Composite solutions made with rubberized concrete From experimental testing to seismic performance assessment

The reuse of solid waste is now a subject of critical importance in developed societies. Scrap tyres are just one example of solid waste demanding special attention. It is estimated that about 300 million scrap tyres reach their end-of-life each year in the European Union. One of the possible ways of using recycled rubber from car tyres is through its application in the development of new construction materials. In this seminar, a research study will be presented that aimed at evaluating the feasibility of using rubberized concrete in composite steel-concrete tubular solutions for seismic resistance. The research comprised an experimental campaign carried out on concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) elements made with conventional and rubberized concrete, subjected to monotonic and cyclic bending conditions. The test results revealed that the hysteretic flexural behaviour of CFSTs is practically insensitive to the type of concrete. The results were then employed on the calibration of 3D detailed FE models developed in ABAQUS. Parametric studies were performed aiming at i) the characterization of the effects of multi-axial stress states on the behaviour of concrete and steel materials and at ii) the evaluation of the cross-section slenderness limits prescribed in Eurocode 8 and AISC 341 provisions. The results of these studies led to the proposal of an improved procedure for the evaluation of the cross-sectional resistance of CFST elements subjected to combined compression with bending. The presentation will conclude with a comparative study of the seismic performance of composite moment-resisting frame buildings made with CFST elements and conventional steel moment frame buildings. The results obtained indicate that, in addition to contribute to a more sustainable environment, composite lateral loading resisting systems made with rubberized concrete are an attractive solution for structures located in high seismicity regions.

Bio : José Miguel Castro is an Assistant Professor at the Civil Engineering Department of the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto. He graduated in civil engineering from the University of Porto in 1994 and concluded an MSc in Structural Steel Design at Imperial College London in 2000. He obtained a PhD in Civil Engineering from Imperial College London in 2006. Miguel is an expert in steel and composite structures subjected to earthquake loading conditions and has been actively involved in several national and European research projects. He is a full member of Technical Committee 13 on Seismic Design of the European Convention for Constructional Steelwork (ECCS) and is also a member of CEN/TEC250/WG2 that is working towards the development of the new version of Eurocode 8, the European seismic code. His current research interests are on the development of novel seismic design methodologies for steel structures as well as on the collapse and seismic risk assessment of new and existing steel buildings.