Inelastic behaviour of tubular column-to-flat slab connections

This paper is concerned with the behaviour of ductile shearheads for connecting reinforced concrete flat slabs to internal tubular steel columns. A novel detail is presented in which a gap is left around the column to enable the shearhead to yield in shear prior to the slab failing in punching shear. The proposed connection could serve as a primary lateral resisting system in low-rise buildings in regions of low to moderate seismicity or as a secondary system in areas of significant seismicity. Test results and numerical analyses are presented for a fully embedded ACI-type shearhead as well as the proposed partially embedded connection. The latter is shown to offer enhanced ductility compared with traditional forms. Experimental and numerical results are used to demonstrate the favourable inelastic performance of the proposed detail.     

Post-critical behavior of thin-walled composite beams

The nonlinear dynamic equations for axially compressed anisotropic thin-walled beams are discretized by means of Fourier expansion and Galerkin procedure obtaining a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. Based on these ordinary differential equations the buckling and initial post-buckling behavior is analysed. The formulas for initial post-buckling slope and curvature are derived. In the case where the compressed force is a harmonic function of time, the frequency range and amplitudes of the parametric resonance (instability) are calculated.     

Time-dependent behaviour of expansive concrete-filled steel tubular columns

Expansive concrete-filled steel tubes (ECFST) are commonly used in modern building and bridge applications. Despite their popularity, limited attention has been devoted to investigate the time-dependent behaviour of such elements. This paper intends to provide new experimental data for the benchmarking of numerical models. Particular attention is devoted to ECFST elements first loaded at quite early concrete ages, e.g. 5 days after concrete casting, to reflect the construction site practice. Eleven ECFST short columns were subjected to different levels of sustained axial loads applied at different concrete ages. Seven columns were then tested to failure to evaluate the long-term effects on their ultimate capacity. The accuracy of four currently available concrete models, EC2, MC90, AFREM and B3, in predicting the long-term response of ECFST elements was investigated based on the related experimental results. Investigation shows that the assumption of linear creep can apply to ECFST elements with initial concrete compressive stresses up to approximately 80% of the concrete strength, rather than the normally accepted upper limit of 40%-50%. During the service life, confinement does not affect the performance of ECFST elements. Model EC2 is adequate to predict the time-dependent response of ECFST elements.     

Experimental Study on hysteretic behaviour of tubular N-joints

Tubular joints are often adopted in CHS structures due to their simple and aesthetic appearance. The ultimate load carrying capacity of this kind of joint has received lots of attention in the past 30 years. However, little research work has been carried out on their hysteretic behavior. In this paper, the hysteretic behaviour of tubular N-joints was studied experimentally. Four specimens were built and tested under quasi-static cyclic loads. They are unstiffened tubular N-joint, doubler plate reinforced tubular N-joint, tubular N-joint with concrete filled chord member and doubler plate reinforced tubular N-joint with concrete filled chord member. The failure modes of the four specimens under cyclic loads were observed during the tests. The hysteretic curves obtained for all the four specimens are plump and stable. Based on the hysteretic curves, the ductility ratio and the energy dissipation ratio were evaluated and compared for the four specimens. The ultimate load carrying capacities of the specimens determined from their skeleton curves are also discussed and compared.     

An experimental behaviour of concrete-filled steel tubular columns

In this paper results of tests conducted on 27 concrete-filled steel tubular columns are reported. The test parameters were the column slenderness, the load eccentricity covering axially and eccentrically loaded columns with single or double curvature bending and the compressive strength of the concrete core. The test results demonstrate the influence of these parameters on the strength and behaviour of concrete-filled steel tubular columns. A comparison of experimental failure loads with the predicted failure loads in accordance with the method described in Eurocode 4 Part 1.1 showed good agreement for axially and eccentrically loaded columns with single curvature bending whereas for columns with double curvature bending the Eurocode loads were higher and on the unsafe side. More tests are needed for the case of double curvature bending.     

