Steel structures Ι

"Steel structures I" is a compulsory core course in the 6th semester, introducing students to issues of conception, behavior, analysis and design of steel structures. The objective of the course is to provide students with all necessary knowledge for independently treating ordinary steel structures, allowing students to understand the behavior of such structures and be able to configure their structural system and dimension their members and connections according to the fundamental principles of mechanics and to the specifications of modern codes, particularly Eurocode 3. The course provides basic knowledge of structural steel design to students of all specializations, while more advanced topics are covered in "Steel structures II" in the 7th semester, which is a compulsory course for students in the structural engineering specialization and elective for the other civil engineering students.

In addition, along with the core courses offered by the Reinforced Concrete Laboratory, these courses constitute a first contact of students with the concept of structural design, and with combining the knowledge they received from the more theoretical courses during their first semesters of studies (mechanics, strength of materials, structural analysis) as well as technological aspects and code provisions, for the design of constructed facilities.

The course first presents the properties of steel as a structural material, and then focuses on the calculation of ultimate strength of members of steel frames and trusses subjected to different actions (tension, compression, shear, bending, torsion and their potential combinations), as well as simple connections. In each course unit the theoretical background is first outlined, based on the theory of mechanics and strength of materials, followed by the required verifications according to the governing provisions of Eurocode 3. Emphasis is placed on linking the theoretical background to the code provisions, so that students are well equipped to adjust to future code modifications, which are very likely to occur during their professional career. Technological and constructional aspects are also discussed and numerical applications are addressed in detail, inspired by actual projects, mostly single-story industrial steel buildings and pedestrian bridges.

In addition to lectures and numerical applications, laboratory demonstrations are presented to students organized in small groups.

For class instruction, students are divided in two groups. Lectures are taught by C. Gantes, D. Vamvatsikos and P. Thanopoulos, laboratory demonstrations are given by X. Lignos and S. Katsatsidis and numerical applications are solved by A. Spiliopoulos, C. Lachanas and K. Koulatsou. The course comprises 5 hours per week, for 14 weeks, with continuous transition between lectures and exercises, as dictated by the flow of instruction.

The final grade is determined from an intermediate examination, approximately in the 8th week of classes, and a final examination.

Additional information and educational material (in Greek) is available at the course's web site.

Charis Gantes - Professor
School of Civil Engineering - National Technical University of Athens
Development & Design Ioulia Sofianou - Copyright 2008
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