Construction Stress Monitoring Using a Wireless Sensor Network to Evaluate Reuse Potential of Structural Steel

Published In

Journal of Structural Engineering

Document Type

Citation

Publication Date

12-2019

Abstract

Stresses in structural steel members of steel-framed buildings during construction are difficult to predict with certainty using conventional engineering methods. In order to inform current design practices and provide information to partially evaluate if a steel member can be reused after its service life, construction-induced strains in a typical building were recorded. Specifically, two columns and three Beams of a four-story steel-framed building were instrumented prior to delivery to the construction site using a wireless sensor network. Data were recorded for 48 days, while the structure was erected and the concrete deck poured, up to fireproofing the building. The data were analyzed considering dead load force effects during various construction phases, impacts, and temperatures. The analysis revealed high variations in temperature throughout the structure and consequently significant temperature-induced stresses as well as greater magnitudes of flexural stress in columns than expected. As a result, the recorded stresses differed by 1–120 MPa (0–18 ksi) compared to the theoretically predicted stresses. Yet, the maximum measured stress [160 MPa (23.2 ksi)] was only 46% of the nominal yield strength. Measured stresses were also used to calculate member forces, and the combined member forces resulted in a maximum of 55% of the yield limit. Thus, the results validated current design practices and the possibility of reusing structural steel.

Description

©2019 American Society of Civil Engineers

DOI

10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0002384

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/30419

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