Reliable reuse of structural steel: Analysis of modelling and testing procedures

Circularity in the built environment will play a critical role in achieving European climate targets in the coming decades. Direct reuse of structural steel from dismantled buildings in new construction has great potential to contribute to the circular economy, as steel tends to be fabricated to standard section sizes and is often bolted, allowing for deconstruction. Currently, however, there is no singular protocol for the evaluation, testing, and design of reused components. This thesis combines new evaluation methods with a consideration of real results from current guidelines in order to present a framework for structural steel reuse that sees the product through its full life: from donor building, to constituent part, to future building. Specifically, it covers the pre-deconstruction audit, the testing and material property declaration requirements, and the design of reused steel with partial factors. It addresses the basic engineering requirements for reliable reuse of structural steel at each stage, while seeking opportunities for further improvements to the efficiency of the process and the product. The work puts into practice three methods for evaluating the structural adequacy of steel for reuse: historical research and modelling of the donor structure, statistical data analysis and reliability assessment, and an experimental campaign.