COMPARATIVE STUDY

OF REINFORCED
CONCRETE
STRUCTURES AND STEEL
CONCRETE COMPOSITE
STRUCTURES

20-Jun-16

Assignment: Advanced Theory of Concrete

Structures
Angela Tamrakar(
Student Number: 1593649

Table of Contents
Comparative Study of Reinforced Concrete Structures and Steel Concrete Composite Structures ............ 2
1.

Abstract ............................................................................................................................................. 2

2.

Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 2

3.

4.

5.

2.1

Reinforced concrete (RC) structures ......................................................................................... 2

2.2

Steel concrete composite structures ........................................................................................ 2

Description of structural components .............................................................................................. 3

3.1

Reinforced concrete structures ................................................................................................ 3

3.2

Steel Concrete Composite Structures ....................................................................................... 5

Load Transfer Mechanism................................................................................................................. 7

4.1

Reinforced Concrete Structures ................................................................................................ 7

4.2

Steel Concrete Composite Structures ..................................................................................... 10

Comparison of RC structures and composite structures based on literature review .................... 11

5.1

Main objective of study .......................................................................................................... 11

5.2 Methodology ................................................................................................................................. 12

5.3

Weight of the building ............................................................................................................ 14

5.4

time period.............................................................................................................................. 15

5.5

axial forces in corner column .................................................................................................. 15

5.6

size of columns ........................................................................................................................ 16

5.7

Deflection of column............................................................................................................... 16

5.8

Maximum shear force in Beams ............................................................................................. 17

5.9

Cost ......................................................................................................................................... 17

Conclusion and Discussion .............................................................................................................. 19

References ...................................................................................................................................... 19

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Comparative Study of Reinforced Concrete Structures and Steel Concrete

Composite Structures
1. Abstract
Reinforced concrete has been used as a construction material for the past several years. In recent years,
the used of steel and concrete section together as a composite material is gaining popularity. In general,
a composite construction consists of a steel profiled deck filled with concrete, a steel beam that is
attached to the slab by shear connectors. The column may be steel encased concrete columns, hollow
concrete filled steel tubes. This report provides a general introduction to reinforced concrete structures,
composite structures, their load transfer mechanism and also presents a comparison of structures
designed using both the technology based on literature review.

2. Introduction
2.1 Reinforced concrete (RC) structures
Reinforced concrete is a composite material made of concrete in which reinforcement bars (usually steel)
are embedded in. Reinforcing schemes are generally designed to resist tensile stresses in particular
regions of the concrete that might cause unacceptable cracking and/or structural failure. The embedded
steel rebars resist the tension without being separated from the concrete. Moreover, the rebars also
impart ductility to the material which is otherwise brittle. This means that a properly reinforced beam was
to fail, then such a failure would be proceeded by large deflections caused by the yielding of steel, thereby
giving ample warning of the impending collapse.
Modern reinforced concrete can contain varied reinforcing materials made of steel, polymers or alternate
composite material in conjunction with rebar or without the rebars.

2.2 Steel concrete composite structures

Composite structures are formed when two materials (steel and concrete) are bonded together so that
they act as a single element from a structural point of view. Composite construction combines dynamic
properties of steel and concrete at its maximum extent to provide appreciably a greater strength and
stability for the framed structures. Concrete is good in resisting compressive force while steel can resist
tension. Also, both of these material have similar thermal expansion and thus are compatible with each
other. Generally, the steel used is hot rolled steel sections or welded plate sections. The steel and concrete
are connected by shear connectors.
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3. Description of structural components

3.1 Reinforced concrete structures
The general RC structure consists of RC beam, column and slab. Apart from them, some structures also
have shear wall to resist the lateral loads.

.
3.1.1

Beam

A beam is a structural element that is capable of withstanding load primarily by resisting against
bending. The bending force induced into the material of the beam as a result of the external loads
and own weight. When a RC beam is loaded such that it develops sagging moment, tension develops
on the bottom and compression on the top, thus steel rebars are provided on the bottom to resist
tensile forces. Similarly, if hogging moment would be developed, rebars are placed on the top.

