Economic aspects of using steel framed buildings with composite floors: case studies from United Arab Emirates

Abstract

This paper is aimed at emphasising the advantages of structural steel in general and composite floor construction in particular. It is typical of engineers in developing countries, such as those in the Middle East, Gulf and Far East, to look at the cost of materials on a one to one basis. That is to say, compare a concrete beam with a steel beam. However, often what really matter are the overall project cost and the lifetime cost of structures. The two case studies included from United Arab Emirates (UAE) provide some facts about advantages and economies of using the composite floor construction. Also, it shows that the initial cost of individual material or elements of a structure is not the best way in determining the overall life-time cost of structures.