Investigations into Structural Behavior of Concrete-Filled RHS Columns with Unequal Flange Thickness under Compressive Load.

Abstract

Previous studies have shown that components with an unequal-walled concrete-filled rectangular hollow section (CFRHS) can achieve a greater resistance under bending than those with equal-walled CFRHS. However, the study on the compressive behavior of the CFRHS column is limited. Therefore, this paper investigates the performance of compressed CFRHS columns with unequal flange thickness, based on experimental and numerical approaches. In the test, the effects of slenderness and eccentricity on the compressive capacity of the CFRHS columns with unequal shell thickness are discussed. Numerical models based on the finite element method are established, to evaluate the resistance and failure pattern of each specimen in the test. Parametric studies are carried out based on the validated model, to investigate the effect of eccentricity, wall thickness, and steel and concrete material properties on the load-bearing capacity of the compressed CFRHS column. In addition, the analytical expressions of the resistance of CFRHS columns with unequal wall thickness are derived, and the prediction values are validated through comparing with the test results. It is found that eccentric compressed columns with unequal-walled CFRHS have a similar load-bearing capacity and better ductility when compared with the equal-walled CFRHS.