Lattice Girder Elements - Investigation of Structural Behaviour and Performance Enhancements

In an ongoing research programme at Chalmers University of Technology, a study was made of the structural behaviour of lattice girder elements. The project was initiated by AB F\ue4rdig Betong and Thomas Concrete together with Chalmers as a response to the growing demand for improved construction methods for in-situ cast concrete structures. The study was based on experiments as well as numerical analyses. Its purpose was to gain knowledge of the structural behaviour and identify performance enhancements enabled by new materials. Through a deep understanding of the structural behaviour coupled with the possibilities to virtually investigate the effects of different material properties, new opportunities are available for an economical and safe way of introducing and using new materials. In the numerical analyses, four different types of concrete were investigated: a normal-strength concrete (C30), a fibre-reinforced normal-strength concrete (FRC30), a high-strength concrete (C80), and a fibre-reinforced high-strength concrete (FRC80). The results show that the structural behaviour of the lattice girder elements can be simulated and that, by changing the behaviour and properties of the concrete, both the peak load and the stiffness of the elements can be increased. For high-strength concrete an increased toughness seems to be important