Composite Steel Buildings

Composite construction is the dominant form of construction for the multi-storey building sector. This has been the case for over twenty years. Its success is due to the strength and stiffness that can be achieved, with minimum use of materials. The reason why composite construction is often so good can be expressed in one simple way - concrete is good in compression and steel is good in tension. By joining the two materials together structurally these strengths can be exploited to result in a highly efficient design.The reduced self-weight of composite elements has a knock-on effect by reducing the forces in those elements supporting them, including the foundations.