Review and outlook about the use of high strength steel in encased composite columns

The trends of the modern construction are recognized for many years; go large span, go light structures, go sustainable, and keep it simple. In the holistic approach to construction a column remains one of the key structural elements.

This article presents benefits of the application of high strength steel; namely the potential of using S500 and S550 for encased composite columns. The study shows the increase of the buckling capacity and reduction of weight and consequently reduction of the carbon footprint especially when applying XCarb^® steel. The results are presented for a single member as well as for an internal column of a 156m high office building.

It is assumed in the analyses that the simplified design method for composite columns defined in EN1994‐1‐1:2004 is applicable to higher steel grades and higher concrete compression classes. Different typologies of the encased steel cross sections are considered: simple H section in rectangular encasement, and cruciform section.