• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.645-661
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• 2023

Concrete-filled steel tubular columns with double inner steel tubes (CFST-DIST) are a novel type of composite members developed from conventional concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns. This paper investigates the structural performance of circular CFST-DIST stub columns using nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis. A numerical model was developed and verified against existing experimental test results. The validated model was then used to compare circular CFST-DIST stub columns' behavior with their concrete-filled double skin steel tubular (CFDST) and CFST counterparts. A parametric study was performed to ascertain the effects of geometric and material properties on the axial performance of CFST-DISTs. The FE results and the available test data were used to assess the accuracy of the European and American design regulations in predicting the axial compressive capacity of circular CFST-DIST stub columns. Finally, a new design model was recommended for estimating the compressive capacity of CFST-DISTs. Results clarified that circular CFST-DIST columns had the advantages of their CFST counterparts but with better ductility and strength-to-weight ratio. Besides, the investigated design codes led to conservative predictions of the compressive capacity of circular CFST-DIST columns.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.153-158
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• 2020

In this study, a numerical approach for evaluating the resisting capacity of a partial concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) column is introduced. By strengthening the plastic hinge part of a traditional reinforced concrete column with a steel tube, a partial CFST shows a similar bending moment capacity as that of a full CFST column but with reduced material cost. To conduct an elaborate numerical analysis of a partial CFST column, an improved bond-slip model is applied to a finite element (FE) model at the interface between the steel tube and in-filled concrete. This numerical model is verified through the results of a double curvature bending-compression test. A parametric study with the proposed numerical model is used to obtain the load moment interaction diagrams for evaluating the resisting capacity based on various dimensions. Finally, the required strengthening length is estimated for each degree of thickness of the steel tube, and the failure mechanism of the partial CFST column based on the dimensions of the steel tube are identified.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.111-129
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• 2015

This paper first presents an experimental study of twelve specimens for their creep performance, including nine concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns and three plain concrete columns, subjected to three levels of sustained axial loads for 1710 days. Then, the creep strain curves are predicted from the existing creep models including the ACI 209 model, the MC 78 model, and the MC 90 model, and further a fitted creep model is obtained by experimental data. Finally, the creep effects of a CFST arch bridge are analyzed to compare the accuracy of the existing creep models. The experimental results show that the creep strains in CFST specimens are far less than in the plain concrete specimens and still increase after two years. The ACI 209 model outperforms the MC 78 model and the MC 90 model when predicting the creep behavior of the CFST specimens. Analysis results indicate that the creep effects in the CFST arch bridge are significant. The deflections and stresses calculated by the ACI 209 model are the closest to the fitted model in the three existing models, demonstrating that the ACI 209 model can be used for creep analysis of CFST arch bridges and can meet the engineering accuracy requirement when lack of experimental data.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.82 no.2
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• pp.173-189
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• 2022

This study presents an experimental and numerically study about the effects of fiber reinforcement ratio on the behavior of concrete-filled steel tubes (CFST) under dynamic impact loading. In literature have examined the behavior of GFRP and FRP wrapped strengthened CFST elements impact loads. However, since the direction of potential impact force isn't too exact, there is always the probability of not being matched the impact force of the area where the reinforced. Therefore, instead of the fiber textile wrapping method which strengthens only a particular area of CFST element, we used fiber-added concrete-filled elements which allow strengthening the whole element. Thus, the effect of fiber-addition in concrete on the behavior of CFST elements under impact loads was examined. To do so, six simply supported CFST beams were constructed with none fiber, 2% fiber and 10% fiber reinforcement ratio on the concrete part of the CFST beam. CFST beams were examined under two different impact loads (75 kg and 225 kg). The impactors hit the beam from a 2000 mm free fall during the experimental study. Numerical models of the specimens were created using ABAQUS finite element software and validated with experimental data. The obtained results such as; mid-span displacement, acceleration, failure modes and energies from experimental and numerical studies were compared and discussed. Furthermore, the Von Misses stress distribution of the CFST beams with different ratio of fiber reinforcements were investigated numerically. To sum up, there is an optimum amount limit of the fiber reinforcement on CFST beams. Up to this limit, the fiber reinforcement increases the structural performances of the beam, beyond that limit the fiber reinforcement decreases the performances of the CFST beam under transverse impact loadings.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.445-460
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• 2021

This study experimentally explored the behaviour of 12 concrete filled steel tube (CFST) and steel tube columns subjected to lateral cyclic loading. The L/D ratio was 12.3 while D/t ratios were 45.4, 37.8 and 32.4, classifying these 12 specimens into 3 groups. Each group included 3 CFST and 1 steel tube columns and were tested to failure. The experimental results indicated that CFST specimens reached the state of 'collapse prevention' (drift 4%) prior to the occurrence of local buckling. Strength degradation of CFST specimens did not occur up to the failure by buckling. This showed the favourable characteristic of CFST columns in preventing collapse of structures subjected to earthquakes. The high energy absorption capability in the post collapse limit state was appropriate for dissipating energy in structures. Compared to steel tube columns, CFST columns delayed local buckling and prevented inward buckling. Consequently, CFST columns exhibited their outstanding seismic performance in terms of the increased ultimate resistance, capacity to sustain 2-3 additional load cycles and significantly higher drift. A simple and reasonably accurate model was proposed to predict the ultimate strength of CFST columns under lateral cyclic loading.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.93-109
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• 2020

