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Concept
Composite construction
Summary
Composite construction is a generic term to describe any building construction involving multiple dissimilar materials. Composite construction is often used in building aircraft, watercraft, and building construction. There are several reasons to use composite materials including increased strength, aesthetics, and environmental sustainability.
In structural engineering, composite construction exists when two different materials are bound together so strongly that they act together as a single unit from a structural point of view. When this occurs, it is called composite action. One common example involves steel beams supporting concrete floor slabs. If the beam is not connected firmly to the slab, then the slab transfers all of its weight to the beam and the slab contributes nothing to the load carrying capability of the beam. However, if the slab is connected positively to the beam with studs, then a portion of the slab can be assumed to act compositely with the beam. In effect, this composite creates a larger and stronger beam than would be provided by the steel beam alone. The structural engineer may calculate a transformed section as one step in analyzing the load carry capability of the composite beam.
In 19th-century shipbuilding, composite construction was the use of an iron hull framework which was covered in timber planking to provide the water-tight skin of the hull. If properly insulated fastenings were used on the timber, the underwater hull could be covered with copper sheathing without the problem of galvanic corrosion. Copper sheathing prevented fouling and teredo worm, but could not be used on iron hulls. The iron framework of composite ships was less bulky and lighter than timber, so allowing more cargo in a hull of the same external shape. The weight saving was particularly significant. The strength and stiffness allowed sailing vessels to be driven hard as the accumulated straining of the hull did not produce the leaks that would develop in the older wooden built ships.
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