Innovations in Static and Dynamic Performance of Steel and Composite Structures

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026 | Viewed by 3465

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
Interests: steel and concrete composite structure; steel structures; modular steel building; sandwich panel; non linear analysis of steel structures; new form of steel-concrete compo-site structures; fire structural analysis
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Guest Editor
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
Interests: steel and concrete composite structure; steel structures; modular steel building; nonlinear analysis of steel structures; new form of steel-concrete composite structures; fire structural analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Urbanization and diverse construction needs have increased the importance of steel and composite structures in modern architecture and civil engineering. These structures must perform well under static conditions and remain extremely safe and reliable under dynamic loads such as seismic, wind, and other loads. This Special Issue aims to gather recent innovative research on the static and dynamic performance of steel and composite structures, covering advancements in their materials, design methods, analysis techniques, construction practices, and maintenance technologies. The goal is to provide a scientific basis and technical support for engineering practice, thereby promoting the development and application of these structures in various fields.

Prof. Dr. Xiaoxiong Zha
Dr. Wentao Li
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • steel and concrete structures
  • composite structures
  • vibration comfort
  • seismic performance
  • fire performance
  • post-fire rehabilitation
  • sustainable architecture
  • prefabricated structures

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 7188 KB  
Article
Machine Learning-Based Method for Predicting the Mechanical Response of Prestressed Cable Tensioning in Aqueduct Structures
by Yanke Shi, Xufang Liu, Yanjun Chang, Jie Chen, Duoxin Zhang and Yuping Kuang
Buildings 2026, 16(8), 1624; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16081624 - 20 Apr 2026
Viewed by 278
Abstract
The mechanical behavior of aqueduct structures exhibits highly complex characteristics during prestress tensioning, making it difficult for the traditional double-control method to accurately predict and real-time control the key stresses. To improve the construction safety of prestressed tensioning and the prediction accuracy of [...] Read more.
The mechanical behavior of aqueduct structures exhibits highly complex characteristics during prestress tensioning, making it difficult for the traditional double-control method to accurately predict and real-time control the key stresses. To improve the construction safety of prestressed tensioning and the prediction accuracy of structural prestress responses, this study develops a rapid structural mechanical property prediction method based on machine learning. Taking prestressed aqueducts as the research object, a system of “finite element simulation—sample generation—machine learning prediction” is established. Firstly, multiple groups of tensioning parameter combinations are designed via Latin hypercube sampling, and the stress responses are obtained through finite element analysis to form a high-quality training sample library. Subsequently, critical structural features are extracted based on mesh reconstruction, and stress prediction models are established using the K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) and Random Forest algorithms respectively; the prediction performance of both models is compared and validated against finite element simulation results. Furthermore, the prediction outputs of the optimal machine learning model were used to analyze the stress distribution and potential stress concentration issues of the structure during the tensioning process. The comparative analysis results indicate that the Random Forest model performs best in terms of stress prediction accuracy and stability, and its prediction results are highly consistent with those of the finite element method. Compared with traditional finite element condition analysis, the machine learning model can complete multi-condition stress prediction in a shorter time. Leveraging its high-efficiency prediction capability, local high-stress areas of the structure in the tensioning construction scheme can be identified, thereby providing effective optimization schemes to improve the stress distribution. The mechanical response prediction method for the prestress tensioning process of aqueducts, with machine learning as the core, constructed in this paper realizes the rapid and reliable prediction of key stresses throughout the entire prestress tensioning process. This method can be applied to assist in optimizing tensioning construction schemes and construction monitoring, providing a practical technical solution for safety control of aqueduct structures during the prestress construction stage. Full article
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25 pages, 9220 KB  
Article
Investigation of Stress Intensity Factors in Welds of Steel Girders Within Steel–Concrete Composite Structures
by Da Wang, Pengxin Zhao, Yuxin Shao, Wenping Peng, Junxin Yang, Chenggong Zhao and Benkun Tan
Buildings 2025, 15(15), 2653; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15152653 - 27 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1187
Abstract
Fatigue damage in steel–concrete composite structures frequently initiates at welded joints due to stress concentrations and inherent defects. This study investigates the stress intensity factors (SIFs) associated with fatigue cracks in the welds of steel longitudinal beams, employing the FRANC3D–ABAQUS interactive technique. A [...] Read more.
Fatigue damage in steel–concrete composite structures frequently initiates at welded joints due to stress concentrations and inherent defects. This study investigates the stress intensity factors (SIFs) associated with fatigue cracks in the welds of steel longitudinal beams, employing the FRANC3D–ABAQUS interactive technique. A finite element model was developed and validated against experimental data, followed by the insertion of cracks at both the weld root and weld toe. The influences of stud spacing, initial crack size, crack shape, and lack-of-penetration defects on Mode I SIFs were systematically analyzed. Results show that both weld root and weld toe cracks are predominantly Mode I in nature, with the toe cracks exhibiting higher SIF values. Increasing the stud spacing, crack depth, or crack aspect ratio significantly raises the SIFs. Lack of penetration defects further amplifies the SIFs, especially at the weld root. Based on the computed SIFs, fatigue life predictions were conducted using a crack propagation approach. These findings highlight the critical roles of crack geometry and welding quality in fatigue performance, providing a numerical foundation for optimizing welded joint design in composite structures. Full article
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19 pages, 5790 KB  
Article
Fire Resistance of Prefabricated Steel Tubular Columns with Membrane Protections
by Xinxin Zhang, Xiang Yuan Zheng and Wentao Li
Buildings 2025, 15(10), 1730; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15101730 - 20 May 2025
Viewed by 1333
Abstract
With the acceleration of construction industrialization and carbon reduction goals, prefabricated steel structures are widely used for their efficiency and strength. However, steel’s poor fire resistance limits its use. At high temperatures, steel weakens, leading to collapse risks. Common fire protection methods like [...] Read more.
With the acceleration of construction industrialization and carbon reduction goals, prefabricated steel structures are widely used for their efficiency and strength. However, steel’s poor fire resistance limits its use. At high temperatures, steel weakens, leading to collapse risks. Common fire protection methods like rock wool, fire-resistant boards, and coatings focus on single materials, leaving composite systems for modular steel columns understudied. This study systematically examines the fire resistance of modular steel columns with composite protective layers through tests and simulations. It finds that rock wool shrinks under heat, reducing its effectiveness by approximately 66.7%, and suggests construction improvements to mitigate this issue. A simplified fire resistance formula is proposed, showing that the total fire resistance of multi-layer systems approximates the sum of each layer’s resistance. These insights offer practical design guidance and fill a key research gap in composite fire protection for modular steel structures. Full article
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