Hysteretic behaviour of tubular joints under cyclic loading

This paper examines the cyclic performance of CHS joints used in steel tubular structures. Quasi-static experimental study into the response of eight T-joint specimens is described. Four of them are subjected to cyclic axial load, and the other four are subjected to cyclic in-plane bending. The general test arrangement, specimen details, and most relevant results (failure modes and load-relative deformation hysteretical curves) are presented. Some indexes to assess the seismic performance of tubular joints, including strength, ductility and energy dissipation, are synthetically analyzed and compared. Test results show that failure modes of axially loaded joints mainly contain weld cracking in tension and chord plastification in compression. But for joints under cyclic in-plane bending, both punching shear and chord plastification become regular failure modes accompanied by ductile fracture of the welds. Hysteretic curves take on a plump form in general. Ultimate strengths of joints are also compared with equation values for monotonic loading from various design codes. Results indicate the strength at a certain deformation limit can be regarded as the ultimate strength of a T-joint under cyclic loading and existing codes can be used to check it. It is also found that there is a significant distinction in the energy dissipation mechanism for tubular joints under different loading conditions. Finite element analyses are performed by taking into account weld geometry to facilitate the interpretation of the test results. It is identified that high tensile stress triaxiality can be one primary cause of weld cracking which happened under low cyclic load level.     

内加劲环的设置对钢管节点性能的影响

本首先介绍了越南国家体育场鼓型钢管节点试验的有关情况．然后利用有限元计算比较了鼓型钢管节点在加劲和无加劲条件下的极限承载力和刚度，并通过若干算例比较了在不同内加劲环参数组合下X型钢管节点的极限承载力．结果表明，内加劲环可以提高钢管节点极限承载力和刚度．     

Experimental behaviour of concrete-filled stiffened thin-walled steel tubular columns

An experimental study on the structural behaviour of concrete-filled stiffened thin-walled steel tubular columns is presented in this paper. The stiffening was achieved by welding longitudinal stiffeners on the inner surfaces of the steel tubes. Companion tests were also undertaken on 12 unstiffened concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns, with or without steel fibres in the infill concrete. The test results showed that the local buckling of the tubes was effectively delayed by the stiffeners. The plate buckling initially occurred when the maximum load had almost reached for stiffened specimens, thus they had higher serviceability benefits compared to those of unstiffened ones. Some of the existing design codes were used to predict the load-carrying capacities of the tested composite columns.     

Experimental behaviour of high performance concrete-filled steel tubular columns

In recent years, the utilization of high performance concrete has been the interests of the structural engineers and researchers. As a high performance concrete, self-consolidating concrete (SCC) is a highly flowable concrete that can fill formwork without any mechanical vibration. SCC's unique property gives it significant economic, constructability and engineering advantages. The aim of this paper is thus an attempt to study the possibility of using thin-walled hollow structural steel (HSS) columns filled with very high strength SCC. Tests on 28 HSS columns filled with very high strength SCC were conducted, where the main parameters varied are: (1) section types, circular and square; (2) slenderness ratio, from 12 to 120; and (3) load eccentricity ratio, from 0 to 0.6. Comparisons are made with predicted column strengths using the existing codes such as AISC, EC4 and DBJ13-51-2003.     

Tests and behaviour of cold-formed stainless steel tubular X-joints

The paper presents a series of tests on cold-formed stainless steel tubular X-joints. The tubular X-joint specimens were tested without chord preload as well as with three different levels of preload applied to the chord members. The test specimens were fabricated from square and rectangular hollow sections as brace and chord members. A total of 32 tests was performed. High strength stainless steel (duplex and high strength austenitic) and normal strength stainless steel (AISI 304) specimens were tested. The test results were compared with the design strengths obtained using the CIDECT Guide and Eurocode for carbon steel structures. It is shown that the design strengths predicted by the current design specifications are very conservative for the test specimens calculated using the 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.5% and 1.0% proof stresses as the yield stresses. The 0.2% proof stress is comparatively more reasonable to predict the design strengths of stainless steel tubular X-joints for both ultimate limit state and serviceability limit state.     

Experimental behaviour of recycled aggregate concrete filled steel tubular columns

This paper describes a series of tests on steel tubular columns of circular and square section filled with normal concrete and recycled aggregate concrete. Thirty specimens, including 24 recycled aggregate concrete filled steel tubular (RACFST) columns and 6 normal concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) columns, were tested to investigate the influence of variations in the tube shape, circular or square, concrete type, normal concrete and recycled aggregate concrete, and load eccentricity ratio, from 0 to 0.53 on the performance of such composite columns. The test results show that both types of filled columns failed due to overall buckling. Comparisons are made with predicted ultimate strengths of RACFST columns using the existing codes, such as ACI 318-1999, AIJ-1997, AISC-LRFD-1999, BS5400-1979, DBJ13-51-2003 and EC4-1994. A theoretical model for normal CFST columns is adopted in this paper for RACFST columns. The predicted load versus deformation relationships are in good agreement with test results.     

