• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.3 no.6
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• pp.889-910
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• 2012

Because of the heavy demand of confining steel to restore the column ductility in seismic regions, it is more efficient to confine these columns by hollow steel tube to form concrete-filled-steel-tube (CFST) column. Compared with transverse reinforcing steel, steel tube provides a stronger and more uniform confining pressure to the concrete core, and reduces the steel congestion problem for better concrete placing quality. However, a major shortcoming of CFST columns is the imperfect steel-concrete interface bonding occurred at the elastic stage as steel dilates more than concrete in compression. This adversely affects the confining effect and decrease the elastic modulus. To resolve the problem, it is proposed in this study to use external steel confinement in the forms of rings and ties to restrict the dilation of steel tube. For verification, a series of uni-axial compression test was performed on some CFST columns with external steel rings and ties. From the results, it was found that: (1) Both rings and ties improved the stiffness of the CFST columns and (2) the rings improve significantly the axial strength of the CFST columns while the ties did not improve the axial strength. Lastly, a theoretical model for predicting the axial strength of confined CFST columns will be developed.

• 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.38 no.6
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• pp.739-749
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• 2021

This paper introduces an improved design equation to evaluate the resisting capacity of circular reinforced concrete (RC) columns partially strengthened with outer steel tube. When RC column members are required to be strengthened according to the change in the loadings considered and/or the deterioration progress in columns, wrapping up RC column with steel circular tube, which takes the form of concrete filled steel tube (CFST), has been popularly considered because of its structural advantage induced from the confinement effect. However, the relatively high construction cost of steel tube is restricting its use to the required region, while deriving the shape of a partial CFST column. To evaluate the resisting capacity of a partial CFST column, numerical analyses need to be performed, and a numerical model proposed in the previous study for the numerical analysis of full CFST columns is used to conduct parametric studies for the introduction of a design equation. The bond-slip effect developed along the interface between the in-filled concrete and the exterior steel tube is taken into consideration and the validity of the numerical model has been established through correlation studies between experimental data and numerical results for partial CFST circular columns. Moreover, parametric studies make it possible to introduce a design equation for determining the optimum length of outer steel tube which produces partial CFST circular columns.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.587-606
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• 2012

Concrete-filled-steel-tubular (CFST) columns have been well proven to improve effectively the strength, stiffness and ductility of concrete members. However, the central part of concrete in CFST columns is not fully utilised under uni-axial compression, bending and torsion. It has small contribution to both flexural and torsion strength, while it can be replaced effectively by steel with smaller area to give similar load-carrying capacity. Also, the confining pressure in CFST columns builds up slowly because the initial elastic dilation of concrete is small before micro-crackings of concrete are developed. From these observations, it is convinced that the central concrete can be effectively replaced by another hollow steel tube with smaller area to form double-skinned concrete-filled-steel-tubular (CFDST) columns. In this study, a series of uni-axial compression tests were carried out on CFDST and CFST columns with and without external steel rings. From the test results, it was observed that on average that the stiffness and elastic strength of CFDST columns are about 25.8% and 33.4% respectively larger than CFST columns with similar equivalent area. The averaged axial load-carrying capacity of CFDST columns is 7.8% higher than CFST columns. Lastly, a theoretical model that takes into account the confining effects of steel tube and external rings for predicting the uni-axial load-carrying capacity of CFDST columns is developed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.89-102
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• 2023

This study investigates the eccentric performance of concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) stub columns strengthened with steel tube and sandwiched concrete (STSC) jackets. It was revealed that the STSC jacketing method effectively weakened the cracking of concrete in CFST columns on the convex side and the crash on the concave side. Substantial increases in the eccentric bearing capacities were demonstrated after strengthening. A numerical study was further conducted. The decrease in diameter-to-thickness ratio and increase in strength of outer tube contributed to increase in peak load of all components, whereas the increase in sandwiched concrete strength resulted in load increase on itself and had negligible effects on other components. The parametric study showed the effect of inner concrete strength on columns' bearing capacity was magnified after strengthening, whereas that of inner tube thickness was reduced. Within the parameters investigated, high-strength concrete and high-strength steel can be applied without the concern of early abrupt failure of inner low-strength concrete or steel tube.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.151-159
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• 2018

