Dynamic Stability of Slender Concrete-Filled Steel Tubular Columns with General Supports

The static stability of slender concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) columns has been explored thoroughly while few researches have been carried out on the dynamic stability of CFST columns even if all applied loadings are naturally time-dependent. This paper presents an analytical procedure for evaluating the dynamic stability of CFST columns of various composite cross-sections under general boundary conditions. This paper is featured by the following facts: (1) proportional damping is considered in derivation of the governing equations on the lateral parametric vibration of the CFST columns subject to axial excitation; (2) Bolotin’s method is used to determine the boundaries of the regions of dynamic instability for the CFST columns with general supports; (3) the relationship of static and dynamic stability, and the effects of boundary conditions and cross-sectional forms are uncovered. New findings of this investigation are (1) larger amplitude or constant component of excitation make it easier for the dynamic instabilities of the CFST columns to occur, while increasing the constant component of excitation reduces the critical value of frequency ratio for the dynamic instability to occur; (2) the dynamic stability analysis can determine the critical loads for both the static and dynamic instability of CFST columns, and the critical instability load decreases with increasing disturbance on the static load; (3) under the same consumptions of steel and concrete, the square columns have better performance of dynamic stability than the circular columns, but there is no definite conclusion on the effect of hollow size on the dynamic stability of double-skin columns.