Numerical Analysis of Circular Concrete-filled Steel Tubular Slender Beam-columns With Preload Effects

This paper presents a new numerical model for the nonlinear analysis of circular concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) slender beam-columns with preload effects, in which the initial geometric imperfections, deflections caused by preloads, concrete confinement and second order effects are incorporated. Computational algorithms are developed to solve the nonlinear equilibrium equations. Comparative studies are undertaken to validate the accuracy of computational algorithms developed. Also included is a parametric study for examining the effects of the preloads, column slenderness, diameter-to-thickness ratio, loading eccentricity, steel yield stress and concrete confinement on the behavior of circular CFST slender beam-columns under eccentric loadings. The numerical model is demonstrated to be capable of predicting accurately the behavior of circular CFST slender beam-columns with preloads. The preloads on the steel tubes can affect significantly the behavior of CFST slender beam-columns and must be taken into account in the design.