Seismic performance of concrete-encased hexagonal CFST column base: Design method

This paper presents the parametric analysis and design method for the concrete-encased hexagonal concretefilled steel tubular (CFST) column base under combined compression and biaxial bending. The corresponding experimental and numerical investigations on the seismic performance of the concrete-encased hexagonal CFST column base under combined compression and biaxial bending have been presented in the companion paper (Yang et al., 2023). The finite element model established in the companion paper is used to study the influence of key parameters on the load bearing capacity and the distribution of internal force. These parameters include those of the CFST column, the outer RC, the plate-anchor component, the axial load ratio and shear connectors. A total of six failure modes are identified, including three types of flexural failure and three types of shear failure. The ultimate capacity and ductility of the column base with flexural failure at the bottom or top of the plate are higher than that of other four failure modes, which are determined as the reasonable failure modes for practical application in the design and analysis of concrete-encased column bases. A novel design approach for the concrete-encased CFST column base is introduced. A simplified method is proposed to predict the flexural resistance of the concrete-encased CFST column base, following up with the shear strength calculation of outer RC to determine the stirrup arrangement. Some constructional recommendations are also proposed.