THE STEEL CORE COVERED BY REINFORCED CONCRETE IN THE COMPOSITE STEEL-CONCRETE COLUMNS

Design of the composite steel concrete columns with the massive solid steel profiles, called steel cores, is not covered in Eurocode 4 by using of simplified design method. Reasons are related to the problems about the residual stresses arising during the fabrication process of the solid steel profile and strain limitation in concrete section of the column. The available results of German research gives recommendations to design the composite steel concrete columns with the section of the concrete filled tubes with the central steel core according to Eurocode 4. Studies of the composite steel-concrete columns with the section of the steel core covered by reinforced concrete have not been covered in this research. This paper deals with the experimental and numerical analysis of this type unverified columns. 6 columns were tested with column lengths of 3.85 m and 3.0 m. Description and results of the experimental analysis are given. Numerical analysis consists of calibrated 3D models in the FEM program ATENA 3D with the conformity to the results of the experimental study. Presently these calibrated models are used as a background for the analysis of the columns with the variable geometrical and material modifications.