Finite Element Analysis and Calculation Method of Concrete-Filled Stainless Steel Tubes under Eccentric Tension

Concrete-filled stainless steel tubes (CFSST) could be used as structural members in corrosion-prone environments. A detailed numerical investigation of the mechanical performance and calculation method of CFSST members under eccentric tension is carried out in this paper. A finite element analysis (FEA) model that adopts three-dimensional elements is established, and related experimental results of CFSST and conventional concrete-filled carbon steel tubes (CFST) subjected to tension are used to validate the FEA model. Then, the calibrated FEA model is used to investigate the performance of CFSST eccentrically tensile members, especially the composite actions and stress distribution laws between the stainless steel tube and the concrete core, which play a key role in the load-carrying capacity of the composite member. To quantitatively determine the influence of different parameters on the load-carrying capacity of CFSST tensile members, a wide-range parametric analysis is performed. Finally, a calculation model is proposed to be used to predict the ultimate tensile strength of CFSST members subjected to eccentric tension, and the model-predicted values show good agreement with the FEA-computed results.