Numerical analysis of CFST columns subjected to lateral cyclic loading and influence of concrete compression strength and steel plate thickness

Concrete is widely used in civil engineering because of its high compressive strength and efficiency. Low resistance of concrete against tensile stresses, especially in low confinement systems necessitates the use of steel-concrete composite systems. In concrete-filled steel tubes, the confinement of concrete is supplied by steel and the local buckling of steel is improved by concrete core. In this paper, using the Abaqus software finite element method, the numerical results of the CFST column are compared with the experimental results and have been assured of the correctness of the modeling. Then, the effect of changing the thickness of the steel and the compressive strength of the concrete on the behavior of CFST columns is investigated. To consider the effect of changing these parameters, 9 CFST column models with three different steel thicknesses and three different compressive strengths of concrete have been used. Nonlinear behavior of steel using a mixed hardening model incorporating both isotropic and kinematic hardening was used in modeling. Concrete’s stress-strain relations and compression-tensile damage parameters are fully described. The effect of increasing thickness of steel and concrete strength on structural energy absorption, initial stiffness and column capacity were investigated. According to the results of the analysis, the effect of increasing the thickness of steel on the performance of CFST columns relative to the increase in concrete strength is significant. Investigating the energy absorption capacity and the resistance of the CFST columns shows that the effect of changing the compressive strength of concrete for confinement steel with less thickness is significant. In confinement steel with high thickness, the change in concrete compressive strength does not have a significant effect on energy absorption and increases the column's strength slightly. As a result, to improve the performance of structures with CFST columns, in terms of energy absorption, stiffness and capacity, it is desirable to use suitable thickness for steel and normal strength for concrete.