Construction and Building Materials 14 Ž2000.

1]5

A mathematical evaluation of compressive behavior of steel

tubular structures filled with composite materials

Mohammed A. Faruqi a,U , Larry G. Pleimann b, Pat Leelani a

a
Department of Ci¨ il Engineering, Texas A & M Uni¨ ersity-Kings¨ ille, Kings¨ ille, TX 78363, USA
b
Department of Ci¨ il Engineering, Uni¨ ersity of Arkansas, Fayette¨ ille, AR, USA

Received 17 December 1997; received in revised form 10 October 1999; accepted 6 January 2000

Abstract

Steel tubular members filled with concrete materials have become increasingly popular in structural applications. Load]strain
plots of such tubular structures can be obtained experimentally by performing a number of compressive tests. Sufficient tube tests
must be performed to establish the reliability of results. Mathematical analysis can be used as a tool in determining the same
curves without the experimental work. This work looks into the experimental results and develops mathematical procedures to
gain insight into the behavior of steel tubes filled with concrete material under axial compression. Thirty-two specimens with
various combinations of diameter Ž D .rlength Ž L. and A9 Žratio of concrete and steel area. were tested. It was found that
specimens with Ž D .rŽ L. G 0.5 showed fewer signs of bending and no load drop was experienced. On the other hand, specimens
with Ž DrL. F 0.33 experienced some drop in load at a strain range of 0.006]0.013. Results also indicate that such filled tubes
behave like ordinary steel tubes, but with increased load capacity. The lateral confinement provided by the tube seems to play an
important role. Q 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Tubular structures; Steel; Concrete material

1. Introduction previous works. The basic principal behind composite

Composite filled steel tubes have many advantages
over steel or concrete columns w1,2x. For example: Ž1.
concrete filled tubes contribute to the stability and
strength of steel; Ž2. they simplify the construction
work by eliminating reinforcement and form work; and
Ž3. they have excellent earthquake-resistant properties
such as large energy absorption capacity and high duc-
tility. Given such benefits, a number of studies have
been conducted to better understand the behavior of
steel tubular structures filled with composite materials.
Aho and Leon w3x have compiled a major database of
U
Corresponding author.
filled steel tubular structures is that the lateral coeffi-
cient of composite Žconcrete in our case. will exceed
the Poisson’s ratio for steel under axial compression.
This will cause some stress between the steel and the
concrete subjecting the core to triaxial state of stress.
The ductility and the strength of core concrete will
increase due to this triaxial state of stress w4x.
2. Research goal
The main goal of this work was to study experimen-
tally and analytically the approximate load]strain re-
sponse of composite filled steel tubular structures in
uniaxial compression.

0950-0618r00r$ - see front matter Q 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 9 5 0 - 0 6 1 8 Ž 0 0 . 0 0 0 0 9 - X
2 M.A. Faruqi et al. r Construction and Building Materials 14 (2000) 1]5

Table 1
Concrete mix proportions

Mix Cement content Fine aggregates Coarse aggregates Water]cement

Žlbrcu. yd.. Žlbrcu. yd.. Žlbrcu. yd.. ratio

3000 psi mix 255 800 600 0.32

4000 psi mix 329 750 600 0.32

3. Materials and test matrix
Short steel cylinders with concrete as the composite
material were used in the tests. Two different sets of
concrete strengths were used in the analysis. Type I
cement, coarse aggregates and fine aggregates were
used in the preparation of concrete. Table 1 shows the
concrete mix proportions. The average 28-day compres-
sive strengths of concrete per testing set was 3000 psi
and 4000 psi. The maximum size of coarse aggregate
was three-eighths inches Žstandard practice in ordinary
concrete mix.. The size distribution analysis for fine
aggregates is shown in Table 2. The fineness modulus
of sand Žfine aggregate. was 2.84. Two different
parameters were investigated into namely: diameter of
tuberlength of tube Ž DrL. and the ratio of concrete
to steel area Ž A9 s rr2 t .. Various values for both of
these are given in Table 3.
versus axial strain curves for two values of A9 and
various values of Ž DrL. were plotted and studied.
Experimental plots are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The
curves were found to consist of three basic stages viz.:
elastic, partially elastic, and strain hardening stage.
5. Load–strain behavior
Steel tubular concrete filled specimens were tested.
The load was placed on the tube and the concrete
simultaneously in a hydraulic testing machine. A com-
puterized data-acquisition system was used to collect
the load and strain data. The compressive behavior of
such a tubular structure can basically be described by
three stages viz.: an elastic stage; partially elastic; and
strain hardening stage. Fig. 3 shows a typical general-
ized plot.