Developed from conventional concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) members, concrete-encased CFST has attracted growing attention in building and bridge practices. In actual construction, the inner CFST is erected prior to the casting of the outer reinforced concrete part to support the construction preload, after which the whole composite member is under sustained service load. The complex loading sequence leads to highly nonlinear material interaction and consequently complicated structural performance. This paper studies the full-range behaviour of concrete-encased CFST columns with initial preload on inner CFST followed by sustained service load over the whole composite section. Validated against the reported data obtained from specifically designed tests, a finite element analysis model is developed to investigate the detailed structural behaviour in terms of ultimate strength, load distribution, material interaction and strain development. Parametric analysis is then carried out to evaluate the impact of significant factors on the structural behaviour of the composite columns. Finally, a simplified design method for estimating the sectional capacity of concrete-encased CFST is proposed, with the combined influences of construction preload and sustained service load being taken into account. The feasibility of the developed method is validated against both the test data and the simulation results.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.379-397
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• 2016

Due to creep and shrinkage of the concrete core, concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) arches continue to deform in the long-term under sustained loads. This paper presents analytical investigations of the effects of geometric nonlinearity on the long-term in-plane structural performance and stability of three-pinned CFST circular arches under a sustained uniform radial load. Non-linear long-term analysis is conducted and compared with its linear counterpart. It is found that the linear analysis predicts long-term increases of deformations of the CFST arches, but does not predict any long-term changes of the internal actions. However, non-linear analysis predicts not only more significant long-term increases of deformations, but also significant long-term increases of internal actions under the same sustained load. As a result, a three-pinned CFST arch satisfying the serviceability limit state predicted by the linear analysis may violate the serviceability requirement when its geometric nonlinearity is considered. It is also shown that the geometric nonlinearity greatly reduces the long-term in-plane stability of three-pinned CFST arches under the sustained load. A three-pinned CFST arch satisfying the stability limit state predicted by linear analysis in the long-term may lose its stability because of its geometric nonlinearity. Hence, non-linear analysis is needed for correctly predicting the long-term structural behaviour and stability of three-pinned CFST arches under the sustained load. The non-linear long-term behaviour and stability of three-pinned CFST arches are compared with those of two-pinned counterparts. The linear and non-linear analyses for the long-term behaviour and stability are validated by the finite element method.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.409-421
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• 2012

Recently, as the height of building is getting higher, the applications of CFST column for high-rise buildings have been increased. In structural system of high-rise building, The RC core and exterior concrete-filled tubular (CFST) column-beam pinned connection is one of the structural systems that support lateral load. If this structural system is used, due to the minimal CFST column thickness compared to that of the CFST column width, the local moment occurred by the eccentric distance between the column flange surface from shear bolts joints degrades the shear strength of the CFST column-beam pinned connections. This study performed a finite element analysis to investigate the shear strength under eccentric moment of the CFST column-beam pinned connections. The column's width and thickness were used as variables for the analysis. To guarantee the reliability of the finite element analysis, an actual-size specimens were fabricated and tested. The yield line theory was used to formulate an shear strength formula for the CFT column-beam pinned connection. the shear strength formula was suggested through comparison on the results of FEM analysis, test and yield lime theory, the shear strength formula was suggested.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.659-667
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• 2018

This paper deals with the experimental study on strength the strength and deformation characteristics of short circular Concrete Filled Steel Tube (CFST) columns. Effect of vertical stiffeners on the behavior of the column is studied under axial compressive loading. Intermittently welded vertical stiffeners are used to strengthen the tubes. Stiffeners are attached to the inner surface of tube by welding through pre drilled holes on the tube. The variable of the study is the spacing of the weld between stiffeners and circular tube. A total of 5 specimens with different weld spacing (60 mm, 75 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm and 350 mm) were prepared and tested. Short CFST columns of height 350 mm, outer tube diameter of 165 mm and thickness of 4.5 mm were used in the study. Concrete of cube compressive strength $41N/mm^2$ and steel tubes with yield strength $310N/mm^2$ are adopted. The test results indicate that the strength and deformation of the circular CFST column is found to be significantly influenced by the weld spacing. The ultimate axial load carrying capacity was found to increase by 11% when the spacing of weld is reduced from 350 mm to 60 mm. The vertical stiffeners are found to effective in enhancing the initial stiffness and ductility of CFST columns. The prediction models were developed for strength and deformation of CFST columns. The prediction is found to be in good agreement with the corresponding test data.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.171-183
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• 2019

As China's infrastructure continues to grow, concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) structures are attracting increasing interest for use in engineering applications in earthquake prone regions owing to their high section modulus, high strength, and good seismic performance. However, in a corrosive environment, the seismic resistance of the CFST columns may be affected to a certain extent. This study attempts to investigate the mechanical behaviours of square CFST members under both a cyclic load and an acid rain attack. First, the tensile mechanical properties of steel plates with various corrosion rates were tested. Second, a total of 12 columns with different corrosion rates were subjected to a reversed cyclic load and tested. Third, comparisons between the test results and the predicted ultimate strength by using four existing codes were carried out. It was found that the corrosion leads to an evident decrease in yield strength, elastic modulus, and tensile strain capacity of steel plates, and also to a noticeable deterioration in the ultimate strength, ductility, and energy dissipation of the CFST members. A larger axial force ratio leads to a more significant resulting deterioration of the seismic behaviour of the columns. In addition, the losses of both thickness and yield strength of an outer steel tube caused by corrosion should be taken into account when predicting the ultimate strength of corroded CFST columns.