• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.1227-1250
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• 2016

Most of the research work has been conducted on K-joints under static loading. Very limited information is available in consideration of fatigue strength of K-joints with concrete-filled chord. This paper aims to describe experimental and numerical investigations on stress concentration factors (SCFs) of concrete-filled circular chord and square braces K-joints under balanced axial loading. Experiment was conducted to study the hot spot stress distribution along the intersection of chord and braces in the two specimens with compacting concrete filled in the chord. The test results of stress distribution curves of two specimens were reported. SCFs of concrete-filled circular chord and square braces K-joints were lower than those of corresponding hollow circular chord and square brace K-joints. The corresponding finite element analysis was also conducted to simulate stress distribution along the brace and chord intersection region of joints. It was achieved that experimental and finite element analysis results had good agreement. Therefore, an extensive parametric study was carried out by using the calibrated finite element model to evaluate the effects of main geometric parameters and concrete strength on the behavior of concrete-filled circular chord and square braces K-joints under balanced axial loading. The SCFs at the hot spot locations obtained from ABAQUS were compared with those calculated by using design formula given in the CIDECT for hollow SHS-SHS K-joints. CIDECT Design Guide was generally quite conservative for predicting SCFs of braces and was dangerous for predicting SCFs of chord in concrete-filled circular chord and square braces K-joints. Finally SCF formulae were proposed for circular chord and square braces K-joints with concrete-filled in the chord under balanced axial loading. It is shown that the SCFs calculated from the proposed design equation are generally in agreement with the values derived from finite element analysis, which were proved to be reliable and accurate.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.739-756
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• 2015

This paper presents investigations on the hysteretic behavior of concrete-filled circular tubular (CFCT) T-joints subjected to axial cyclic loading at brace end. In the experimental study, four specimens are fabricated and tested. The chord members of the tested specimens are filled with concrete along their full length and the braces are hollow section. Failure modes and load-displacement hysteretic curves of all the specimens obtained from experimental tests are given and discussed. Some indicators, in terms of stiffness deterioration, strength deterioration, ductility and energy dissipation, are analyzed to assess the seismic performance of CFCT joints. Test results indicate that the failures are primarily caused by crack cutting through the chord wall, convex deformation on the chord surface near brace/chord intersection and crushing of the core concrete. Hysteretic curves of all the specimens are plump, and no obvious pinching phenomenon is found. The energy dissipation result shows that the inelastic deformation is the main energy dissipation mechanism. It is also found from experimental results that the CFCT joints show clear and steady stiffness deterioration with the increase of displacement after yielding. However, all the specimens do not perform significant strength deterioration before failure. The effect of joint geometric parameters ${\beta}$ and ${\gamma}$ of the four specimens on hysteretic performance is also discussed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.455-465
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• 2017

This paper presents a series of ultimate and fatigue experimental investigation on concrete-filled rectangular hollow section (CRHS) X joints with Perfobond Leister rib (PBR) under tension. A total of 15 specimens were fabricated, in which 12 specimens were tested under ultimate tension and 3 specimens were investigated in fatigue test. Different parameters including PBR stiffening, brace-to-chord ratio (${\beta}$) and inclined angle (${\theta}$) were considered in the test. Each joint was tested to failure under tension load. Obtained from test result, PBR was found to improve the tension strength and fatigue durability of CRHS joint substantially. Concrete dowel consisted by PBR and concrete inside the chord stiffened the joint, which leaded to a combination failure mode of punching shear and chord plastification of CRHS joint under tension. Finite element analysis validated the compound failure mode. Stress concentration on typical spot of CRHS joint was mitigated by PBR which was observed from fatigue test. Initial fatigue crack presented in CRHS joint with PBR also differentiated with the counterpart without PBR.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.667-679
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• 2023

Concrete filled rectangular steel tubular (CFRST) composite truss girder is composed of the CFRST truss and concrete slab. The failure mechanism of the girder was different under bending and shear failure modes. The bending and shear strength of the girder were investigated experimentally. The influences of composite effect and shear to span ratio on failure modes of the girder was studied. Results indicated that the top chord and the joint of the truss were strengthened by the composited effect. The failure modes of the specimens were changed from the joint on top chord to the bottom chord. However, the composite effect had limited effect on the failure modes of the girder with small shear to span ratio. The concrete slab and top chord can be regarded as the composite top chord. In this case, the axial force distribution of the girder was close to the pin-jointed truss model. An approach of strength prediction was proposed which can take the composite effect and shear to span ratio into account. The approach gave accurate predictions on the strength of CFRST composite truss girder under different bending and shear failure modes.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.1511-1529
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• 2015

This article provides an analysis of the complex character of stress distribution in concrete in stub columns consisting of two HE160A steel sections held together with batten plates and filled with concrete. In such columns, evaluating the effect of concrete confinement and determining the extent of this confinement constitute a substantially complex problem. The issue was considered in close correspondence to rectangular cross section tubular elements filled with concrete, concrete-encased columns, as well as to steel-concrete columns in which reinforcement bars are connected with shackles. In the analysis of concrete confinement in two-chord columns, elements of computational methods developed for different types of composite cross sections were adopted. The achieved analytical results were compared with calculations based on test results.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.203-216
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• 2016

