Performance of reinforced concrete-filled steel tubular (RCFST) members subjected to transverse impact loading

Reinforced concrete-filled steel tubular (RCFST) members possess excellent load-bearing properties and fire resistance, and have been applied in a range of practical engineering projects. In addition to static and seismic loads, RCFST members may also be subjected to transverse impact loads, such as those from vehicle/vessel collisions and terrorist attacks. An experimental and numerically study into the dynamic behaviour of RCFST members subjected to transverse impact is therefore the focus of the present paper. Nine specimens were tested using a drop-weight experimental setup, and the instantaneous impact force and deformation states were recorded. A finite element model was established, considering strain rate effects, and validated against the test results. Parametric studies were then conducted in which the effects of the material selection, cross-section characteristics, specimen scale and impact conditions were analysed. Finally, design proposals for RCFST members under transverse impact loading are presented.