• 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.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.71-84
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• 2001

The objective of this paper is to develop a simplified method that could predict the strength of concrete filled steel tube (CFT) columns applicable to high strength material under combined axial compression and flexure. The simplified method for determining the strength of CFT columns is based on the interaction curve of the section approached by a polygonal connection of the points. These points are determined by using symmetrical properties of the CFT section. For each point, a simple equation is proposed to determine the strength of the slender columns under compression and flexure. The simple equation was adjusted with results of elasto-plastic analysis results. Validation of the simplified method is undertaken by comparison with data from the test conducted at Kyushu University. These results confirm the fact that the simplified method could accurately and reliably predict the strength of CFT columns under combined axial compression and flexure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.309-322
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• 2017

This paper conducted both numerical and theoretical studies to investigate the composite action of notched circular concrete-filled steel tubular (CFT) stub columns under axial compression and established a theoretical method to predict their ultimate bearing capacity. 3D finite element (FE) analysis was conducted to simulate the composite action and the results were in good agreement with experimental results on circular CFT stub columns with differently oriented notches in steel tubes. Parametric study was conducted to understand the effects of different parameters on the mechanical behavior of circular CFT stub columns and also the composite action between the steel tube and the core concrete. Based on the results, a theoretical formula was proposed to calculate the ultimate bearing capacity of notched CFT stub columns under compression with consideration of the composite action between the steel tube and the core concrete.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.163-176
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• 2001

Two 12 m high tubular steel lighting columns have been instrumented to determine the wind-induced fatigue loading experienced by such columns. Each column supported a single luminaire mounted on a 0.5 m long bracket. One column was planted in soil, and the other bolted through a welded baseplate to a substantial concrete base. The columns were strain gauged just above the shoulder weld which connected the main shaft to the larger base tube. Forced vibration tests were undertaken to determine the natural frequencies and damping of the columns. Extensive recordings were made of response to winds with speeds from 4 m/s to 17 m/s. Selected records were analysed to obtain stress cycle counts and fatigue lives. Mean drag coefficients were also derived from the strain data to investigate experimentally the effect of Reynolds Number.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.88 no.3
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• pp.287-299
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• 2023

This article describes experimental and numerical analyses of eccentrically loaded over the axially loaded circular concrete filled double-skinned steel tubular (CFDST) short columns. Tests on circular CFDST short columns under eccentric and concentric loading were conducted to assess their responses to the frequent intensity of 5-30 mm at the interval of each 5 mm eccentric loading conditions with constant cross-sectional proportions and width-to-thickness ratios of the outside and internal tubes. The non-linear finite-element analysis of circular CFDST short columns of eccentrically loaded over the axially loaded was performed using the ABAQUS to predict the structural behavior and compare the concentric loading capacity over the various eccentric loading conditions. The comparison outcomes show that the axial compressive strength of the circular CDFST short columns was 2.38-32.86%, lesser than the concentrically loaded short column with the inner circular section. Also, the influence of computer simulation employed is more efficient in forecasting the experimentally examined performance of circular CFDST stub columns.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.431-445
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• 2022

A double-skinned composite tubular (DSCT) column, which is an internally confined concrete-filled tubular column with a hollow section, has been developed for efficient use of materials that reduce self-weight and enhance seismic performance. It exhibits excellent material behavior with ductility owing to the confinement induced by outer and inner steel tubes. This study conducted axial compression tests considering the effects of steel tube thickness and hollow diameter ratios of DSCT columns on the material behavior of confined concrete under pure axial compression on concrete cores. From the axial compression tests, various combinations of outer and inner tube thicknesses and two different hollow section ratios were considered. Additionally, confined concrete material behavior, axial strength, failure modes, and ductility of DSCT columns were evaluated. Based on this study, it was concluded that the tests show a good correlation with peak strength and shapes of nonlinear stress-strain curves presented in literature; however, the thinner outer and inner steel tubes may reduce the ductility of DSCT columns when using thinner outer and inner tubes and higher confined stress levels. Finally, the minimum thickness requirements of the steel tubes for DSCT columns were discussed in terms of strength and ductility of test specimens.

• 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.4 no.1
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• pp.37-48
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• 2004

This paper deals with the strength and deformation of both short and slender concrete filled steel tubular columns under the combined actions of axial compression and bending moment. Sixteen specimens were tested to investigate the effect of fiber reinforced concrete on the ultimate strength and behavior of the composite column. The primary test parameters were load eccentricity and column slenderness. Companion tests were also undertaken on eight numbers of similar empty steel tubes to highlight the synergistic effects of composite column. The test results demonstrate the influence of fiber reinforced concrete on the strength and behavior of concrete filled steel tubular columns.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.727-743
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• 2015

According to former studies, the mechanical properties of reinforced concrete filled tubular steel (RCFT) columns differed greatly from that of concrete filled steel tubular (CFT) columns because of interaction of inserted reinforcement in RCFT. Employing an experiment-based verification policy, a general FE nonlinear analysis model was developed to analyze the mechanical behavior and failure mechanism of RCFT columns under uniaxial compression. The reasonable stress-strain relationships were suggested for confined concrete, reinforcements and steel tube in the model. The mechanism for shear failure of concrete core was found out in the numerical simulation, and a none-conventional method and equation for evaluating the confinement effect of RCFT were proposed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.82 no.5
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• pp.643-650
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• 2022

In this paper a novel mathematical model and its analytical solution of global buckling behaviour of slender elastic concrete-filled double-skin tubular (CFDST) columns with finite compliance between the steel tubes and a sandwiched concrete core is derived for the first time. The model is capable of investigating the influence of various basic parameters on critical buckling loads of CFDST columns. It is shown that the elastic buckling load of circular and slender CFDST columns is independent on longitudinal contact stiffness, but, on the other hand, it can be considerably dependent on circumferential contact stiffness. The increasing of the circumferential contact stiffness increases the critical buckling load. Furthermore, it is shown that analytical results can agree well with the experimental and numerical results if the calibrated values of circumferential contact stiffness are used in the calculations. Moreover, it is shown that the contact between the steel tubes and a sandwiched concrete core of tested large-scale CFDST columns used in the comparison is relatively weak. Finally, the proposed analytical results can be used as a benchmark solution.