Chair of Steel and Composite Structures at ETH Zurich

I am excited to share that our paper "Variation in the cross-sectional geometry of hot-rolled I-sections: Measurements, statistics, probabilistic modelling", co-authored by Andreas Taras, has been published with open access in the Journal of Constructional Steel Research: https://lnkd.in/dDaX3Z64 As the title suggests, this research work, conducted at the Chair of Steel and Composite Structures at ETH Zurich, investigates the dimensional variability in the cross-section of steel beams. We measured a total of 561 I-section profiles representing a wide range of sizes and manufacturers. In addition to an in-depth statistical analysis, the accuracy of various options for probabilistic modelling is assessed. We are confident that this study will serve as a valuable resource for constructional steel research. At this point, we would also like to extend our gratitude to Spaeter AG, Debrunner Acifer AG and FERROFLEX Group for granting access to their steel product inventories.

We are glad to share that our paper entitled “Veneer-wrapped steel columns: Proof-of-concept experimental and numerical investigations” is available online with open access in Engineering Structures: https://lnkd.in/gn_32Qe8 The outcomes of the presented study were discussed in the paper co-authored by Valentino Vigneri, Morena Giulieri, and Andreas Taras thanks to the financial support from Innosuisse (innovation cheque no. 64362.1 INNO-ENG). The current research study demonstrates the feasibility of wrapping steel columns with multiple veneer sheets to enhance their structural performance. The paper presents results from experimental tests on concentrically-loaded veneer-wrapped steel columns, compares their performance to traditional steel columns, and evaluates a three-dimensional non-linear finite element model (FEM) for predicting their structural behaviour. The experimental campaign reveals that veneer-wrapped columns exhibit higher resistance and stiffness than their bare steel counterparts. A companion parametric analysis using a validated FEM was conducted to assess the influence of various design parameters, including veneer thickness, material properties, and column slenderness ratio, on the buckling resistance of veneer-wrapped steel columns. The results indicate that these factors significantly affect the buckling resistance of the column, providing valuable insights for potential optimization and implementation in buildings. Finally, the FEM-based data pool showed a good correlation with adapted design formulae given in the European Standards for composite structures.

We are happy to share that our newest journal paper “Effect of elevated temperature on the bond behaviour of adhesive shear joints between glass substrate and iron-based shape memory alloy strip” was published with open access in Construction and Building Materials: https://lnkd.in/dD-BaZfd This paper is co-authored by Zhikang Deng, Dr. Vlad Silvestru and Prof. Andreas Taras from our Chair of Steel and Composite Structures at ETH Zurich, Prof. Elyas Ghafoori from the Institute for Steel Construction - LU Hannover and Dr. Lingzhen Li from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. This paper experimentally investigates the mechanical behaviour of iron-based shape memory alloy (Fe-SMA)-to-glass lap-shear joints with an epoxy adhesive at different temperatures of 23 °C, 50 °C, and 80 °C, representing room temperature and typical elevated service temperatures. The effective bond length, the failure modes, the bond-slip behaviour, and the fracture energy of the joints at various temperatures were also evaluated. The current study fills a significant research gap in the engineering application of strengthening glass structures by bonded pre-stressed Fe-SMA strips. Moreover, the results may also significantly contribute to the future application of the selected adhesive at elevated temperatures.

We are recruiting! Our Chair of Steel and Composite Structures at ETH Zurich is searching for two highly motivated PhD student candidates interested in investigating Condition Assessment and Design Strategies for Reuse of Façade Glass and Glazing Products.   Do you fulfill the requirements? Would you like to help drive the circular economy forward in the glass and façade industry? Then apply under: https://lnkd.in/dVaNNQtt   The application deadline is 30 November 2024 or until the positions are filled. We are looking forward to receiving your application documents.   #ReuseOfGlass #CircularConstruction #ConditionAssessment #Sustainability #Remanufacturing #TransparentFacade #Disassembly

We are pleased to announce that our colleague Patrick Studer successfully defended his doctoral thesis earlier this month! 🥳 In his dissertation titled "Exploring the Potential of Steel Grades with Pronounced Hardening Characteristics in Structural Engineering Applications," he investigates how an enhanced hardening behavior of steels can be exploited in structural design practice. The research culminates in the development of the so-called SLiCE method, which combines strain-limited cross-sectional verification with elasto-plastic widths. Congratulations, Patrick! Your work is a highly valuable contribution to the structural engineering community, which will further promote the use of steel in construction applications. We would also like to express our gratitude to the doctoral examination committee: Bert Snijder, Primož Može, Frangi Andrea, and the exam chair Ingo Burgert. Our sincere thanks go also to our industrial research partner voestalpine Grobblech GmbH. #SteelStructures #Innovation #StrainHardening #SLiCE-Method #StrainBasedDesign

