• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.375-388
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• 2019

This paper aims to investigate the axial load behavior and stability strength of square tubed steel-reinforced concrete (TSRC) columns. Unlike concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) column, the outer steel tube of a TSRC column is mainly used to provide confinement to the core concrete. Ten specimens were tested under axial compression, and the main test variables included length-to-width ratio (L/B) of the specimens, width-to-thickness ratio (B/t) of the steel tubes, and with or without stud shear connectors on the steel sections. The failure mode, ultimate strength and load-tube stress response of each specimen were summarized and analyzed. The test results indicated that the axial load carried by square tube due to friction and bond of the interface increased with the increase of L/B ratio, while the confinement effect of tube was just the opposite. Parametric studies were performed through ABAQUS based on the test results, and the feasibility of current design codes has also been examined. Finally, a method for calculating the ultimate strength of this composite column was proposed, in which the slenderness effect on the tube confinement was considered.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.411-422
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• 2019

Six shear-critical square tubed steel reinforced concrete (TSRC) columns using the high-strength concrete ($f_{cu,150}=86.6MPa$) were tested under constant axial and lateral cyclic loads. The height-to-depth ratio of the short column specimens was specified as 2.6, and the axial load ratio and the number of shear studs on the steel shape were considered as two main parameters. The shear failure mode of short square TSRC columns was observed from the test. The steel tube with diagonal stiffener plates provided effective confinement to the concrete core, while welding shear studs on the steel section appeared not significantly enhancing the seismic behavior of short square TRSC columns. Specimens with higher axial load ratio showed higher lateral stiffness and shear strength but worse ductility. A modified ACI design method is proposed to calculate the nominal shear strength, which agrees well with the test database containing ten short square TSRC columns with shear failure mode from this study and other related literature.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.453-464
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• 2017

The square tubed-reinforced concrete (TRC) column is a kind of special concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns, in which the outer thin-walled steel tube does not pass through the beam-column joint, so that the longitudinal steel reinforcing bars in the RC beam are continuous through the connection zone. However, there is a possible decrease of the axial bearing capacity at the TRC column to RC beam connection due to the discontinuity of the column tube, which is a concern to engineers. 24 connections and 7 square TRC columns were tested under axial compression. The primary parameters considered in the tests are: (1) connection location (corner, exterior and interior); (2) dimensions of RC beam cross section; (3) RC beam type (with or without horizontal haunches); (4) tube type (with or without stiffening ribs). The test results show that all specimens have relatively high load-carrying capacity and satisfactory ductility. With a proper design, the connections exhibit higher axial resistance and better ductility performance than the TRC column. The feasibility of this type of connections is verified.