INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL
ENGINEERING
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
CHAPTER FOUR
BUILDING STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS

(Daniel T.)
CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Reinforced concrete structures
 Steel framed structures
 Timber structures
 Prefabricated building systems
 Shell and dome structures
 Structural systems of a building support all loads and resist all
constraining forces that may be reasonably expected to be imposed
on them during their expected service life, with out:
 hazard to users,
 dangerous deformations,
 excessive side sway (drift) or
 annoying vibrations.

 Loads and environmental forces acting on structural systems are:

 gravity loads
 wind/seismic loads
 expansion/contraction of material
 heat and cold
 moisture and precipitation

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Gravity Load

Lateral Loading
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 The structural systems could be either concrete, steel, timber,
prefabricated element or a combination.

 The selection of the appropriate structural system or combination of

systems depends on:
Soil conditions
The program and concept (function of a building)
Applicable codes
Type of building
Material delivery and construction timing
Local construction capabilities and preferences
Ease of construction and schedule
Cost of the selected system
Cost impact on other systems
Appearance and aesthetic potential

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 Concrete is a product obtained artificially by hardening of the
mixture of
i. binding material (cement),
ii. fine aggregate (sand),
iii. coarse aggregate (gravel), and
iv. water, in predetermined proportions.

 The property of concrete depend on the characteristic of the

ingredients and the proportion of the mix.
 In mix proportioning workability, strength, durability and
economy should be taken into consideration.
 Concrete works are classified as:
 Class I - works under the direction of qualified supervisor
 Class II – works with lower level of quality

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Classification based on density
Classification of concrete based on density
Classification Density (Kg/m3)
Normal-weight concrete 2400
Light weight concrete 1800
Heavy weight concrete 3200

Classification based on strength

Classification based on strength

Classification Maximum strength Type
Ordinary concrete < 20 Low-strength
Standard concrete 20-40 Medium-strength
High-strength concrete 40-80 High-strength

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Advantages and disadvantages of concrete structures

Advantages Disadvantages

• High compressive strength • Low tensile strength

• High stiffness (rigidity) • Limited ductility
• Ability to be cast • Little resistance to cracking
• Low thermal and electrical • Volume instability
conductivity
• Low strength to weight
• Economical ratio
• Durable • Forms and shoring
• Fire resistant
• Energy-efficient
• Onsite fabrication
• Aesthetic properties

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 Reinforced concrete (RCC) is a concrete in which steel
reinforcement bars have been incorporated to eliminate the major
weakness of concrete (tensile strength).
 The number, diameter, spacing, shape and type of bars to be used
have to be designed.

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REINFORCED CONCRETE STRUCTURAL MEMBERS
 A reinforced concrete structure is made up of many types of
reinforced structural members, including:
 footings,
 columns,
 beams,
 slabs,
 walls, and so forth

FOOTINGS
 Footings support the entire structure and distribute the load to the
ground.
 The size and shape of a footing depend upon the design of the
structure.

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FOOTINGS (CONT…)

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 COLUMNS
 These are the vertical load bearing members of the structural frame
which transmits the beam loads down to the foundations.

Kicker;-
Concrete
height Crank;-Double
for bending of
clamping reinforcement

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BEAMS
 These are horizontal load bearing members which are classified as
either
 Main beams which transmit floor and secondary beam loads to
the columns or
Secondary beams which transmit floor loads to the main beams.

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SLABS
 Carry the live loads of the building and transfer them to the beams.

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JOINTS IN CONCRETE STRUCTURES
Contraction joints: the purpose of contraction joints is to control
cracking caused by temperature changes.
Expansion joints: Wherever expansion might cause a concrete slab to
buckle because of temperature change, expansion joints are
required.

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INTRODUCTION
 Steel has the maximum number of properties which are not found in
any other materials.
 High tensile and compressive strength
 Ability to deform plastically with out damage
 Can be easily welded, forged and riveted
 Large displacement before collapse

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INTRODUCTION (cont...)
 Steel is the only material which is equally strong both in tension and
compression.
 Steel is suitable for all construction purposes in the present day
practice.
 Steel bars are used as reinforcement
 Construction of steel bridges
 Construction of buildings
◦ Skeleton construction
◦ Long span construction
 Erection of towers, etc
 The construction of a framework of structural steel involves two
principal operation: fabrication and erection.

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INTRODUCTION (cont...)

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STEEL SECTIONS
Cold rolled sections: Cold-formed shapes are relatively thin sections
made by bending sheet or strip steel in roll-forming machines, press
brakes, or bending brakes.
 Door and window frames, partitions, wall studs, floor joists,
sheathing, and moldings are made by cold forming.

