44944 - Steel, Wood and Innovative Material Construction

Learning outcomes

The objective of the course is the completion of the formative path begun in the II year with "Tecnica delle Costruzioni". In particular, the course aims at providing the student with the abilities necessary for the conception and the design of structural systems suitable for civil buildings. The knowledge and the abilities to be achieved by the student mainly concern: the conceptual approach to structural design and the design of steel and wood building structures, with specific reference to the constructive details and to the contents of the current techincal codes.

Course contents

Introduction
Course contents & objectives.

 

Basic aspects
The design process and the role of the structural engineer.
The verification methodologies: the allowable stress method and the limit state method.
The framework of the current technical codes (Italian codes and Eurocodes).
Properties of construction materials (concrete, steel, wood, aluminium, …).

 

The “steel” material and the commercial frame sections
Fe-C alloys. Steel working. The working process. Chemical composition and state diagram of steel. Thermal treatments. Mechanical characterisation tests. The products for the steel structures and the classification of the commercial frame sections. Mechanical and geometric imperfections.

 

Steel structures: general properties
Properties of steel structures and fundamental design issues.
Advantages and disadvantages of steel structures with respect to r.c. structures.

 

The conceptual approach to structural design and the analysis methods
The system of vertical-resisting elements (systems of beams and columns).
The system of lateral-resisting elements (bracing systems, pendular systems and moment-resisting frames).
The frame structural system (functioning, representation methods and analysis methods).
The traditional methods for the analysis of frame structures.
The finite-element analysis method (automatic methods).

 

Steel structures: the verifications of the individual structural members
The verifications: deformability, strength and buckling.
The deformability verifications: code limitations, elementary schemes, and importance for the dimensioning of the structural members.
The strength verifications: resistance criteria (Tresca and Von Mises), diffusive zones and Bernoulli zones, tension, compression, bending moment, shear, torsion, bending and axial force.
The buckling verifications: the ideal (Euler) bar, the real bar, the “omega” method, the lateral and lateral-torsional buckling of structural components, the buckling of web panels, the composite elements.

 

Steel structures: the connections
General properties.
Bolted conncetions.
Welded connections.
Typical beam-beam joints.
Typical column-beam joints (fixed joints, semi-rigid joints, hinge joints).
Typical column-foundation joints (base anchor plate, set screws, stiffening ribs).

 

Steel structures: structural typologies
One-storey industrial buildings: corrugated sheet, purlins, truss, columns, horizontal and vertical bracing systems, base anchor plate.
Multi-storey buildings: steel floors, primary and secondary beams, columns.

 

Foundation systems
Shallow and deep foundation systems.
Plinth.
Upside down girder.
Foundation bed.
Pile foundation.

 

Wood structures
Properties of wood structures and fundamental design issues.
Creep and evaluation of the maximum deflection.
Fire resistance.

 

Notes on the design criteria for innovative material constructions
The “aluminium” material.
Properties of aluminium structures and fundamental design issues.
Application fields.
Connections made with spherical joints.
Spatial truss structures.
Applicative examples.

 

Exercises and project work:
Class-works.
Individual project work to be developed with reference to a one-storey industrial steel building structure: design and technical drawings of the system of the vertical-resisting elements, design and technical drawings of the system of the lateral-resisting elements, design and technical drawings of the connections; design and technical drawings of the foundation system.

Readings/Bibliography

- P. Pozzati, C. Ceccoli, “Teoria e tecnica delle strutture”, UTET
- E. Giangreco, “Ingegneria delle strutture”, UTET
- E. Torroja, “La concezione strutturale”, UTET
- G. Ballio, F.M. Mazzolani, “Strutture in acciaio”, Hoepli.
- G. Ballio, C. Bernuzzi, 2004, “Progettare costruzioni in acciaio”, Hoepli.
- N. Scibilia, 2005, “Progetto di strutture in acciaio”, 4° ed., Dario Flaccovio Editore.
- V. Nunziata, 2000, “Teoria e pratica delle strutture in acciaio”, 2° ed., Dario Flaccovio Editore.
- F. Hart, W. Henn, H. Sontag, 1982, “Architettura Acciaio Edifici Civili”, 2° ed., FINSIDER Gruppo IRI (edizione FINSIDER in lingua italiana del volume “Stahlbauatlas-Geschossbauten”, 2° ed., pubblicato dall'Institut für Internationale Architektur-Dokumentation di Monaco).
- R. Lancellotta, J. Calavera, 1999, “Fondazioni”, McGraw-Hill.
- C. Viggiani, 1999, “Fondazioni”, Hevelius Edizioni.
- M. Piazza, R. Tomasi, R. Modena, 2005, “Strutture in legno”, Hoepli.
- G. Giordano, 1999, "Tecnica delle costruzioni in legno", Hoepli.

From the technic-scientific book series for the design of steel structures by ITALSIDER:
- L.F. Donato, L. Sanpaolesi, 1970, “Gli acciai e la sicurezza delle costruzioni”, Volume I.
- L. Finzi, E. Nova, 1971, “Elementi strutturali”, Volume IV.
- D. Danieli, F. De Miranda, 1971, “Strutture in acciaio per l'edilizia civile e industriale”, Volume VI.

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons mainly at the blackboard (occasional use of Power-Point slides).
Individual practical design project work.

Assessment methods

Verification of the individual project work.
Final oral test.

Teaching tools

Possible lecture-notes supplied by the teacher.
Power-Point presentations.
Technical software for the structural analysis.

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Silvestri