Introduction to Structural Aluminium Design

The aim of this book is to highlight the properties and applications of aluminium alloy members. But this is not limited to their strengths. It aims to identify not only their strengths but also their weaknesses and possible work- arounds. It is the author’s intention to give basic, but suffi cient, advice and information about the material itself, fabrication, structural design and corrosion concerns.

Working with aluminium elements in the construction industry for many years has shown that both engineers and architects have only ever manifested a slight interest in using aluminium as a structural material. Whilst the benefi ts of aluminium alloys have been utilized in the automotive and transport industry, in construction aluminium elements have been used mainly for curtain walling and in association with patent glazing. With structural strength properties close to steel, except for the lesser modulus of elasticity, and taking the special properties of aluminium alloys into account, it should be possible to make better use of this excellent material.

This book aims to present a range of subjects associated with the structural design of aluminium elements and to consider the main aspects such as the material itself, structural analysis, serviceability, element design and fatigue, all of which relate to the structural design of aluminium members.