Modeling of Ultra-high Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete Filled Steel Tube Columns under Eccentric Loading

Abstract

Recently, ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) has been commonly used as a structural material. In this study, finite element (FE) model is constructed to investigate the behavior of ultra-high performance fiber reinforced concrete filled steel tube columns (UHPFRCFSTs) under axial or eccentric loading. The analysis included three-dimensional FE model using solid elements. The novelty of the suggested FE model is the consideration of the confinement of the UHPFRC in-filled material. Furthermore addition, the numerical model includes initial local and overall geometric imperfections, as well as the inelastic response of both UHPFRC and steel materials. The interaction between the steel tube and UHPFRC in-filled is modelled using surface to surface contact. Experimental results from the literature are used to validate the FE model. It is proved that the FE model can predict the ultimate capacities, failure modes, and post-cracking behavior accurately for both short and long UHPFRCFSTs. The FE interaction diagram agreed very well with the experimental results. Using the verified FE model, a parametric study on UHPFRCFSTs is carried out. Several parameters, including concrete strength material, steel yield strength, and aspect ratio of the columns (column diameter/tube thickness), are investigated. Eventually, comparisons are conducted between the results obtained from FE simulation and the existing design codes for predicting load-moment interaction diagram of UHPFRCFSTs. It has been found that the Eurocode 4 predictions in most analyzed cases are conservative for UHPFRCFSTs.