Mega Composite Columns

in Highrise Building

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 High Strength Steel Columns in Buildings
Based on typical storey height of 3.5m

terial Weight Material Weight
150% 156%
100% 100%

70% 70%

S235S355 S4 S23 S3 S4
SteelSteel 60
Normal size column 5 55 60
Heavy size column

St Ste Ste Ste

eel el el el
1

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 Change of Code from BS5950 to Eurocode 3
Benefitting the use of S460 steel Section
Design Code
2.Existing
Advantages
BS5950:Part1of High-strength H-column,
BS5950-1:2000
HISTAR
SSEN1993 460
1-1:2005
1) Differences in compression resistance using BScode and Eurocode
S275/S355/S4 S275/S355 S460M up to
Steel Grade S275 / S355 / S460 Design Code EN1993-1-1:2005
Type thickn Buckling curves
Imperfection factors for buckling Steel Grade S275 / S355 S460
of ess
[mm] yy
x-x zz
y-y
Type thickn
Buckling curves
Imperfection factors for buckling
Section

60
of
yy zz yyy-y zzz-z
S700
ess

Section
[mm] y-y z-z
10

(a) (b) 10

40 (a) (b) (a 0 ) (a 0 )
50
40

Rolled 50
Rolled
I-section
Section (b) (c) (a) (a)
(UB)
100 (b) (c) h/b > 1.2
(UB) 1 00

150

10
1 50
1 curve higher
10
(b) (c) 2 curve higher
40
50 40
50 (b) (c) (a) (a)
Rolled Rolled
H-section Section
(UC) h/b ≤ 1.2
100 (c) (d)
(UC) 1 00
1 curve higher
(d) (d) (c) (c)
150
1 50
10
10

(b) (c)
40
40
(b) (c)
same (b) (c)
50
Welded 50

I-section
Welded
I-section
Welded
100 (b) (d) 1 00 (c) (d) (c) (d)
H-section

150 1 50

EC3 design leads to even smaller S460 section compared to

S460 section can be smaller sizes due to
BS5950 due to higher design strength and higher buckling
higher design strength than S355 section.
2 curve with higher buckling reduction factors.

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 BC1: 2012 Design Guide on Use of Alternative Structural
Steel to BS 5950 and Eurocode 3

Thinner plate
Higher design strength

S460 steel has less advantage if t > 100mm because of strength reduction due to 
increase of plate thickness
3

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 Comparison between S355 and S460 Steel Columns
UC sections – Axial capacity
‐ Normal Section Thickness < 40mm
18,000 Buckling resistance about minor axis
399
128%

Axial buckling resistance (kN)
16,000
14,000 138%
12,000
22.6
S460
393.6

10,000 100%
8,000 100%
36.5 6,000 S355
4,000
2,000
0
UC 356X406X287 0 5 10 15 20
Column buckling length (m)
For S355: 45% 41.2%
40%
 Buckling curve = “c”
Increase of resistance (%)
35%
30% 38.4%
 fy=345MPa 25%
20%
15%
For S460: 10%
5%
 Buckling curve = “a” 0%
0 5 10 15 20
 fy=440MPa Column buckling length (m)

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 Comparison between S355 and S460 Steel Columns
UC sections – Axial capacity
‐ Heavy Section thickness > 100mm
454
60,000 Buckling resistance about minor axis
128%
50,000 130%

Axial buckling resistance (kN)
40,000
78
569

100% S460
30,000

S355
20,000
125

10,000

0
UC 356X406X1086
0 5 10 15 20 25
Column buckling length (m)
For S355: 35%
30.3%
 Buckling curve = “c” 30%
Increase of resistance (%)

 fy=295MPa 25% 28%

20%

15%
For S460:
10%
 Buckling curve = “b” 5%

 fy=380MPa 0%
0 5 10 15 20 25
Column buckling length (m) 5

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Concrete Encased H-Sections– Moment + Compression Interaction Curves
Concrete encased sections– M-N Curves
Z
25,000
Z‐Z
15%
20,000
S460 SHS

Axial force (kN)
15,000

Y S355 SHS
10,000

5,000

Concrete Encased H-Sections 0

0 500 1000 1500
Moment (kN.m)

• Cross section resistance increases with increasing steel grade, due to

higher steel strength.
• For pure compression, the increase is about 15%.
• Not too effective if moment dominates

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 Cross section resistance of concrete filled tube
– Moment + Compression Interaction Curves
30,000
22%
SHS 500X500X25 25,000
C40/50 Concrete

Axial force (kN)
20,000 S460 SHS

15,000
S355 SHS
500

10,000 27%
5,000
500
0
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000
concrete filled tube
Moment (kN.m)

• Increase in axial compression and bending resistances >22%

• CFTs are more economical to resist high axial force and moments.
• No re-bars work
7

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ComparisonConcrete
based on filled
same steel tubular
buckling columns
resistance with–column
Comparison
height 4.2m

SHS 500X500X25
C40 Concrete
C40/50 Concrete S355 Steel Plate 25mm
S355

 Reduction of tube thickness: 50%

500
25  12.5
t   100%  50%
25
500
 Reduction of butt weld: 25%

 25  12.5 
2

w     100%  25%
 25 
SHS 500X500X12.5
C90 Concrete
C90/105 Concrete S460 Steel Plate 12.5mm
S460
500

500 8

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Reduction of Welding on Steel Tubes

Use of CFT with high strength steel

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 Splices on each floor

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Splices located in one plan

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Appropriate welding procedures?

Requirements

Preheating
Wind protection
Sequence of welding
Inspection

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Appropriate welding procedures

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Removing the slag after each pass

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Grinding the weld

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UT Testing of all CJP welds

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Page 19 of 32
 3200 mm
Mega columns
6.5 x 3.2 m2

Composite design with

built-up caissons
Designed with
local plates
65 and 50 mm
6525 mm

65 mm (need preheating to 110°C

according to AWS D1.1)
50 mm

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 3200 mm
Mega columns
6.5 x 3.2 m2

Replace Built-up Sections

by
Jumbos sections
To be tied at the floor levels
Up to 140 mm thick
(A913 or S460M/HISTAR460 :
6525 mm

no preheating
65 mm according to AWS D1.1)
50 mm

+ adequate stirrups,
longitudinal rebars, studs

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 3200 mm
Mega columns
6.5 x 3.2 m2

Composite design with

Welding of splices
Jumbos sections
are well
untied between the floors
documented

Procedures are
6525 mm

simple
65 mm
50 mm
Checking is easy

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Mega columns
6.5 x 3.2 m2

Composite design with

Jumbos sections
tied at floor levels
6525 mm

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Mega columns
6.5 x 3.2 m2

Composite design with

Jumbos sections
tied at floor levels
6525 mm

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Lifting of H sections – 2 to 3 floors at once => 
less splices

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Welding preparation 

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Splicing of Jumbos

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Method can be downloaded on http://www.arcelormittal.com/sections

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