Behaviour of Composite Column of Cold-Formed Steel Section without Web Stiffener Integrated with Ferrocement Jacket

Abstract

Cold-formed steel (CFS) is known to be a thin section. Thus it is considered a weak slender steel section which limits the compression capacity of the column. The aim of this study was to determine the ultimate capacity of built-up lipped CFS (assembled with ferrocement jacket) as composite column (CFFCC) under axial compression load. Nine specimens of composite columns were prepared and tested. The main parameters that varied in the CFFCC columns were column height, cold-formed steel thickness, and influence of ferrocement jacket. There were are three different heights of the CFFCC composite column namely 2000mm, 3000mm and 4000mm used in this study. All CFFCC columns were tested under axial load by a thick steel plate. The results indicated that ferrocement jacket provided sufficient lateral support to the column web and significantly increased both the strength and ductility of the specimens under axial loading. The strength capacity of CFFCC improved significantly, about 149% greater than that of bare steel column section. It was also found that the axial load capacity of CFS-ferrocement jacket composite columns (CFFCC) had increased significantly (in the range of 20% to 40%) as thickness of CFS increased.