THE AIM OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO CREATE FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR WIDESPREAD RECOURSE TO MIXED CONCRETE-STEEL, RATHER THAN REINFORCED CONCRETE, CONSTRUCTION.

IT WILL THEREFORE INVOLVE DEVELOPING PRACTICAL AND REALISTIC TOOLS FOR SIZING STRUCTURES WITH REGARD TO THEIR FIRE RESISTANCE THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO FULLY EXPLOIT THE ADVANTAGES OFFERED BY MIXED CONSTRUCTION USING ROLLED H BEAMS.

THE RESEARCH PROGRAMME IS BASED ON THE INTENSIVE USE OF THE CEFICOSS THERMOMECHANICAL SOFTWARE DEVELOPED IN THE CONTEXT OF THE PRECEDING ECSC RESEARCH CONTRACT (NO. 7210-SA/502-SEE CS8/543).
A COHERENT SET OF SIZING TOOLS WILL BE DEVISED IN THE FORM OF TABLES, CHARTS AND-OR SIMPLIFIED FORMULAE FOR MIXED BEAMS AND COLUMNS BASED ON ROLLED H BEAMS.
TO THIS END, SOME HALF-DOZEN DIFFERENT MIXED SECTIONS WILL BE STUDIED PARAMETRICALLY, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION N-M INTERACTION IN THE CASE OF MIXED COLUMNS.