Stiffness of Concrete-Filled Thin-Walled Steel Tubular Slender Columns

Concrete-filled thin-walled steel tubular slender columns are studied in this paper to evaluate their stiffness. The slender columns have various steel tube thicknesses, length/diameter (width) ratios, and concrete compressive strengths. The columns are loaded by axial and eccentric loads. Two experimental tests of the slender and stub columns are described. Also, the finite element software ABAQUS is utilised to simulate and analyse the columns. The tested columns are simulated taking into account all their features in the tests to verify the simulation of the columns. The simulation results are compared with the tests results which reveal that good agreements exist between them. Thus, the proposed simulation method of the columns is verified. In order to assess the stiffness of the columns under different conditions, various load eccentricities (0 mm, 25 mm, and 50 mm), cross-sectional configurations (circular, rectangular, and square), and steel tube thicknesses (2 mm, 3.35 mm, and 5 mm) are adopted for the developed columns. The columns are simulated and analysed based on the verified simulation method considering the mentioned conditions. As a conclusion, the stiffness of the columns is generally reduced by the increase of the load eccentricity from 0 mm to 25 mm and 50 mm. Further, more uniform distribution of the stiffness is witnessed for the columns with lower eccentricities. In addition, the enhancement of the load eccentricity increased the reduction slope of the stiffness graph for the columns. Although the initial stiffness of the circular column is slightly lower than the rectangular and square columns, the stiffness has more uniform distribution which is preferred. Larger stiffness is achieved for the columns by increasing the steel tube thickness from 2 mm to 3.35 mm and 5 mm.