Figure 1:3d view of a beam with reinforcements

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Figure 2: different type of beam sections

3.1.2

Column
Column is a structural element that transmits, through compression, the weight of the
structure above to other structural elements below. In other words, a column is a
compression member.it is also designed to resist lateral loads like earthquake and wind loads.

Figure 3:column

3.1.3

Slab
It is a structural element of RC structure that forms the floor or ceiling. A slab may be wall
supported, beam supported or flat slabs which rest directly on the columns.

Figure 4:Beam supported slab

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3.2 Steel Concrete Composite Structures

The steel concrete composite structures might have a composite slab, a composite beam, a composite
column and a composite shear wall.
3.2.1

Composite beam

A steel concrete composite beam consists of a steel beam, over which a reinforced concrete slab is
cast with shear connectors. Under the influence of loading both these elements tend to behave in
an independent way and there is a relative slippage between them. If there is a proper connection
such that there is no relative slip between them, then an I-section steel beam with a concrete slab
will behave like a monolithic beam.

Figure 5:Different types of composite beam sections

3.2.2

Composite column

There are basically two types of composite columns, steel encased composite columns and concrete
filled steel tubes.
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In the steel encased columns, the steel section is enclosed in concrete. Shear connectors may be
need to ensure the transfer of forces between steel and concrete.
The concrete filled steel composite columns have a hollow steel section, in which concrete is poured.
The steel section also acts as a formwork for concrete casting. Additionally, it also provides
confinement to the concrete increasing the ductility and strength of concrete.

Figure 6:different sections of composite columns

3.2.3

Composite slab

A composite slab consists of a profile decking, reinforcement bars and concrete. Once the concrete
hardens, all the components behave as one, thus resulting in the composite action. Shear
connectors are provided to ensure transfer of forces between the components. The deck may also
be provided with embossments on its surface so that the longitudinal shear is transferred to
concrete through the interface. The profiled steel deck also acts as a formwork for the concrete to
be cast.

Figure 7:composite slab resting on beams

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4. Load Transfer Mechanism

4.1 Reinforced Concrete Structures
The bond between the reinforcing steel and concrete is responsible for the transfer of forces from the
rebars to the surrounding concrete. thereby providing strain compatibility and composite action of steel
and the rebars. If the bond is inadequate, slipping of the rebars might occur which destroys the composite
action. the bond in reinforced concrete may be achieved through:
1. Chemical adhesion due to a gum-like property in the products of hydration (formed during the
making of concrete).
2. Frictional resistance due to the surface roughness of the reinforcement and the grip exerted by the
concrete shrinkage.
3. Mechanical interlock due to the surface protrusions or ribs (oriented transversely to the bar axis)
provided in deformed bars.
Bond resistance is achieved by the development of tangential (shear) stress components along the
interface (contact surface) between the reinforcing bar and the surrounding concrete. The stress so
developed at the interface is called bond stress, and is expressed in terms of the tangential force per unit
nominal surface area of the reinforcing bar.
There are two types of bond stress:
4.1.1

flexural bond

Variation in tension along the length of a reinforcing bar, owing to varying bending moment, is made
possible through flexural bond. The flexural stresses at two adjacent sections of a beam, dx apart,
subjected to a differential moment dM, is depicted. With the usual assumptions made in flexural design,
the differential tension dT in the tension steel over the length dx is given by

Where, z is the lever arm

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This unbalanced bar force is transferred to the surrounding concrete by means of flexural bond
developed along the interface. Assuming the flexural (local) bond stress uf to be uniformly distributed
over the interface in the elemental length dx, equilibrium of forces gives:

o = total perimeter of the bars in the beam

it is evident that the bond stress is directly proportional to the change in the bar force. From the above
two equations, we get,

It follows that flexural bond stress is high at locations of high shear, and that this bond stress can be
effectively reduced by providing an increased number of bars of smaller diameter bars.
4.1.2

Anchorage or development bond

Anchorage bond or development bond is the bond developed near the extreme end (or cut-off point)
of a bar subjected to tension (or compression). This situation is depicted in the cantilever beam shown
below, where it is seen that the tensile stress in the bar segment varies from a maximum (fc) at the
continuous end D to practically zero at the discontinuous end C.

