Abstract
This research examines the structural performance of rectangular Concrete-Filled Steel Tube (CFST) columns produced from light-gauge steel tubes. The study aimed at improving their strength, stiffness, and ductility via a combination of external confinement, internal stiffeners, and hybrid fiber-reinforced concrete (HFRC) infill. An axial compression test was carried out on a total of 18 samples, comprising of unconfined hollow steel tubes, bracing-confined tubes, ring-confined tubes, unconfined CFST, bracing-confined CFST, and ring-confined CFST columns. To restrict lateral expansion, external restraints including bracing and ring-type steel rods, were spot-welded to the outer steel tube. To optimize the column’s load carrying capacity and mitigate buckling effects, the spacing of the confinements were systematically designed. HFRC infill and alterations in the inner profile with and without vertical strips and studs, were also taken into consideration. The experimental results plus the failu re modes, axial load-deflections and load-deflection curves were analyzed to understand the behavior of the CFST columns. Performance indicators such as strength and stiffness ratios, and confinement effect ratio, were assessed for the various sample types. This research accentuates the efficiency of external confinement techniques in improving strength and ductility. Existing design codes were adopted for the theoretical estimations of the axial compression capacity, highlighting variations in predictions. This study significantly contributed beneficial understandings of the structural performance of rectangular CFST columns, stressing the importance of both internal and external confinements and HFRC infill.
Published Version
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