• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.559-571
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• 2018

In current engineering practice, circular concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns have been used as effective structural components due to their significant structural and economic benefits. To apply these structural components into steel-concrete composite moment resisting frames, increasing number of research into the column-base connections of circular CFST columns have been found. However, most of the previous research focused on the strength, rigidity and seismic resisting performance of the circular CFST column-base connections. The present paper attempts to investigate the demountability of bolted circular CFST column-base connections using the finite element method. The developed finite element models take into account the effects of material and geometric nonlinearities; the accuracy of proposed models is validated through comparison against independent experimental results. The mechanical performance of CFST column-base connections with both permanent and demountable design details are compared with the developed finite element models. Parametric studies are further carried out to examine the effects of design parameters on the behaviour of demountable circular CFST column-base connections. Moreover, the initial stiffness and moment capacity of such demountable connections are compared with the existing codes of practice. The comparison results indicate that an improved prediction method of the initial stiffness for these connections should be developed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.615-627
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• 2019

This paper aims to study the compressive behavior of circular hollow and concrete-filled steel tubular stub columns under simulated marine atmospheric corrosion. The specimens after salt spray corrosion were tested under axial compressive load. Steel grade and corrosion level were mainly considered in the study. The mechanical behavior of circular CFST specimens is compared with that of the corresponding hollow ones. Design methods for circular hollow and concrete-filled steel tubular stub columns are modified to consider the effect of marine atmospheric corrosion. The results show that linear fitting curves could be used to present the relationship between corrosion rate and the mechanical properties of steel after simulated marine atmospheric corrosion. The ultimate strength of hollow steel tubular and CFST columns decrease with the increase of corrosion rate while the ultimate displacement of those are hardly affected by corrosion rate. Increasing corrosion rate would change the failure of CFST stub column from ductile failure to brittle failure. Corrosion rate would decrease the ductility indexes of CFST columns, rather than those of hollow steel tubular columns. The confinement factor ${\xi}$ of CFST columns decreases with the increase of corrosion rate while the ratio between test value and nominal value shows an opposite trend. With considering marine atmospheric corrosion, the predicted axial strength of hollow steel tubular and CFST columns by Chinese standard agree well with the tested values while the predictions by Japanese standard seem conservative.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.533-546
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• 2023

Cost-effective solutions provided by composite construction are gaining popularity which, in turn, promotes the appearance on the market of new types of composite sections that allow not only to take advantage of the synergy of steel and concrete working together at room temperature, but also to improve their behaviour at high temperatures. When combined with high performance materials, significant load-bearing capacities can be achieved even with reduced cross-sectional dimensions. Steel-reinforced concrete-filled steel tubular (SR-CFST) columns are one of these innovative composite sections, where an open steel profile is embedded into a CFST section. Besides the renowned benefits of these typologies at room temperature, the fire protection offered by the surrounding concrete to the inner steel profile, gives them an enhanced fire performance which delays its loss of mechanical capacity in a fire scenario. The experimental evidence on the fire behaviour of SR-CFST columns is still scarce, particularly when combined with high performance materials. However, it is being much needed for the development of specific design provisions that consider the use of the inner steel profile in CFST columns. In this work, a new experimental program on the thermo-mechanical behaviour of SR-CFST columns is presented to extend the available experimental database. Ten SR-CFST stub columns, with circular and square geometries, combining high strength steel and concrete were tested. It was seen that the circular specimens reached higher failure times than the square columns, with the failure time increasing both when high strength steel was used at the embedded steel profile and high strength concrete was used as infill. Finally, different proposals for the reduction coefficients of high performance materials were assessed in the prediction of the cross-sectional fire resistance of the SR-CFST columns.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.517-527
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• 2017

In this paper, the effect of active confinement on the compressive behaviour of circular steel tube-confined concrete (STCC) and concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns is investigated. In STCC columns the axial load is only applied to the concrete core, while in CFST columns the load is carried by the whole composite section. A new method is introduced to apply confining pressure on fresh concrete by laterally prestressing steel tubes. In order to achieve different prestressing levels, short-term and long-term pressures are applied to the fresh concrete. Three groups of STCC and CFST specimens (passive, S-active and L-active groups) are tested under axial loads. The results including stress-strain relationships of composite column components, secant modulus of elasticity, and volumetric strain are presented and discussed. Based on the elastic-plastic theory, the behaviour of the steel tube is also analyzed during elastic, yielding, and strain hardening stages. The results show that using the proposed prestressing method can considerably improve the compressive behaviour of both STCC and CFST specimens, while increasing the prestressing level has insignificant effects. By applying prestressing, the linear range in the stress-strain curve of STCC specimens increases by almost twice as much, while the improvement is negligible in CFST specimens.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.527-539
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• 2018

The use of reinforced concrete (RC) shear wall with concrete filled steel tube (CFST) columns and steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) shear wall has aroused widespread attention in recent years. A new shear wall, named SFRC shear wall with CFST columns, is proposed in this paper, which makes use of CFST column and SFRC shear wall. Six SFRC shear wall with CFST columns specimens were tested under cyclic loading. The effects of test parameters including steel fiber volume fraction and concrete strength on the failure mode, strength, ductility, rigidity and dissipated energy of shear wall specimens were investigated. The results showed that all tested shear wall specimens exhibited a distinct shear failure mode. Steel fibers could effectively control the crack width and improve the distribution of cracks. The load carrying and energy dissipation capacities of specimens increased with the increase of steel fiber volume fraction and concrete strength, whilst the ductility of specimens increased with the increase of steel fiber volume fraction and the decrease of concrete strength.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.805-827
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• 2016

