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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2026 | Viewed by 12636

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yukai Zhong

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Guest Editor

Research Center for Wind Engineering and Engineering Vibration, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
Interests: high-strength steel structures; stainless steel structures; high-strength concrete-filled steel tube structures; recycled aggregate concrete-filled steel tube structures; offshore wind turbine structures

Dr. Ke Jiang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8041, New Zealand
Interests: high-performance steel structures; AI-based structural analysis and design; seismic performance of steel structures; 3D printing steel structures; modular steel structures

Dr. Zhe Xing

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

College of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Hohai University, Nanjing 210024, China
Interests: high-performance steel; structural stability; fire design; laboratory testing; numerical modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, steel and steel–concrete composite structures advanced significantly, driven by their superior mechanical performance, convenient construction, low resource consumption and economic benefits. Recent advancements in materials and construction technologies have further accelerated their development, expanding their applications to high-rise buildings, long-span structures and offshore engineering projects. However, it is unclear whether these newly emerged steel and composite materials and technologies fulfil the requirements of structures in practical scenarios.

This Special Issue, entitled “Advances in Steel and Composite Structures”, aims to provide selected manuscripts that present recent studies in the theory, design, test, numerical simulation and maintenance of steel and steel–concrete composite structures around the world. The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following topics:

Steel/steel–concrete composite structures with high-performance materials
Novel types of steel structures
Novel types of steel–concrete composite structures
Experimental study of steel/steel–concrete composite structures
Numerical study of steel/steel–concrete composite structures
Design of steel/steel–concrete composite structures
Innovation in structural analysis using artificial intelligence (AI)
Construction technology of steel/steel–concrete composite structures
Life cycle performance of steel/steel–concrete composite structures

Dr. Yukai Zhong
Dr. Ke Jiang
Dr. Zhe Xing
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

steel structures
steel-concrete composite structures
high-performance materials
experimental study
numerical simulation
life-cycle design artificial intelligence

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 13046 KB

Open AccessArticle

Parametric Study on an Integrated Sleeve Mortise-and-Tenon Steel–Timber Composite Beam–Column Joints

by Zhanguang Wang, Weihan Yang, Zhenyu Gao and Jianhua Shao

Buildings 2026, 16(2), 435; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16020435 - 20 Jan 2026

Viewed by 2067

Abstract

To address the limitations of traditional timber mortise-and-tenon joints, particularly their low pull-out resistance and rapid stiffness degradation under cyclic loading, this study proposes a novel integrated sleeve mortise-and-tenon steel–timber composite beam–column joint. Building upon prior experimental validation and numerical model verification, a comprehensive parametric study was conducted to systematically investigate the influence of key geometric parameters on the seismic performance of the joint. The investigated parameters included beam sleeve thickness (1–10 mm), sleeve length (150–350 mm), bolt diameter (4–16 mm), and the dimensions and thickness of stiffeners. The results indicate that a sleeve thickness of 2–3 mm yields the optimal overall performance: sleeves thinner than 2 mm are prone to yielding, while those thicker than 3 mm induce stress concentration in the timber beam. A sleeve length of approximately 250 mm provides the highest initial stiffness and a ductility coefficient exceeding 4.0, representing the best seismic behavior. Bolt diameters within the range of 8–10 mm produce full and stable hysteresis loops, effectively balancing load-carrying capacity and energy dissipation; smaller diameters lead to pinching failure, whereas larger diameters trigger premature plastic deformation in the timber. Furthermore, stiffeners with a width of 40 mm and a thickness of 2 mm effectively enhance joint stiffness, promote a uniform stress distribution, and mitigate local damage. The optimized joint configuration demonstrates excellent ductility, stable hysteretic behavior, and a high load capacity, providing a robust technical foundation for the design and practical application of advanced steel–timber composite connections. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Steel and Composite Structures)

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16 pages, 3945 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Multi-Physics Thermal Response Characteristics of Anchor Rod and Sealant Systems Under Fire Scenarios

by Kui Tian, Rui Rao, Yu Zeng, Sihang Chen and Qingyuan Xu

Buildings 2026, 16(2), 383; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16020383 - 16 Jan 2026

Viewed by 372

Abstract

During on-site welding operations, the sealant coated on anchor bolt surfaces can be ignited by hot particles or localized sparks, potentially triggering a fire hazard. This combustion process involves a complex multi-physics coupling among sealant combustion, convective and radiative heat transfer, and three-dimensional heat conduction in solids. To resolve this coupling, a simulation strategy is proposed that correspondingly integrates the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS, version 6.7.6) for modeling combustion and radiation with ABAQUS (2024) for simulating conductive heat transfer in solids. The proposed method is validated against experimental measurements, showing close agreement in temperature evolution. It also demonstrates robustness across varying geometric scales, thereby confirming its reliability for predicting thermal response. Using this validated method, simulations are performed to analyze the fire behavior of an anchor rod-sealant system. Results show that the burning sealant can raise anchor rod temperatures above 900 °C and lead to rapid flame spread between adjacent rods. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis of thermophysical parameters identifies critical thresholds for fire safety optimization: sealants with an ignition temperature > 280 °C and thermal conductivity ≥ 0.26 W/(m·K) demonstrate effective self-extinguishing properties, while specific heat capacity can retard flame growth. These findings provide a robust numerical framework and quantitative guidelines for the fire-safe design of bridge anchorage systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Steel and Composite Structures)

