ABSTRACT
The traditional life-cycle of a building usually follows a linear model from the extraction of the raw materials until the building is demolished and most of the materials become debris and go into landfill. This is in direct opposition with the concept of circular economy, where the products are re-used, remanufactured and recycled. In the frame of the research project “REDUCE” of the European Commission, a demountable and reusable construction system for steel-concrete composite structures has been recently developed. This system is based on the concept of modular construction and allows for the interchangeability of the building components offering a high level of flexibility. The research included the development and structural testing of novel demountable and adjustable structural solutions. This paper presents a general overview of the developed construction system and the corresponding laboratory tests as well as recommendations for the design and application of demountable and reusable composite structures.
