Investigation of the Energy Efficiency and CO2 Emission Characteristics of Pre-stressed Composite Beams

In this work, the energy efficiency and CO2 emission characteristics of a pre-stressed steel-framed reinforced concrete composite beam were investigated for application in high rise apartment buildings. The beam consisted of pre-cast and cast-in-place concrete with a structural T at the end section of the pre-cast concrete. As a result, CO2 emissions were significantly reduced by decreasing the quantity of steel. The composite beams were tested which demonstrated acceptable structural performance as flexural members. The measured flexible strengths of the pre-stressed composite beams were compared with the calculated flexural strengths based on the strain compatibility approach in the yield limit state and maximum load limit state. Good agreement between the experimental and analytical flexural capacities was observed. The application of the pre-stressed composite beams capable of enhancing energy efficiencies while decreasing CO2 emissions could provide a safe structure for a comfortable built environment and will be of great benefits to the welfare of a community as well. This work demonstrates that reduced CO2 emissions can be achieved by introducing pre-stressing in a concrete composite beam and by installing a structural T only at the end of the composite beam.