Steel structures ΙI

"Steel structures II" is a course in the 7th semester, compulsory for students in the structural engineering specialization and elective for the other civil engineering students. It complements the introduction of students to issues of conception, behavior, analysis and design of steel structures. Objective of the course is to give, in continuation of "Steel structures II" of the 6th semester, the 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.

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's curriculum includes issues of fabrication, trasportation and erection of steel structures, layout and calculation of connections, pretensioned bolts, pin connections, bolted and welded beam to column, beam to beam and column base moment connections, splice connections, seismic design of single-story and multi-story steel buildings, bracings of different types, capacity design, craneway beams, corrosion protection and fire protection of steel structures. 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. The students also form groups of 2 to 3 and carry out a term project concerning the design of a simple steel structure at a level of advanced preliminary design.

Lectures are taught by C. Gantes, D. Vamvatsikos, T. Avraam 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 4 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 intermediate and final presentations of the term project 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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