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34 pages, 10626 KB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Performance of Joints with Bearing Plates in Concrete-Filled Steel Tubular Arch-Supporting Column-Prestressed Steel Reinforced Concrete Beam Structures: Numerical Simulation and Design Methods

by Chongyang Li, Xianggang Su, Zhiliang Zuo, Lehua Huang and Yuezhou Zhou

Buildings 2026, 16(1), 216; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16010216 - 3 Jan 2026

Viewed by 557

Abstract

Research on the configuration and mechanical performance of arch-column-tie beam joints, which combine features of arch-tie beam joints and tubular joints, remains limited, particularly for long-span structures subjected to heavy loads at high building stories. This study focuses on a joint in an engineering structure comprising a circular arch beam, a square-section inclined column, and a tie beam, where both the arch and the inclined column are concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) members. A novel joint configuration was proposed, then a refined finite element model was established. The joint’s mechanical mechanism and failure mode under axial compression in the arch beam were investigated, considering two conditions: the presence of prestressed high-strength rods and the failure of the rods. Subsequently, a parametric study was conducted to investigate the influence of variations in the web thickness of the tie beam, the steel tube wall thickness of the arched beam, the steel tube wall thickness of the supporting inclined column, and the strength grades of steel and concrete on the bearing capacity behavior and failure modes. Numerical simulation results indicate that the joint remains elastic under the design load for both conditions, meeting the design requirements. The joint reaches its ultimate capacity when extensive yielding occurs in the tie beam along the junction region with the circular arch beam, as well as in the steel tube of the arch beam. At this stage, the steel plates and concrete within the joint zone remain elastic, ensuring reliable load transfer. The maximum computed load of the model with prestressed rods was 2.28 times the design load. The absence of prestressed rods could lead to a significant increase in the high-stress area within the web of the tie beam, decreasing the joint’s stiffness by 12.4% at yielding, but have a limited effect on its maximum bearing capacity. Gradually increasing the wall thickness of the arch beam’s steel tube shifts the failure mode from arch-beam-dominated yielding to tie-beam-dominated yielding along the junction region. Increasing the steel strength grade is more efficient in enhancing the bearing capacity than increasing the concrete strength grade. Finally, a design methodology for the joint zone was established based on three aspects: local stress transfer at the bottom of the arch beam, force equilibrium between the arch beam and the tie beam, and the biaxial compression state of the concrete in the joint zone. Furthermore, the construction process and mechanical analysis methods for various construction stages were proposed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Steel and Composite Structures)

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20 pages, 4242 KB

Open AccessArticle

Internal Force Distribution Characteristics of Top-Chord-Free Vierendeel-Truss Composite Slab

by Jianshe Xu, Shuang Zheng, Wenzhe Song, Haiyan Zhao, Pei Li and Wei Wang

Buildings 2026, 16(1), 200; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16010200 - 2 Jan 2026

Viewed by 738

Abstract

In modern construction, there is a growing demand for floor systems that offer high spatial efficiency and easy integration of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) services. The top-chord-free Vierendeel-truss composite slab (TVCS), which omits the steel top chord and diagonal webs, presents a promising solution by maximizing usable vertical space and accommodating large ducts. Due to the elimination of the steel top chord and diagonal web members, the TVCS differs significantly in structural composition from conventional steel truss–concrete composite floor systems. At present, there is a lack of in-depth research on the mechanical behavior and deformation characteristics of this type of floor system. This study aims to fill this gap by systematically investigating the internal force distribution characteristics of TVCS and establishing a simplified analytical approach for practical engineering. This paper first employs the finite element method to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the bending moments, shear forces, and axial forces in each component of this composite floor system. The results indicate that the internal force distribution in TVCS exhibits substantial differences compared to that in conventional truss-composite floor systems: certain chord members exhibit inflection points; abrupt changes in internal forces occur between adjacent chord segments; and significant differences exist between the internal forces in members near the supports and those near mid-span. For instance, a distinct difference is that chord segments adjacent to the supports contain inflection points, while those near mid-span do not. Subsequently, simplified formulas for calculating the internal forces in the TVCS are proposed and validated against experimental and numerical analysis results. The main technical contribution of this work is providing a practical and efficient calculation tool that simplifies the design process for TVCS, facilitating its safer and wider application. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Steel and Composite Structures)

