Finite Element Model for Analysis of Time-Dependent Behaviour of Concrete-Filled Steel Tubular Arches

Abstract

This paper presents a finite element model for the linear and nonlinear analysis of time-dependent behaviour of concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) arches. It is known when a CFST arch is subjected to a sustained load, the visco-elastic effects of creep in the concrete core will result in significant increases of the deformations and internal forces in the long-term. In this paper, a finite element model is developed using the age-adjusted effective modulus method to describe the creep behaviour of the concrete core. The finite element results of long-term displacement and stress redistribution agree very well with their analytical counterparts. The finite element model is then used to compare the linear and nonlinear results for the long-term behaviour of shallow CFST arches. It is demonstrated that the linear analysis underestimates the long-term deformations and internal force significantly and that to predict the time-dependent behaviour shallow CFST arches accurately, the nonlinear analysis is essential.