Research on Compression Behavior of Square Thin-Walled CFST Columns with Steel-Bar Stiffeners

Local buckling in steel tubes was observed to be capable of reducing the ultimate loads of thin-walled concrete-filled steel-tube (CFST) columns under axial compression. To strengthen the steel tubes, steel bars were proposed in this paper to be used as stiffeners fixed onto the tubes. Static-loading tests were conducted to study the compression behavior of square thin-walled CFST columns with steel bar stiffeners placed inside or outside the tube. The effect and feasibility of steel bar stiffeners were studied through the analysis of failure mode, load–displacement relationship, ultimate load, ductility, and local buckling. Different setting methods of steel bars were compared as well. The results showed that steel-bar stiffeners proposed in this paper can be effective in delaying local buckling as well as increasing the bearing capacity of the columns, but will decrease the ductility of the columns. In order to obtain a higher bearing capacity of columns, steel bars with low stiffness should be placed inside and steel bars with high stiffness should be placed outside of the steel tubes. The study is helpful in providing reference to the popularization and application of this new structural measure to avoid or delay the local buckling of thin-walled CFST columns