Enhancing Structural Stability: A Comprehensive Review of Composite Building Frames

Abstract

With the world’s population continually rising, the demand for tall multistorey structures has become imperative. Civil engineering designers face the challenge of ensuring structural safety, appropriate ventilation, and resistance to lateral forces such as seismic activity and wind pressure. Composite structures, comprising materials with complementary properties, offer a promising solution to this challenge. This paper reviews the literature on composite structures, focusing on their effectiveness in resisting lateral forces, particularly seismic loads. The study evaluates various research papers, highlighting the advantages of composite structures over traditional reinforced concrete (RCC) and steel structures. It discusses the economic viability of composite construction, especially in medium to high-rise buildings, and compares its performance with RCC and steel structures under seismic conditions. The results indicate composite structures exhibit enhanced stability and reduced seismic forces compared to RCC and steel structures.

Furthermore, they offer potential cost savings due to their lighter weight and efficient material usage. However, while the literature underscores the benefits of composite structures, it also identifies the need for further research into their design principles and cost-effectiveness. Despite this gap, the consensus among the reviewed studies is clear: composite structures present a compelling option for enhancing structural stability and mitigating the impact of lateral forces, particularly seismic activity. This paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing insights into the advantages of composite structures and highlighting avenues for future research and development in this field.