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The bending moment, and hence the tensile stress fs, are maximum at the section at D. Evidently, if a
stress fs is to be developed in the bar at D, the bar should not be terminated at D, but has to be extended
(anchored) into the column by a certain length CD. At the discontinuous end C of the bar, the stress is
zero. The difference in force between C and D is transferred to the surrounding concrete through
anchorage bond.
The concept underlying development length is that a certain minimum length of the bar is required on
either side of a point of maximum steel stress, to prevent the bar from pulling out under tension (or
pushing in, under compression). However, when the required bar embedment cannot be conveniently
provided due to practical difficulties, bends, hooks and mechanical anchorages can be used to supplement
with an equivalent embedment length.
4.1.3

Bond failure mechanism

The mechanisms that initiate bond failure may be any one or combination of the following:
break-up of adhesion between the bar and the concrete;
longitudinal splitting of the concrete around the bar; this is the most common type of failure
crushing of the concrete in front of the bar ribs (in deformed bars); and
shearing of the concrete keyed between the ribs along a cylindrical surface surrounding the ribs (in
deformed bars).
A simply supported beam can act as a two-hinged arch, and so carry substantial loads, even if the bond is
destroyed over the length of the bar, provided the tension bars are suitably anchored at their ends

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4.2 Steel Concrete Composite Structures

Shear connection are the most important elements to achieve the composite action between steel and
concrete. Shear connectors is frequently used for the purpose of shear connection. Shear connections are
necessary to prevent the sliding between the two components and thus ensure that the stress at the
interface are the same. The mutual transfer of forces between the steel and concrete components is the
key mechanism, which makes composite action possible. This mechanism generally involves a complex
combination of forces (or stresses) acting at the steel concrete interface. In design, the main attention is
focused on the forces (or stresses) parallel to interface, i.e., on the longitudinal shear forces (and stresses).
The components of the interface forces perpendicular to the interface, which may play a signicant role
in the transfer mechanism, are principally considered through the selection of suitable detailing. All
connectors are capable of resisting longitudinal shear force. It is the shear resistance of the connectors
that control the resistance of the beam. The shear force is the greatest at the level of the weld between
the steel and connection. Thus, this area and the shear strength of the connector must be enough to
generate the forces.

Figure 8: Various types of shear connectors

There may be different types of shear connectors used like headed stud, channel connector, bend
connectors, bar connector, tee connector etc., which are shown above.
The most widely used type of shear connector is the headed stud. Only the stud connectors were so
extensively investigated that a sufcient body of information has been built up to enable a truly statistical
determination of the nominal, characteristic, and design values of the resistance. The knowledge of the
load-slip response of other types of connector is far more limited.
The advantages of studs connectors are that the welding process is rapid, they provide little obstruction
to reinforcement in the concrete slab, and are equally strong and stiff in shear in all directions normal to
the axis of the stud.

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There are two factors that influence the diameter of the studs.

Welding process

Thickness of the flange or plate to which the stud is welded.

Apart from the shear connectors, various other mechanisms of shear transfer are given below:

Adhesion and chemical bond: Shear transfer via adhesion and bond has the non-negligible
advantage of being associated with no steel-concrete slip. However, tests show a rather low
maximum shear resistance, which decreases rapidly and, remarkably, in the post-ultimate range
of response. Moreover, this form of shear strength is highly dependent on factors, such as the
quality of the steel surface and the concrete shrinkage, the control and quantication of which is
difcult, if at all possible. Therefore, low values have to be assumed in design for the bond
strength.

Interface friction: Friction is often associated to bond in resisting shear. In exural members, the
tendency of steel and concrete elements to separate usually makes frictional action rapidly
deteriorate. A suitable geometry of the composite element with dove-tailed proled sheeting,
prevents separation and allows frictional interlock to develop throughout the response.

Mechanical interlock: It obtained by embossing the metal decking so that slip at the interface is
resisted by bearing between the steel ribs and the concrete indentations. The effectiveness of
the embossments depends on their geometrical dimensions (mainly the height and depth) and
shape.
Enhancement of the shear transfer capacity in composite slabs is achieved if frictional and
mechanical interlock are combined.

5. Comparison of RC structures and composite structures based on literature review

Many journal papers have been written to compare the design of composite and reinforced concrete
structures.