In order to reduce the deformation and delay the local buckling of concrete filled steel tube (CFST) columns, strengthening the structures with stiffeners is an effective method. In this paper, a new stiffening method with inclined stiffeners was used to investigate the behaviors of short CFST columns under axial compression. Besides, a three-dimensional nonlinear finite element (FE) model was applied to simulate the mechanical performances, including the total deformation, local buckling, and stress-strain relationship. Revised constitutive models of stiffened steel tube and confined concrete are proposed. A good agreement was achieved between the test and FE results. Furthermore, the calculated results of load capacity by using a simplified method also show a good correlation with experimental data.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.277-293
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• 2012

The interaction between steel tube and concrete core is the key design considerations for concrete-filled steel tube columns. In a concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) column, the steel tube provides confinement to the concrete core which permits the composite action among the steel tube and the concrete. Due to construction faults and plastic shrinkage of concrete, the debonding separation at the steel-concrete interface weakens the confinement effect, and hence affects the behaviour and bearing capacity of the composite member. This study investigates the axial loading behavior of the concrete filled circular steel tube columns with debonding separation. A three-dimensional nonlinear finite element model of CFST composite columns with introduced debonding gap was developed. The results from the finite element analysis captured successfully the experimental behaviours. The calibrated finite element models were then utilized to assess the influence of concrete strength, steel yield stress and the steel-concrete ratio on the debonding behaviour. The findings indicate a likely significant drop in the load carrying capacity with the increase of the size of the debonding gap. A design formula is proposed to reduce the load carrying capacity with the presence of debonding separation.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.19-38
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• 2009

The present paper provides test data to evaluate the seismic performance of recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) filled steel square hollow section (SHS) beam-columns. Fifteen specimens, including 12 RAC filled steel tubular (RACFST) columns and 3 reference conventional concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) columns, were tested under reversed cyclic flexural loading while subjected to constant axially compressive load. The test parameters include: (1) axial load level (n), from 0.05 to 0.47; and (2) recycled coarse aggregate replacement ratio (r), from 0 to 50%. It was found that, generally, the seismic performance of RACFST columns was similar to that of the reference conventional CFST columns, and RACFST columns exhibited high levels of bearing capacity and ductility. Comparisons are made with predicted RACFST beam-column bearing capacities and flexural stiffness using current design codes. A theoretical model for conventional CFST beam-columns is employed in this paper for square RACFST beam-columns. The predicted load versus deformation hysteretic curves are found to exhibit satisfactory agreement with test results.

• 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.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.527-552
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• 2014

The development of modern concrete technology makes it much easier to produce high-strength concrete (HSC) or ultra-high-strength concrete (UHSC) with high workability. However, the application of this concrete is limited in practical construction of traditional reinforced concrete (RC) structures due to low-ductility performance. To further push up the limit of the design concrete strength, concrete-filled-steel-tube (CFST) columns have been recommended considering its superior strength and ductility performance. However, the beneficial composite action cannot be fully developed at early elastic stage as steel dilates more than concrete and thereby reducing the elastic strength and stiffness of the CFST columns. To resolve this problem, external confinement in the form of steel rings is proposed in this study to restrict the lateral dilation of concrete and steel. In this paper, a total of 29 high-strength CFST (HSCFST) columns of various dimensions cast with concrete strength of 75 to 120 MPa concrete and installed with external steel rings were tested under uni-axial compression. From the results, it can be concluded that the proposed ring installation can further improve both strength and ductility of HSCFST columns by restricting the column dilation. Lastly, an analytical model calculating the uni-axial strength of ring-confined HSCFST columns is proposed and verified based on the Von-Mises and Mohr-Coulomb failure criteria for steel tube and in-filled concrete, respectively.