Flexure behavior of composite beam to CFST column connection: Numerical investigation and theoretical design formulae

Abstract

This paper presents numerical investigations and theoretical design formulae on the flexural behavior of composite beam to CFST (Concrete-filled steel tubular) column connection with outer annular stiffener. Based on the companion experimental study, a series of finite element models were built by ABAQUS and verified by experimental observation. Parametric studies were conducted to demonstrate the effect of varying factors on the flexural performance of composite connections. The numerical model was designed to cover several key parameters: axial compression ratio, thickness of concrete slab, compressive strength of concrete, width-thickness ratio of column tube, column size, and beam depth. Finally, a theoretical design method was derived to assess the flexural capacity of the composite connections. The proposed design method exhibited excellent stability and high accuracy.