Time-dependent in-plane behaviour and buckling of concrete-filled steel tubular arches

This paper presents a theoretical analysis for the time-dependent behaviour and buckling of concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) circular arches due to shrinkage and creep of the concrete core under a sustained uniform radial load. The algebraically tractable age-adjusted effective modulus method is used to model the time-dependent behaviour of the concrete core, based on which the differential equations of equilibrium for the time-dependent analysis of CFST arches are derived and analytical solutions for the long-term displacements, stresses and internal forces of CFST arches under the sustained load are obtained. It is shown that the visco-elastic effects of creep and shrinkage of the concrete core have significant long-term effects on the in-plane structural behaviour of CFST arches. The long-term radial and axial displacements, as well as the bending moment, increase substantially with time. For a CFST arch with a low area ratio of the steel tube to the concrete core, the long-term deformations may be excessive and affect the serviceability of the CFST arch. The increases of the long-term stresses in the steel tube with time are significant, while the long-term stresses in the concrete core decrease with time and may change from compressive to tensile if the time is sufficiently long. It is demonstrated that the time-dependent change of the equilibrium configuration of the CFST arch can lead to a buckling configuration being attained in the time domain under a sustained load, which is lower than the buckling loads of the CFST arch under short-term loading. The solution for the possible prebuckling structural life for time-dependent creep buckling of deep CFST arches is derived and can be used to determine the effects of various parameters on the creep buckling of a CFST arch.     

Nonlinear behaviour of eccentrically loaded FR concrete-filled stainless steel tubular columns

This paper investigates the nonlinear behaviour of eccentrically loaded fibre reinforced (FR) concrete-filled stainless steel tubular composite columns. A nonlinear 3-D finite element model for the axially loaded composite columns, recently reported by the author, was extended to study the structural performance of the eccentrically loaded composite columns. The columns were pin-ended subjected to an eccentric load acting along one axis. The model accounted for the inelastic behaviour of the composite column components, effect of FR concrete confinement and interface between the stainless steel section and concrete. The measured initial local and overall geometric imperfections were carefully incorporated in the model. The finite element model has been validated against tests previously reported by the author. Furthermore, the variables that influence the eccentrically loaded composite column behaviour and strength comprising different eccentricities, different column slenderness and different concrete strengths were investigated in an extensive parametric study comprising 72 columns. The composite column strengths and moment resistances predicted from the finite element analysis were compared with the design composite column strengths and moment resistances calculated using the Eurocode 4. The study has shown that finite element modelling could effectively assess the accuracy of the design rules in current codes of practice.     

方形薄壁钢管混凝土柱的耐火性能研究

为研究薄壁钢管混凝土柱的耐火性能,进行4个方形薄壁钢管混凝土柱在标准升温曲线下的耐火试验。试验参数为荷载偏心率、是否设置加劲肋以及是否设置防火保护。基于试验结果,研究方形薄壁钢管混凝土柱在高温下的破坏模态、温度场分布和耐火极限,并将其耐火性能和普通钢管混凝土柱进行比较。试验结果表明,方形薄壁钢管混凝土柱具有较好的耐火性能。     

Cellular buckling in I-section struts

An analytical model that describes the interactive buckling of a thin-walled I-section strut under pure compression based on variational principles is presented. A formulation combining the Rayleigh–Ritz method and continuous displacement functions is used to derive a system of differential and integral equilibrium equations for the structural component. Numerical continuation reveals progressive cellular buckling (or snaking) arising from the nonlinear interaction between the weakly stable global buckling mode and the strongly stable local buckling mode. The resulting behaviour is highly unstable and when the model is extended to include geometric imperfections it compares excellently with some recently published experiments.     

Fire behaviour of high strength self-consolidating concrete filled steel tubular stub columns

This paper reports an investigation into the behaviour of high strength SCC (self-consolidating concrete) filled steel tubular stub columns exposed to standard fire. A series of tests were carried out to obtain the temperature distribution, axial deformation, limiting temperature of steel and fire endurance of the SCC filled steel tubular stub columns. In addition, a finite element analysis (FEA) model was proposed and used to simulate the fire behaviour of the columns. In the FEA modeling, a sensitivity study was conducted to determine the concrete fracture energy and the contact property of the steel and concrete interface. The verified FEA model was used to analyse the structural behaviour of the columns under fire exposure, such as strain, stress, the load sharing between the steel tube and concrete and local buckling of the steel tube, to gain an insight into the failure mechanism of the columns.     