4. Experimental conditions and results 6. Determination of filled tube’s modulus

A total of 32 steel tubular concrete filled specimens It is assumed that perfect bonding exists between the
with various combinations of Ž DrL. and A9 values composite material and the short steel tube so that no
were tested. All specimens were loaded in uniaxial slippage can occur at the interface. This assumption is
compression until failure, using a hydraulic testing ma- necessary because the composite material and the tube
chine. The axial load on specimen was centered with must act together to carry the load. The strains then
the help of four vertical strain gages. The strain gages experienced by the composite material, steel and the
were bonded to the sides of cylinders and were also infilled tube are equal:
used to measure strains. The compressive axial load
e it s es s em Ž1.
Table 2
Sieve analysis data for fine aggregates a Where it, s and m stand for infilled tube, steel, and
composite material, respectively.
Sieve size Percent passing
The total load Ž Pit . carried by the tubular structure
3r80 100 is shared between the load carried by the steel Ž Ps . and
a4 97 the infilled composite material Ž Pm . so that,
a8 92
a16 71
a30 34 Pit s Ps q Pm Ž2.
a50 19
a100 3 The load carried by the infilled tube, steel, and the
a
Fineness moduluss 2.84. composite material, respectively, may be written in

Table 3
Variables used in the study

DrL 1 1 0.5 0.5 0.33 0.33 0.25 0.25

A9 10 5 10 5 10 5 10 5
 M.A. Faruqi et al. r Construction and Building Materials 14 (2000) 1]5 3

Fig. 1. Load]strain plots for A9 s 10.

terms of stresses s it , ss and sm experienced by them.
Their corresponding cross-sectional areas are: A it , A s
and A m . Thus,
Fig. 3. Infilled tube stress vs. axial strain plot. a s Elastic limit;
B s approximate ultimate point of the filled tube.
7. Elastic limit

Pit s s it A it s ss A s q sm A m Ž3. The elastic limit of the filled tube can be determined
by the following method:
substituting the values of strains in Eq. Ž3. provides, The stress in the infilled composite material is given
by:
Eit e it A it s Ž Es es A s . q Ž Em e m A m . Ž4.
sm s Ž Em A m P . r Ž Es A s q Em A m . A m Ž7.
Eit s Ž Es A s q Em A m . rA it Ž5.
« PrA m s Ž 1 q A9B9 . sm A9B9 Ž8.
Writing Eq. Ž5. in terms of inner steel radius to steel
thickness ratio Ž A9. and composite to steel modulus
The total stress Ž s it . in infilled system can be written
Ž B9. provides
as:
Eit s Ž A9B9 q 1 . Es A srA it Ž6.
s it s Pr Ž A s q A m . Ž9.
For various values of A9 and B9, the modulus of the
infilled tubes Ž Eit . are given in Table 4. « PrA m s Ž 1 q A m rAs . s itr Ž A m rAs . Ž 10 .

the stress in the infilled tube at the elastic limit is

sc s s it Ž 11 .

Table 4
Modulus of filled tube Ž Es .

B9 0.107a 0.124b
A9 s 10 0.188 0.206
5 0.256 0.27
4 0.286 0.299
3 0.333 0.343
2 0.404 0.416
1 0.55 0.56
a
Based on 28 days compressive strength of concrete Ž3000 psi..
Fig. 2. Load]strain plots for A9 s 10. b
Based on 28 days compressive strength of concrete Ž4000 psi..
4 M.A. Faruqi et al. r Construction and Building Materials 14 (2000) 1]5

Table 5 f y s the uniaxial yield stress of steel,

Elastic limit Ž sm .
t s the thickness of the steel tube,
B9 0.107a 0.124b r s the interior radius of steel tube.
A9 s 10 1.758 1.64
5 2.39 2.17
4 2.66 2.41 8.2. Core material (concrete)
3 3.08 2.76
2 3.78 3.35
1 5.17 4.53 The average longitudinal stress of core concrete
a
Ž scL ., which is under triaxial compression, when the
b
Based on 28 days compressive strength of concrete Ž3000 psi..
ultimate load capacity is reached w5x:
Based on 28 days compressive strength of concrete Ž4000 psi..

scL s f 9c q k s 3 Ž 18 .
Substituting Eqs. Ž11. and Ž8. into Eq. Ž10. yields,

sc s Ž A9 . r Ž 1 q A9 .Ž PrA m . Ž 12 . where

Substituting Eq. Ž8. into Eq. Ž12. provides,
« sc s Ž 1 . r Ž 1 q A9 .wŽ 1 q A9B9 . rB9 x sm
« sc s Ž 1 . r Ž 1 q rr2 t .wŽ 1 q Ž rr2 t . B9 . rB9 x sm
f c 9 s the compressive strength of concrete,
k s the lateral coefficient due to confining effect
Ž 13. Žf taken as 4.2.,
s 3 s the interface confining pressure correspond-
ing to the ultimate load carrying capacity.
Ž 14 .