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11 pages, 3736 KB

Open AccessArticle

Shear Force–Displacement Curve of a Steel Shear Wall Considering Compression

by Yi Liu, Yan He and Yang Lv

Buildings 2025, 15(12), 2112; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15122112 - 18 Jun 2025

Viewed by 1064

Abstract

The shear strength of a steel shear wall (SSW) is typically governed by the yield strength of the steel. However, changes in mechanical properties beyond yielding—particularly those related to steel hardening and the effects of gravity loads—are not yet fully understood. These factors are critical for accurately assessing the shear capacity of SSWs during seismic events. In the current study, a method to calculate the shear force–displacement curve of a steel shear wall while considering the compression effect is presented, which incorporates both steel hardening and gravity effects. The analysis derives strains in tensile strips undergoing shear deformation using a strip model. Corresponding stresses are then determined using the stress–strain relationships obtained from tensile tests of the steel. Furthermore, the vertical stress induced by gravity loads is modeled using a three-segment distribution proposed before. For each tensile strip, the tension field stress is calculated by accounting for reductions due to vertical stress and the influence of steel hardening through the von Mises yield criterion. This approach enables the development of a shear force–displacement curve, which is subsequently validated against results from an experimentally verified finite element model. The findings demonstrate that the pushover curves predicted by this method closely align with those obtained from finite element analysis. Notably, the results indicate that the shear strength provided by the CAN/CSA-S16-01 equation may be overestimated by approximately 4%, 9%, and 18% when the vertical compression stresses are 50, 100, and 150 MPa for a wall with a slenderness of 150, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Steel and Composite Structures)

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20 pages, 11547 KB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Characteristics Analysis of Three-Layer Steel–Concrete Composite Beams

by Longbiao Yan, Long Cao, Yikuan He, Xu Han, Mingsheng Cao, Bingchuan Yan, Yachen You and Benyuan Li

Buildings 2025, 15(8), 1347; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15081347 - 17 Apr 2025

Viewed by 1332

Abstract

The dynamic behavior of three-layer composite beams, consisting of concrete slabs and steel beams, is influenced by the structural configuration of each layer as well as the shear connectors. The interlayer shear stiffness in three-layer composite beams governs their global dynamic behavior, while interlayer slippage-induced localized vibration effects represent a key limiting factor in practical applications. Based on the dynamic test results of steel–concrete double-layer composite beams, the feasibility of a finite element solid model for composite beams, which accounts for interlayer shear connectors and beam body characteristics, has been validated. Utilizing identical modeling parameters, an analytical model for the inherent vibration characteristics of three-layer steel–concrete composite beams has been developed. This study encompasses two types of composite beams: concrete–steel–concrete (CSC) and concrete–concrete–steel (CCS). Numerical simulations and theoretical analysis systematically investigated the effects of interface shear connector arrangements and structural geometric parameters on dynamic performance. Research indicates that the natural frequency of steel–concrete three-layer composite beams exhibits a distinct two-stage increasing trend with the enhancement in interlayer shear stiffness. For CSC-type simply supported composite beams, the fundamental vertical vibration frequency increases by 37.82% when achieving full shear connection at both interfaces compared to the unconnected state, while two-equal-span continuous beams show a 38.06% improvement. However, significant differences remain between the fully shear-connected state and theoretical rigid-bonding condition, with frequency discrepancies of 24.69% for simply supported beams and 24.07% for continuous beams. Notably, CCS-type simply supported beams display a 12.07% frequency increase with full concrete-to-concrete connection, exceeding even the theoretical rigid-bonding frequency value. Longitudinal connector arrangement non-uniformity significantly impacts dynamic characteristics, while the transverse arrangement has minimal influence. Among structural parameters, steel flange plate thickness has the most significant effect, followed by concrete slab width and thickness, with steel web thickness having the least impact. Based on the observation that the first-order vertical vibration frequency of three-layer composite beams exhibits a two-stage decreasing trend with an increase in the span-to-depth ratio, it is recommended that the span-to-depth ratio of three-layer steel–concrete composite beams should not be less than 10. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Steel and Composite Structures)

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24 pages, 8596 KB

Open AccessArticle

Stress Concentration Factors of CHS-to-CFRHS Y-Joints Under Axial Tension Loading

by Yisheng Fu and Kuan Diao

Buildings 2025, 15(3), 331; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030331 - 22 Jan 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2074