To study the stress concentration factors (SCFs) of concrete-filled tubular Y-joints subject to in-plane bending, experiments were used to investigate the hot spot stress distribution along the intersection between chord and brace. Three concrete-filled tubular chords forming Y-joints were tested with different reinforcing components, including doubler-plate, sleeve, and haunch-plate reinforcement. In addition, an unreinforced joint was also tested for comparison. Test results indicate that the three different forms of reinforcement effectively reduce the peak SCFs compared with the unreinforced joint. The current research suggests that the linear extrapolation method can be used for chords, whereas the quadratic extrapolation method must be used for braces. The SCF is effectively reduced and more evenly distributed when the value of the axial compression ratio in the chord is increased. Furthermore, the SCFs obtained from the test results were compared to predictions from some well-established SCF equations. Generally, the predictions from those equations are very consistent for braces, but very conservative for concrete-filled chords.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1045-1062
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• 2015

Concrete-filled circular t steel tubular joints (CFSTJs) in practice are frequently subjected to fluctuated loadings caused by wind, earthquake and so on. As fatigue crack is sensitive to such cyclic loadings, assessment on performance of CFSTJs with crack-like defect attracts more concerns because both high stress concentration at the brace/chord intersection and welding residual stresses along weld toe cause the materials in the region around the intersection to be more brittle. Once crack initiates and propagates along the weld toe, tri-axial stresses in high gradient around the crack front exist, which may bring brittle fracture failure. Additionally, the stiffness and the load carrying capacity of the CFSTJs with crack may decrease due to the weakened connection at the intersection. To study the behaviour of CFSTJs with initial crack, experimental tests have been carried out on three full-scale CFCST T-joints with same configuration. The three specimens include one uncracked joint and two corresponding cracked joints. Load-displacement and load-deformation curves, failure mode and crack propagation are obtained from the experiment measurement. According to the experimental results, it can be found that he load carrying capacity of the cracked joints is decreased by more than 10% compared with the uncracked joint. The effect of crack depth on the load carrying capacity of CFCST T-joints seems to be slight. The failure mode of the cracked CFCST T-joints represents as plastic yielding rather than brittle fracture through experimental observation.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.2A
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• pp.149-159
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• 2010

This paper presents an experimental study on the structural behavior of composite CFT truss girder bridge with full depth precast panels. The length of span is 20,000 mm. The CFT truss girder is a tubular truss composed of chord members made of concrete-filled and hollow circular tubes. To determine fundamental structural characteristics such as the strength and deformation properties of composite CFT truss girder bridge, static and dynamic tests were conducted. The natural frequencies calculated by the FEM are in good agreement with experimental results obtained from dynamic test. Bracing have only a small effect on the natural frequencies of composite CFT truss girder bridge as indicated by the FEM results. The yield strength and deformation of the composite CFT truss girder bridges were investigated through a static bending test. Besides, the test results showed that uniform distribution of shear connectors can be applicable in composite CFT truss girder bridges.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.4A
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• pp.315-327
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• 2009

In this study, the static test of CFT truss girders for different f/L ratios was conducted to determine how the ultimate strength of the CFT truss girder was affected by different f/L ratios. A total of two CFT truss girders were constructed and tested under bending condition. The length of all specimens is 20,000 mm. The CFT truss girder is a tubular truss composed of chord members made of concrete-filled circular tubes. The main parameter analyzed in the experimental study was the f/L ratio. This factor was experimentally investigated to assess their influence on ultimate strength and stiffness. The test results show that CFT truss girder has good elastic-plastic property and ductility. The presence of the f/L ratios in CFT truss girders alters its ultimate strength because of the global stiffness of the CFT truss girders. The ultimate strength of CFT truss girders increases as the f/L ratio increases. If the f/L ratio of the CFT truss girders increases twofold, the ultimate strengths increase by 80%. The CFT truss girders showed that they retained large deformation capacity, even after reaching the ultimate strength. Results of this investigation demonstrated the potential for efficiently using a CFT truss as a bridge girder.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.6A
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• pp.625-639
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• 2009

Experimental and analytical studies are performed on the mechanical behavior of concrete-filled tubular(CFT) truss girders for different f/L ratios. Bending tests are conducted on two CFT truss girder specimens to determine fundamental structural characteristics such as the strength and deformation properties. Nonlinear material models for CFT members subjected to an axial compressive force are compared in this paper by using the nonlinear finite element program, ABAQUS. Previous researchers have proposed several nonlinear stress-strain models of confined concrete. In this study, the nonlinear analyses are performed applying several stress-strain models for confined concrete proposed by Mander, Sakino, Han, Susantha and Ellobody, and the results are compared with the experimental results in terms of load-deflection and load-strain relationships. Based on the comparisons of the load-deflection relationships, the models proposed by Mander and Susantha provide a maximum load about 12.0~13.8% higher and that by Sakino gives a maximum load about 7.6% higher than the experimental results. The models proposed by Han and Ellobody give a maximum load only about 0.2~1.2% higher than the test results, showing the best agreement among the proposed stress-strain models. However, the load-strain relations predicted by the existing models generally provide conservative results exhibiting larger strains than the experimental data.