Testing and analysis of concrete-filled elliptical hollow sections

Concrete-filled steel tubes are gaining increasing prominence in a variety of engineering structures, with the principal cross-section shapes being square, rectangular and circular hollow sections. A recent addition to this range has been that of elliptical hollow sections. The structural response of empty elliptical tubes has been examined in previous studies. In this paper, the cross-sectional axial behaviour of concrete-filled elliptical hollow sections is investigated. An experimental programme comprising a total of 21 test specimens, with three nominal tube thicknesses (4 mm, 5 mm and 6.3 mm) and three concrete grades (C30, C60 and C100) has been performed. The effects of steel tube thickness, concrete strength and constraining factor on elastic stiffness, ductility and ultimate strength were studied. To simulate the effects of concrete shrinkage, the inner surfaces of 6 of the 21 test specimens were coated with grease prior to casting. To investigate confinement effects, a further 6 of the 21 test specimens were loaded through the concrete core only. The results of the tests presented herein were combined with those from previous studies, and compared with existing design provisions for square, rectangular and circular concrete-filled tubes. The design expressions from current European, North American, Japanese, British and Chinese Standards were assessed. On the basis of the comparisons, design recommendations for concrete-filled elliptical hollow sections have been made.

[1]  S. Rizkalla,et al.  Concrete-Filled Steel Tubes Subjected to Axial Compression and Lateral Cyclic Loads , 2004 .

[2]  Hiroshi Nakai,et al.  An experimental study on creep of concrete filled steel pipes , 2001 .

[3]  Tak-Ming Chan,et al.  Shear response of elliptical hollow sections , 2008 .

[4]  Yan Xiao,et al.  EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON THE DESIGN METHOD TO PREVENT THE SHEAR FAILURE OF REINFORCED CONCRETE SHORT CIRCULAR COLUMNS BY CONFINING IN STEEL TUBE. , 1986 .

[5]  Jeffrey A. Packer,et al.  Behaviour of gusset plate connections to ends of round and elliptical hollow structural section members , 2006 .

[6]  Dennis Lam,et al.  Experimental study on concrete filled square hollow sections , 2004 .

[7]  Tak-Ming Chan,et al.  Flexural Buckling of Elliptical Hollow Section Columns , 2009 .

[8]  Marinella Fossetti,et al.  Compressive behaviour of concrete elliptical columns confined by single hoops , 2007 .

[9]  B. W. Smith,et al.  Recent and Proposed Developments to BS 5400: Part 5— Code of Practice for Design of Composite Bridges , 1988 .

[10]  Tak-Ming Chan,et al.  Cross-section classification of elliptical hollow sections , 2007 .

[11]  Lin-Hai Han,et al.  Tests on Stub Columns of Concrete-filled RHS Sections , 2002 .

[12]  Dennis Lam,et al.  Axial capacity of circular concrete-filled tube columns , 2004 .

[13]  Jin-Guang Teng,et al.  Compressive behavior of carbon fiber reinforced polymer-confined concrete in elliptical columns , 2002 .

[14]  K. F. Chung,et al.  Composite column design to Eurocode 4 : based on DD ENV 1994-1-1: 1994 Eurocode 4: design of composite steel and concrete structures: part 1.1: general rules and rules for buildings , 1994 .

[15]  Charles W. Roeder,et al.  Composite Action in Concrete Filled Tubes , 1999 .

[16]  Tak-Ming Chan,et al.  Compressive resistance of hot-rolled elliptical hollow sections , 2008 .

[17]  Kim J.R. Rasmussen,et al.  Design of Cold-Formed Stainless Steel Tubular Members. II: Beams , 1993 .

[18]  Nuno Silvestre,et al.  Buckling behaviour of elliptical cylindrical shells and tubes under compression , 2008 .

[19]  Brian Uy,et al.  STATIC LONG-TERM EFFECTS IN SHORT CONCRETE-FILLED STEEL BOX COLUMNS UNDER SUSTAINED LOADING , 2001 .

[20]  N. E. Shanmugam,et al.  State of the art report on steel–concrete composite columns , 2001 .

[21]  David A. Nethercot,et al.  Experiments on stainless steel hollow sections—Part 1: Material and cross-sectional behaviour , 2004 .

[22]  Tak-Ming Chan,et al.  Bending strength of hot-rolled elliptical hollow sections , 2008 .

[23]  Leroy Gardner,et al.  Elastic buckling of elliptical tubes , 2008 .

[24]  Riyad S Aboutaha,et al.  Seismic Resistance of Steel-Tubed High-Strength Reinforced-Concrete Columns , 1999 .