Hysteretic behaviour of flush end plate joints to concrete-filled steel tubular columns

The results of an experimental research study involving the testing of four bolted moment-resisting connections under simulated seismic loading conditions are presented. Each test specimen modeled the interior joint of a moment-resisting frame consisting of H-shaped steel beams and circular or square concrete-filled steel tube (CFST) columns using high-strength blind bolts. In order to investigate the seismic behaviour of the blind bolted flush end plate joints to CFST columns, the hysteretic performance, failure modes, stiffness degradation and energy dissipation of the connection type are evaluated in detail. The test parameters varied included the column section type and the thickness of the end plate. The experimental results indicate that both the blind bolted connections with circular and square sections exhibited excellent hysteretic behaviour in terms of their moment–rotation response, strain distributions and energy dissipation. Under cyclic loading, all tested specimens displayed large rotation ductility capacities, and the failure modes were similar to those under monotonic loads. The effects of cyclic loading on the behaviour of the composite joint were obvious, especially on load bearing and stiffness of the connections. The joint type exhibited excellent seismic performance, so that it can be effectively utilized in moment-resisting composite frame structures.     

Hysteretic behaviour of tubular T-joints reinforced with doubler plates after fire exposure

The hysteretic behaviour of tubular T-joints reinforced with doubler plates was experimentally and numerically investigated in this study. Two specimens were tested to failure under cyclic axial load at the brace end, one under ambient temperature and the other after fire exposure. Specimens with identical material and geometric properties were compared. The failure modes of the specimens were cracking along the weld toe at the intersection of the plate and brace. The results indicated that the hysteretic behaviour and energy dissipation of the joint after fire exposure were smaller than those at ambient temperature. The finite element package ABAQUS was then used to simulate the joint specimens. In a comparison of the hysteretic curve, skeleton curve, energy dissipation and failure location, the simulation and experimental results were in good agreement. The finite element method was subsequently used to carry out a parametric study. Parameters τ and ε had little influence on the post-fire hysteretic behaviour of the joint, but joints with a large γ or small α, β, or ξ values had a low capacity for hysteretic behaviour after fire exposure.     

Experimental study of hysteretic behaviour for concrete-filled square thin-walled steel tubular columns

In this paper, the hysteretic behaviour of concrete-filled thin-walled steel tubular (CFTST) columns was investigated experimentally. The parameters in the study included the axial load level and steel tube section type. Nine CFTST columns, including six columns with a longitudinal stiffener on each inner face of the steel tube and three columns with a longitudinal stiffener on the two opposite inner faces of the steel tube, were tested under a constant axial load in addition to a cyclic lateral load. The effect of axial load level on the hysteretic behaviour (stiffness, ductility and energy dissipation) was studied. Experimental results indicated that the CFTST columns under an axial load level below 0.5 exhibited plump hysteretic loops with a slight pinching effect, better ductility and energy dissipation capacity. The displacement ductility decreases significantly with an increase in the axial load level. Columns with two steel tube sections had almost the same load capacity, whilst the ductility and energy dissipation capacity of columns with a longitudinal stiffener on each inner face of the steel tube was better than that of columns with two opposite stiffeners.     

圆CFRP-钢管混凝土构件受弯性能研究

进行16个圆截面CFRP-钢管混凝土构件受弯的试验研究.结果表明,对于包裹纵向CFRP的构件,其弯矩-曲率曲线总体上可以划分为以下三个阶段,即弹性段、弹塑性段和软化段;构件的极限弯矩提高率随着纵向CFRP层数的增大或钢管外径的减小而增大;纵向CFRP可显著提高构件的抗弯刚度.试验结果还表明,从加载开始到极限弯矩,钢管和CFRP在环向和纵向都可以协同工作;纵向受拉的钢管对核心混凝土没有环向套箍作用.在大约0.7倍的极限弯矩之前,纵向应变沿截面高度的分布基本符合平截面假定;构件的挠曲线基本为正弦半波曲线.应用纤维模型法分析圆CFRP-钢管混凝土受弯构件的弯矩-曲率曲线,计算结果与试验结果吻合良好,且总体上偏于安全.