5.1 Main objective of study

Many papers have made comparison on the steel concrete composite structures with RC structures or
steel structures or both. the composite construction combines the properties of both steel structures and
concrete structures giving rise to a much stronger structure. The main objective of the studies made are
to compare parameters like story drift, story displacement, seismic response, change in the time period
of vibration, total cost of materials, weight of materials etc.
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5.2 Methodology
Most of the paper based their study on the analysis and design by software like SAP2000, ETABS, STAAD
Pro. Using these software, the building was modeled and analyzed. The paper by Charantimath et al.
compares the RC buildings and composite building of different story height using design software ETABS.
six models were designed, three RC building with varying height and three composite structure with
varying height were considered. Another journal paper by Wagh A.S et al also performed the comparative
study of design the composite and RC structures. Paper by Koppad. S et al also analyzed the difference
between the cost and analysis results of the two type of structures. The data for analysis of RC structure
and composite structure in the papers is presented here.
5.2.1 data for analysis

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5.2.2 sizing of the sections

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5.2.3 Loading

5.2.4 Modelling

5.3 Weight of the building

The composite structure weighed lesser than the RC structure as the overall depth of the section is
reduced in composite section. This helps reduce the foundation cost. The reduction in the total
weight of the Composite framed structure for 10 storey, 20 storey and 30 storey are 22.64%, 24.19%
and 28.95% with respect to R.C.C. frame Structure. As the dead weight of a composite structure is
less compared to an R.C.C. structure, it is subjected to less amount of forces induced due to the
earthquake.

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5.4

time period

Natural period in X direction for 10 storey, 20 storey composite buildings are lower than that of RCC
buildings by 11.43%, 4.04% and for 30 storey 14.10% higher than RCC in X direction. similarly, 12.31%,
3.01% lower than RCC and for 30 storey 10.86% higher than RCC in Y direction respectively.

5.5 axial forces in corner column

Axial forces in column have been reduced by average 24.55%, 27.28% and 40.61% in composite
framed structure as compared to R.C.C. framed structure.

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5.6 size of columns

As the sizes of the column members from R.C.C option to the composite option reduces about
43.75%, 55.55% and 43.75% for 10 storey, 20 storey and 30 storey.

5.7 Deflection of column

The deflection of structure was higher as compared to that of composite structure as compared to RC
structure.

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5.8 Maximum shear force in Beams

The graph above shows the maximum shear forces that a beam has in both the structures.

5.9 Cost

Figure 9:comparison chart( cost in indian rupees)

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Percentage increase
in the cost of RC structure
16

14.77

14

Percentage

12
10.44

10
8
6

5.23

4
2
0

0.112
12

16

20

24

Height of building
Percentage increase
in the cost of RC structure

Therefore, it can be seen that when the height of the structure increases it becomes more economic to
choose composite structures.

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6 Conclusion and Discussion

i.

Weight of the building is reduced by using composite structure

ii.

Time period is lower in composite structures as compared to that of RC structure.

iii.

The axial force in the columns is also low for composite structure.

iv.

The beams have lower shear force if composite beams are used.

v.

The nodal displacement for composite structures is found to be greater than that of
reinforced concrete structure.

vi.

it can be seen that when the height of the structure increases it becomes more economic to
choose composite structures.

7 References
[1] Charantimath S.S, CHolekar S.B, Birje M.M, Comparative study on Strucutral parameters of
RCC and Composite Building, Civil and Environmental research, IISTE, india,2014
[2] Wagh S.A, Waghe U.P, comparative study of RCC and Steel Concrete Composite Structure,
journal of engineering research and application, 2014
[3] Sharma A.S, Priya R.A, R.T, Comparative study on Multi story structure of RCC and composite
material, Indian journal of science ad technology, 2016
[4 Koppad.S, Itti, S.V, Comparative study of RCC and composite multistory building,
International journal of engineering and innovative technology, 2013
[5] Pillai S.U, Menon D., Reinforced Concrete Structure, Tata McGraw Hill Education Private
limited, India, third edition
[6] Lecture notes by Professor Chen Shiming.
[7] www.wikipedia.com
[8] Johnson R.P, Composite structures of steel and concrete, Blackwell Scientific Publications,
second edition
[9] Cosenza, E. and Zandonini, R. Composite Construction Structural Engineering Handbook

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