Design, analysis and application of innovative connections for optimized steel trusses: Structural behavior of innovative joints based on snap-fit connections

Steel trusses are the preferred structures when large distances are required to span due to its lightweight, the reduced deflection and its load bearing capacity. Although nowadays with the help of computational tools more efficient designs can be achieved, the geometrical shape of trusses has barely changed. This is mainly due to the ease of the...

Buildable Design in Optimisation of Steel Skeletal Structures: A Comparison of Existing and New Methods for Finding the Best Solution with Low Diversity

In the design of steel structures, optimisation methods promise cheap, light and sustainable structures. However, the resulting designs tend to have a high diversity of profiles, making them unbuildable. Furthermore, the optimisation problem is mathematically complex, leading to a long and potentially unsolvable optimisation process. Grouping...

Optimising production costs of steel trusses: A computational approach of designing cost-effective steel trusses with welded connections

The building industry is fragmented. In the case of steel structures, two parties are involved in the design. The engineering firm designs the structure, and at a later phase the steel contractor designs all the detailing. This fragmentation restrict the possibilities of creating a cost optimal design. Currently, engineers often optimise on...

A demountable structural system of multi-story building: Case study of car park building

The growth of world population will be the challenge of the century regarding the carbon footprints. The human activities produce both direct and indirect carbon emission that is contributing to the climate change. The construction industry itself contributes around 30 percent of total carbon emissions in the world. Thus, the challenge is to...

Prediction of Fatigue Crack Growth behaviour of tubular joints used in offshore structures

The high levels of wind and wave loads on offshore structures make fatigue analysis a significant parameter that has to be taken into consideration throughout an offshore structure design. Steel tubular members are widely used in offshore (wind) industry due to their efficient structural behaviour. The welded connections between the different...

Numerical Analysis of Stability of Steel Columns With Thermal Gradients

This thesis studies the buckling behavior of I-shaped steel columns under the effect of thermal gradients. The mechanical properties of steel decay signicantly with increasing temperature. Therefore, in case of a re, the buckling resistance of steel columns is considerably reduced due to the decrease in the modulus of elasticity and yield...

Sea-fastening of Wind Turbine Generators for assembled tower Transportation and Installation

Seaway Heavy Lifting is an offshore contractor, involved in the wind energy market. Nowadays SHL is preparing on expanding T&I capabilities to include WTGs, after the experiences with foundations, platforms and met-masts. The company desires to enter in this market with innovative and highly efficient solutions. In order to achieve this goal,...

Computational Modelling tools for the promotion of Design for Deconstruction

This Master’s thesis is focused on the ambiguous topic concept of Designing for Deconstruction and its application within the construction industry. The aim of the research is to investigate the feasibility of the concept by pointing out the main topics of interest that could influence its overall performance and propose a strategy that will...

A knowledge-based framework for structural optimization - An object-oriented approach for reuse of explicit knowledge in computational optimisation of steel structures.

During the design process, structural engineers are required to create more efficient designs while achieving maximum integration with other disciplines, satisfying design requirements and ensuring sufficient safety. Even though many algorithms, tools and case studies of computational optimisations for structural design are available in both...

Cellular beam-columns in portal frame structures

Theoretical and numerical research into the application of cellular beam-column members in portal frame structures. Two failure mechanisms requiring additional research if cellular beams are to be applied as column members, have been investigated: 1) member flexural buckling, and 2) local web-post buckling. The flexural buckling behaviour of...