ABSTRACT
Use of high-strength steel structural members can reduce the material required for a given quantity of resistance. However, reduced sections can be susceptible to local instability and result in increased deflections. In concrete-filled tube (CFT) columns, the full tensile strength of the steel can utilized because the concrete fill restrains buckling of the tube and reduces member deflections. An ongoing research study was initiated to develop reliable connections for CFT columns constructed using for high-strength, vanadium micro-alloyed steel (CFVST) columns. The current research investigates the performance and constructability of embedded-type CFVST column-concrete footing connections. The experimental results indicate that the connection contributes significantly to the global response. To verify the results, nonlinear finite element models were developed, which included material nonlinearities and damage to the concrete in the footing and joint. The analytical and experimental results were used to develop preliminary recommendations for analysis and design of CFT column-to-footing connections.
