An experimental study of high-strength CFST columns subjected to axial load and non-constant bending moments

摘要

This paper describes 49 experimental tests conducted on rectangular and square tubular columnsrnfilled with high strength concrete subjected to a non-constant bending moment distribution. The test parametersrnwere the length (2, 3 and 4 m), the cross-section aspect ratio (square or rectangular), the wall thickness (4 orrn5 mm), and the ratio of the top and bottom first order eccentricities r=e_(top)/e_(bottom) (1, 0.5, 0 and ?0.5). Therneffect of slenderness combined with the influence of variable curvature is compared with the design loads fromrnEurocode 4. The results show that for the slender elements of this experimental campaign the code presents anrnerror close to 4%. It proves that this standard is applicable to high strength concrete, although the concrete testedrnis outside the upper bound of Eurocode 4 specifications.