A new type of precast CFST column to RC beam braced frame is proposed in this paper. A series of shake table tests were conducted to excite a one-third scale six-story model for investigating the global seismic performance of this type of structure against earthquake actions. Particular emphasis was given to its dynamic property, global seismic responses and failure path. Correspondingly, a numerical model built on the basis of fiber-beam-element model, multi-layer shell model and element-deactivation method was developed to simulate the seismic performance of the prototype structure. Numerical results were compared with the measured values from shake table tests to verify the validity and reliability of the numerical model. The results demonstrated that the proposed novel precast CFST column to RC beam braced frame performs excellently under strong earthquake excitations; the "strong CFST column-weak RC beam" and "strong connection-weak member" anti-seismic design principles can be easily achieved; the maximum deflections of precast CFSTC-RCB braced frame satisfied the deflection limitations proposed in national code; the numerical model can properly simulate the dynamic property and responses of the precast CFSTC-RCB braced frame that are highly concerned in engineering practice.

• Interaction and multiscale mechanics
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.91-104
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• 2012

There is relatively little numerical study on the behavior of eccentrically loaded high strength rectangular concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) slender beam-columns with large depth-to-thickness ratios, which may undergo local and global buckling. This paper presents a multiscale numerical model for simulating the interaction local and global buckling behavior of high strength thin-walled rectangular CFST slender beam-columns under eccentric loading. The effects of progressive local buckling are taken into account in the mesoscale model based on fiber element formulations. Computational algorithms based on the M$\ddot{u}$ller's method are developed to obtain complete load-deflection responses of CFST slender beam-columns at the macroscale level. Performance indices are proposed to quantify the performance of CFST slender beam-columns. The accuracy of the multiscale numerical model is examined by comparisons of computer solutions with existing experimental results. The numerical model is utilized to investigate the effects of concrete compressive strength, depth-to-thickness ratio, loading eccentricity ratio and column slenderness ratio on the performance indices. The multiscale numerical model is shown to be accurate and efficient for predicting the interaction buckling behavior of high strength thin-walled CFST slender beam-columns.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.521-536
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• 2019

The mechanical response of concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns subjected to pure compression or uniaxial bending was studied in depth over the last decades. However, the available research results on CFST columns under biaxial bending are still scarce and the lack of experimental tests for this loading situation is evident. At the same time, the design provisions in Eurocode 4 Part 1.1 for verifying the stability of CFST columns under biaxial bending make use of a simplistic interaction curve, which needs to be revised. This paper presents the outcome of a numerical investigation on slender CFST columns subjected to biaxial bending. Eccentricities differing in minor and major axis, as well as varying end moment ratios are considered in the numerical model. A parametric study is conducted for assessing the current design guidelines of EN1994-1-1. Different aspect ratios, member slenderness, reinforcement ratios and load eccentricities are studied, covering both constant and variable bending moment distribution. The numerical results are subsequently compared to the design provisions of EN1994-1- 1, showing that the current interaction equation results overly conservative. An alternative interaction equation is developed by the authors, leading to a more accurate yet conservative proposal.

• International journal of steel structures
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1577-1588
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• 2018

As the excellent mechanical performance and easy construction of concrete filled steel tubes (CFST) composite structure, it has the potential to be used to strengthen RC pier columns. Therefore, tests were conducted on 2 reinforcement concrete (RC) stub columns and 9 RC columns strengthened with circular CFST under axial loading. The test results show that the circular CFST strengthening method is effective since the mean bearing capacity of the RC columns is increased at least 3.69 times and the ductility index is significantly improved more than 30%. One of the reasons for enhancement is obvious confinement provided by steel tube besides the additional bearing capacity supplied by the strengthening materials. From the analysis of the enhancement ratio, the strengthening structure has at least an extra 20% amplification except for taking full advantage of the strength of the strengthening material. Through the analysis of confining stress provided by steel tube and the stress-strain relationship of confined concrete, it is found that the strength of the core concrete can be increased by 21-33% and the ultimate strain can be enhanced to beyond $15,000{\mu}{\varepsilon}$.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.119-139
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• 2022

This paper aims to use the artificial intelligence approach to develop a new model for predicting the ultimate axial strength of the circular concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) stub columns. For this, the results of 314 experimentally tested circular CFST stub columns were employed in the generation of the design model. Since the influence of the column diameter, steel tube thickness, concrete compressive strength, steel tube yield strength, and column length on the ultimate axial strengths of columns were investigated in these experimental studies, here, in the development of the design model, these variables were taken into account as input parameters. The model was developed using the backpropagation algorithm named Bayesian Regularization. The accuracy, reliability, and consistency of the developed model were evaluated statistically, and also the design formulae given in the codes (EC4, ACI, AS, AIJ, and AISC) and the previous empirical formulations proposed by other researchers were used for the validation and comparison purposes. Based on this evaluation, it can be expressed that the developed design model has a strong and reliable prediction performance with a considerably high coefficient of determination (R-squared) value of 0.9994 and a low average percent error of 4.61. Besides, the sensitivity of the developed model was also monitored in terms of dimensional properties of columns and mechanical characteristics of materials. As a consequence, it can be stated that for the design of the ultimate axial capacity of the circular CFST stub columns, a novel artificial intelligence-based design model with a good and robust prediction performance was proposed herein.