Fire test and simulation of circular steel tube confined steel-reinforced concrete columns

Steel tube confined steel-reinforced concrete (STCSRC) columns are novel steel-concrete composite columns where the steel tubes are disconnected at beam-column connections. Few researches have been conducted on the fire behaviour of STCSRC columns by now, though there are some relevant studies on the fire performance of steel-reinforced concrete-filled steel tubular (SR-CFST) columns. However, the mechanical behaviour of STCSRC columns under fire exposure differs from that of SR-CFST columns due to the discontinuous external steel tube. It is essential to carry out a study on the fire performance of STCSRC columns. The fire tests of four axially loaded STCSRC columns were carried out in this paper, and the failure mode, distribution of cross-sectional temperature, fire resistance, and lateral deflection were discussed. A finite element model was developed and validated with test results, and then a parametric analysis of the STCSRC stub and slender columns under fire exposure was performed. The load ratio, steel tube strength, the area ratio of steel tube to concrete, and slenderness ratio have an adverse effect on the fire resistance of STCSRC columns, whereas cross-sectional dimension, area ratio of steel section to concrete, and strength of steel section have a favourable impact. Concrete strength has a different influence on the fire resistance of STCSRC stub and slender columns. Finally, based on the specifications JGJ/T 471-2019 and EN 1994-1-2, simplified calculation methods for assessing the fire resistance of STCSRC columns were proposed.