We are thrilled to share that our paper entitled “Structural behavior of laminated glass beams reinforced and post-tensioned with adhesively bonded iron-based shape memory alloy tendons”, which was published this summer in Engineering Structures, was recently selected as the Featured Article for the Volume 316, October 2024. The paper co-authored by Vlad Silvestru, Zhikang Deng, and Andreas Taras from our Chair of Steel and Composite Structures at ETH Zurich and Julien Michels from re-fer AG, can be accessed at the following link: https://lnkd.in/dYJ7Aj6A. The findings obtained partially through funding from Innosuisse (innovation cheque no. 51447 INNO-ENG) prove the feasibility of applying adhesively bonded Fe-SMA strips for reinforcing and post-tensioning laminated glass beams. The paper presents results from post-tensioning experiments by electrical resistive heating of the adhesively bonded Fe-SMA tendons, compares the performance in four-point bending of reinforced and post-tensioned glass beams with two different types of adhesives used for bonding the tendons to the glass edges, and evaluates an approach for predicting the structural behavior of such beams by finite element simulations.

Last Monday, our chair had the honour of hosting the Technical Committee "TC8 Stability" of the ECCS - European Convention for Constructional Steelwork. During the meeting, the latest developments and findings on stability-related topics were discussed. In this context, Andreas Taras and Patrick Studer presented the so-called "SLiCE method" for the first time, which promises a combination of strain-limited cross-sectional analysis with the consideration of elasto-plastic effective widths. Further, Robin Steinmetz spoke about an extensive measurement campaign on the variability of the cross-sectional shape, corroborating the characterisation in the new Annex E of EN 1993-1-1. We would like to thank all the attendees who were present in Zurich or online for the exciting discussions and enriching inputs.

We are happy to share that our paper on the “Structural behaviour of laminated glass beams reinforced and post-tensioned with adhesively bonded iron-based shape memory alloy tendons” was published this week with open access in Engineering Structures: https://lnkd.in/dYJ7Aj6A. The results presented and discussed in the paper co-authored by Vlad Silvestru, Zhikang Deng, Julien Michels, and Andreas Taras were obtained in a collaboration between our Chair of Steel and Composite Structures at ETH Zurich and re-fer AG, with partial funding from Innosuisse (innovation cheque no. 51447.1 INNO-ENG). The findings prove the feasibility of applying adhesively bonded Fe-SMA strips for reinforcing and post-tensioning laminated glass beams. The paper presents results from post-tensioning experiments by electrical resistive heating of the adhesively bonded Fe-SMA tendons, compares the performance in four-point bending of reinforced and post-tensioned glass beams with two different types of adhesives used for bonding the tendons to the glass edges, and evaluates an approach for predicting the structural behaviour of such beams by finite element simulations.

We are happy to share that our paper on the “Structural behaviour of laminated glass beams reinforced and post-tensioned with adhesively bonded iron-based shape memory alloy tendons” was published this week with open access in Engineering Structures: https://lnkd.in/dYJ7Aj6A. The results presented and discussed in the paper co-authored by Vlad Silvestru, Zhikang Deng, Julien Michels, and Andreas Taras were obtained in a collaboration between our Chair of Steel and Composite Structures at ETH Zurich and re-fer AG, with partial funding from Innosuisse (innovation cheque no. 51447.1 INNO-ENG). The findings prove the feasibility of applying adhesively bonded Fe-SMA strips for reinforcing and post-tensioning laminated glass beams. The paper presents results from post-tensioning experiments by electrical resistive heating of the adhesively bonded Fe-SMA tendons, compares the performance in four-point bending of reinforced and post-tensioned glass beams with two different types of adhesives used for bonding the tendons to the glass edges, and evaluates an approach for predicting the structural behaviour of such beams by finite element simulations.

This week, Vlad Silvestru from our group at the Chair of Steel and Composite Structures at ETH Zurich participated in the Challenging Glass Conference held at TU Delft. He presented results on the “Structural assessment of translucent walls built with a novel type of insulating aerogel-filled glass bricks”. The corresponding paper will soon be published in Glass Structures & Engineering - Springer. This research was conducted with former ETH Zurich student Christian Bianchi, and with Jannis Wernery and Ganobjak Michal from the laboratory for Building Energy Materials & Components at Empa where the novel glass brick type was developed.