Numerical study of circular concrete filled steel tubes subjected to pure torsion

Abstract

This study numerically explored the torsional behavior of circular concrete-filled steel tubes (CFST) under pure torsion. Numerical models of CFSTs were developed in ABAQUS. The models were validated by comparing with the experimental results available in the literature; then, these models were used for parametric study. Based on the obtained results, the mechanism of torsional moment transferring from steel plates to CFST was presented. The results obtained from the parametric study indicated that the compressive strength of concrete marginally improved the torsional moment capacity of the CFST while concrete prevented buckling and helped the steel tubes to work more effectively. The steel strength significantly affected the torsional moment capacity of the CFST. When the yield strength of steel increased from 235 to 420 MPa, the yield torsional moment of the CFST increased by approximately 50%. The yield torsional moment capacity of the steel tube had the strongest correlation with the yield moment of the CFST, followed by the ratio of diameter to thickness of the steel tube while the parameters related to the compressive strength of concrete exhibited a poor correlation with the yield torsional moment.