| Abstract: | Based on the general theory of concrete filled steel tube (CFT), nonlinear analysis of large size CFT is performed using ANSYS, a commercially available finite element (FE) programme. A nonlinear 3-D finite element analysis (FEA) model is developed to predict the behaviour of axially loaded CFT columns. Comparisons between the predicted results and the curves of axially loaded CFT column published in the open literature show that the trend of the curves fit well. This also shows that the constitutive relation model and the basic assumptions can accurately predict the behaviour of the large size CFT. The FEA model is then used to investigate the influence of steel tube wall thickness, the width to thickness of built-in stiffener for ultimate bearing capacity of large size square CFT and so on. In addition, the whole construction process of large size rectangular CFT with holes in the middle vertical plate is analysed. The study presents the main influential factors for CFT ultimate bearing capacity and the concrete crack distribution. |
