ABSTRACT
This paper presents an experimental study on complete failure of steel columns subjected to cyclic loading. A total of six reduced-scale columns were tested for various levels of constant axial load and for various slenderness ratios. The columns were loaded up to the instant when they no longer were able to sustain the specified gravity load. It was found that the failure mechanism differed significantly in accordance with the axial force level, and the columns had the largest deformation capacity (to complete failure) when a medium axial load was present. A detailed finite element analysis was carried out to examine the capacity of the analysis to trace the experimental behavior. The analysis was reasonable in the moderate to large range of inelastic behavior but failed to simulate the experimental behavior when the column started cracking and/or their surfaces started contacting each other after extreme bending of locally buckled surfaces.
