Trends in steel structures concerning materials, codes and applications

Abstract

This paper gives an overview of recent trends in steel structures\u3cbr/\u3econcerning materials, codes and applications. There is a trend\u3cbr/\u3etowards using higher strength steel grades, and this asks for a\u3cbr/\u3edifferent approach to the design of steel structures. Also work\u3cbr/\u3eis underway for the next version of part 1-1 of Eurocode 3:\u3cbr/\u3eEN 1993-1-1 [1]. Many design rules need improvement and the\u3cbr/\u3eso-\u3cbr/\u3ecalled ‘systematic review’ yielded topics that need to be considered.\u3cbr/\u3eAmendments for EN 1993-1-1 were accepted already by\u3cbr/\u3ethe committee responsible for Eurocode 3, i. e. CEN/TC250/SC3,\u3cbr/\u3eled very effectively by Prof. Ulrike Kuhlmann. The paper gives an\u3cbr/\u3eimpression of some of these amendments. The scope of the\u3cbr/\u3edesign\u3cbr/\u3erules will be extended, amongst others by including highstrength\u3cbr/\u3esteel grades. Apart from trends in materials and codes,\u3cbr/\u3ealso trends can be observed regarding the applications of steel\u3cbr/\u3estructures. Of course these trends in materials, codes and applications\u3cbr/\u3emutually influence each other