are spaced apart on the tower like the harp design, but connect to one point or a number of 1. Little to rigidity
closely spaced points on the deck.
2. Loss of tension is dangerous

for stability

3. Thermal values limit use

ADVANTEGES OF CABLE STRUCTURE

1. Extremely light weight

 2. Large span (size)

3. An open and unobstructed interior

4. Minimum amount of structure

DISADVANTEGES OF CABLE STRUCTURE

1. Poor performance (Thermal & Acoustic)

2. Exterior moisture and de humidifier and

address condensation.

3. Difficult making meaningful connections.

4. Easy to damaged.

Difficulty of maintenance.