Abstract

A CHS-to-CFRHS Y-joint that consists of a circular hollow section (CHS) brace and a concrete-filled rectangular hollow section (CFRHS) chord by welding has a simple and smooth weld profile that saves time and cost for the fabrication of CHS-to-CFRHS Y-joints and leads to a superior fatigue performance, compared with other welded tubular joints. This investigation presented an analysis of the stress concentration factors (SCFs) of CHS-to-CFRHS Y-joints subjected to axial tension loading of the brace. First, a finite element (FE) modelling method, which was validated with the experimental results cited in the reference, was utilised to establish the FE models of CHS-to-CFRHS Y-joints. Then, a parametric analysis was conducted to investigate the influences of the significant non-dimensional geometric parameters on the SCFs of CHS-to-CFRHS Y-joints. It is found that the intersection angle of the brace and chord has an important influence on the magnitudes of the SCF values. An increase in the intersection angle of the brace and chord will increase the values of the SCFs at the 60° location and saddle. The values of the SCFs at the 60° location and saddle reach the maximum value when the intersection angle of the brace and chord reaches 90°. Furthermore, on the basis of the large database of the SCF results, empirical design equations were established to calculate the SCFs at the crown toe, 60° location and saddle via multiple regression analysis. A safety factor was applied to the empirical design equations to ensure safe and reliable results of SCF calculations for the fatigue design of CHS-to-CFRHS Y-joints in a composite truss structure. Ultimately, a comparative analysis of SCFs was conducted with the FE models of welded tubular joints with rectangular hollow section (RHS) chords and CFRHS chords. The results reveal that infilling concrete in the chord leads to a reduction in SCFs along the weld profile of more than 11% on average, and the peak SCF decreases by more than 15%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Steel and Composite Structures)

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20 pages, 6378 KB

Open AccessArticle

Seismic Response of Prestressed Self-Centering Moment-Resisting Frames

by Xueyuan Yan, Shen Shi, Huimin Mao and Zhongnan Lin

Buildings 2024, 14(12), 3811; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14123811 - 28 Nov 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1731

Abstract

This paper aims to examine the seismic response of prestressed self-centering moment-resisting frames (PSC-MRFs) based on concrete-filled double steel tubular (CFDST) columns and RC beams. The beam of this novel connection is divided into two parts, connected by bolts and tendons, and the beam includes a gap opening feature, which could be regarded as a normal single beam in the field. Cyclic loading analysis was performed on one-story frames with different initial parameters arranged in adjacent bays. Nonlinear dynamic analysis was conducted on a six-story frame under two seismic hazard levels. The cyclic loading analysis showed favorable self-centering performance of the frame even when the hysteretic energy dissipation ratio reached 0.808. Seismic analysis results showed that compared with the in situ reinforced concrete frame, PSC-MRFs generally had similar maximum inter-story drifts under fortification earthquakes, but the residual inter-story drifts were reduced by 33%; under rare earthquakes, the maximum inter-story drifts and residual inter-story drifts of PSC-MRFs were reduced by 22% and more than 90%, respectively. In the adjacent bays on the same story of PSC-MRFs, connections with smaller imminent moments of gap opening opened earlier under earthquake, and the maximum opening angle was larger. The general seismic performance and self-centering of PSC-MRFs was significantly more advantageous than that of in situ reinforced concrete frames. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Steel and Composite Structures)

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19 pages, 6076 KB

Open AccessArticle

Buckling Behaviour of Q355 Angles with Simulated Local Damages at Bolted Connections

by Cheng Xu, Hui-Qiang Yan and Shao-Bo Kang

Buildings 2024, 14(11), 3411; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113411 - 27 Oct 2024

Viewed by 1536

Abstract

Transmission towers in service are highly susceptible to corrosion caused by environmental conditions. It is crucial to assess the residual load capacity of corroded angles in transmission towers. In this study, corrosion at the connection of angels was simulated by local damage using a mechanical cutting method, and compression tests and numerical simulations were performed to investigate the load capacity of corroded angles. A total of 24 angles were designed and tested in the experiments, and the parameters considered included the location and thickness of damage and slenderness. The local damage was designed on the loaded or non-loaded legs, with slendernesses of 80 and 140, and a thickness of damage of 1 mm and 2 mm. The residual load capacity, failure modes, and strain of the angles were analysed based on experimental results. Furthermore, corrosion was simulated by reducing the local thickness of angles using ABAQUS. The accuracy of numerical models was verified after comparing the numerical results with experimental data. Based on the verified model, parameter analysis was conducted, in which the slendernesses was extended to 100 and 120, and the local damage thickness was also set to be 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm to quantitatively study the influence on the residual load capacity. The tests results showed that with the damage depth at the ends of the angle increased, and the load capacity of the angle decreased by up to 6.7%. Finally, a design equation for calculating the residual load capacity of corroded angles was proposed using the numerical results. By comparing the design equation, experimental results, and load capacity calculated per existing standards, it was found that the load-bearing capacity of corroded angles can be accurately predicted by the equation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Steel and Composite Structures)

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