Elastic limit values of the composite for various 8.3. The total ultimate load capacity
values of A9 and B9 are given in Table 5.
Eq. Ž13. is used in the elastic limit calculations. The total ultimate load capacity of the infilled tube is
the sum of the loads carried by core and steel tube:
8. Ultimate stress
Pit s A c scL q A s s L Ž 19 .
The load carried by the infilled tube is made up of
where
the load carried by the steel tube and that by the
infilled material.
Pit s the theoretical load capacity of infilled tube,
Ac s the cross-sectional area of core concrete,
8.1. Steel tube
scL s the longitudinal stress of core concrete,
As s the cross-sectional area of steel tube,
The longitudinal stress of a steel tube, when the
sL s the longitudinal stress of steel.
ultimate load capacity is reached can be calculated as
follows:
From the Von Mises’ equation in plane stress
Pit s A c Ž f 9c q k s 3 . q A s 1 r 2t
2 2 2 2
Ž s L . q Ž s h . y Ž s L . Ž s h . s f y2 Ž 15 . 2 1r2
= 4 t 2 f y2 y 3 Ž s 3 r .
žž / y Ž s3 r . / Ž 20.

and from the equilibrium equation of a typical tubular

cross-section or in terms of concrete area,

yŽ s h . t s Ž s L . r Ž 16 . Pit s Ž f 9c q k s 3 . q ys 3 q
½
1r2
s L s 1r2 t 4 t 2 f y2 y 3 Ž s h r .
2 1r2
y Ž sh r . Ž 1rA9 . 2 f y2 y 3 s 32 5A Ž 21 .
žž / / Ž 17 . c

where From plasticity theory,

sL s the longitudinal stress in steel tube corre- s 3 s y1rA9  Ž 2 l q 1 . r3 Ž l2 q l q 1 .

1r2
4 fy Ž 22 .
sponding to the ultimate load capacity,
sh s the hoop stress of steel tube corresponding to
the ultimate load capacity, l s y1r2y 1r2 Ž L q 1 . Ž 23 .
 M.A. Faruqi et al. r Construction and Building Materials 14 (2000) 1]5 5

Table 6
Strain values Ž e itu . of the filled tube

ASTM designation A9 3000 psi concrete 4000 psi concrete

Žgrade of steel. Ž eitu . Ž eitu .

A36 Ž fy G 36 000 psi. 10 0.0014 0.0015

5 0.0015 0.0016
4 0.0016 0.0017
3 0.0017 0.0018
2 0.0019 0.0020
1 0.0025 0.0026

A440 Ž fy G 50 000 psi. 10 0.0016 0.0017

5 0.0019 0.0020
4 0.0020 0.0021
3 0.0021 0.0022
2 0.0025 0.0026
1 0.0034 0.0035

L s f yrfc A9
The term in curly brackets in Eq. Ž21. is the yield
stress. It is obvious from Eq. Ž21. that the load carrying
capacity of the infilled tube is directly related to the
interface confining stress s 3 . Load]strain relationships
of steel tube, concrete core, and the infilled tube are
shown in Fig. 4. The Pit value Žpoint d in Fig. 4. given
by Eq. Ž21. is a close approximation of the ultimate
load represented by B in Fig. 3. After the Pit value is
determined, the ultimate strain in an infilled tube Ž e itu .
at this load can be calculated using E values given in
Table 4. Table 6 gives the approximate values of e itu
for two grades of concrete and steel. The e itu values
Ž 24 . given in Table 6 are very close to the yield strain of the
infilled tube. Tests results have also shown that the
strain at a Ž0.18]0.40%. is close to the strain in the
steel tube. The concrete filled tubes seem to behave
like plain steel tubes, but with better load capacity.
This is due to the confining effects of the steel tube.
9. Conclusions
The following conclusions were drawn from the ex-
perimental plots and the tests conducted on steel tubes
filled with concrete under axial compression.
1. Steel tubular specimens with DrL F 0.33 experi-
enced some drop in the load. This happened at a
strain range of 0.006; 0.013. No load drop was
experienced in the specimens with DrL G 0.5.
2. As opposed to smaller values of DrL, specimens
with DrL G 0.5 showed fewer visible bending signs.
3. Steel tubes filled with concrete material behave
like plain steel tubes, but with better load capacity.

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