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STEEL SECTIONS (cont...)
Hot rolled sections: these are structural steel available in wide range
of size, shape and weight.

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STRUCTURAL STEEL CONNECTORS
 There are four basic connectors used in making structural steel
connections. They are bolts, welds, pins, and rivets.

Rivets
Welding

Pins
Bolts

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Advantages and disadvantages of steel structures

Advantages Disadvantages

• High strength to weight ratio • Energy intensive material

• Non-combustible • Susceptible to rust and
• Recyclable corrosion
• Consistent material quality • Requires fire proofing
• Safety: offers greater • Highly conductive
protection • Emission of gases during
• Flexibility production
• Inorganic: will not, warp, split, • Extra cost for protective
creep, crack coating
• Dimensional stability
• Straight walls, corners
• Speedy construction

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INTRODUCTION
 Wood has always been a very good construction material since
olden times. And it is steel used extensively for construction
purpose, railways, furniture, formwork, miscellaneous articles,
transportation.
 Wood that is suitable for structural work is called timber. It can be
used as:
◦ Beams, joists and rafters ◦ Studs and posts ◦ Girders
◦ Trusses ◦ Decking ◦ Piles
◦ Structural laminated members

 The qualities of timber depend upon:

◦ Type of tree ◦ Maturity of tree ◦ Time of felling
◦ Method of seasoning ◦ Type and process of preservation

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Structural uses of timber

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Timber frame construction

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Timber frame construction

Column to base connection

Beam to beam connection

Composite timber beams

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Advantages and disadvantages of timber structures

Advantages Disadvantages

• Quick erection time • Additional design and

• Reduced site labour engineering time
• Reduced construction waste • Susceptible to decay
• Easily converted to any shape • Very likely to warp and crack
• Economical and cheap • Not fire resistant
• High strength to weight ratio • Requires regular
• Light weight structural maintenance
members • Lack of experience of
• Easy alteration and repairs following trades
• Energy efficient in its
production
• Non conductor of heat and
sound

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INTRODUCTION
 Prefabrication may be in general terms defined as a continuity of
production implying:
 A steady flow of demands
 Standardization
 Integration of different stages of production
 High degree of organization of work
 Mechanization to replace manual labour

 The prefabrication practice have advantages with respect to cost,

time, quality, safety and environment.
 Types of prefabrication approach:
 Fully Pre-fabricated Construction Method
 Partially pre-fabricated Construction Method
 Prefabrication of elements of the construction
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Precast structural elements

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Precast structural elements

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Precast concrete buildings in Addis Ababa

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Connections in precast concrete structures

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Connections in precast concrete structures (cont…)

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Advantages and disadvantages of precast concrete

Advantages Disadvantages

• More time efficient • Very heavy members

• Ensures high quality • Problems at connections
• Better cost savings • Requirements for lifting
• safety device
• Lower maintenance cost • Limited building design
• Erection at every weather flexibility
condition • Accommodation for last
• Less formwork minute change
• Early return of the investment • Additional reinforcements
• Less wet work at the site for handling
• Better fire protection • Transportation cost

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Shells
 A shell is structural curved skin covering a given plan shape and
area where the forces in the shell or membrane are compressive and
in the restraining edge beams are tensile.
 The main factors of shell roofs are:
 The entire roof is a structural element
 Basic strength is inherent in its geometrical shape and form
 Comparatively less material is required than other forms of roof
structure
 Advantages:
o The curved shapes are naturally strong structures
o Allow wide areas to be spanned
o No use of internal supports
o Gives an open and unobstructed space
o Ideally suited for architectural applications
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Types of shell structures

folded plates Z shell The lazy S

Barrel shells Short shells Hyperbolic parabolic

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Shell structures

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DOMES
 Domes are double curvature shells which can be rotationally formed
by any curved geometrical plane figure rotating about a central
vertical axis.
 These are shells curved in two directions. They are one of the oldest
types of construction.
 Advantages:
o They are completely span-free
o Have high ratio of thickness to span
o Aesthetically very pleasing
o Virtually any size and number of openings are possible
o excellent for athletic facilities, schools, auditoriums, churches,
convention halls, museums etc.

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Types of dome structures

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Dome structures

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1. What do you understand by structural system of a building?
2. Discuss the different loads and environmental forces acting on
structural systems?
3. Discuss the conditions for selection of structural systems.
4. Briefly discuss the advantage and disadvantages of concrete,
steel, timber and precast concrete structures.
5. Concrete structures are the most widely used structural systems in
our country. Why?
6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of shell and dome
structures?
7. List the different buildings in Addis which were constructed using
precast concrete structural system.
8. List the different buildings in Addis which comprises of shell and
dome structures.

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THANK YOU!

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