Seismic performance of composite moment-resisting frames achieved with sustainable CFST members

The main objective of the research presented in this paper is to study the bending behaviour of Concrete Filled Steel Tube (CFST) columns made with Rubberized Concrete (RuC), and to assess the seismic performance of moment-resisting frames with these structural members. The paper describes an experimental campaign where a total of 36 specimens were tested, resorting to a novel testing setup, aimed at reducing both the preparation time and cost of the test specimens. Different geometrical and material parameters were considered, namely cross-section type, cross-section slenderness, aggregate replacement ratio, axial load level and lateral loading type. The members were tested under both monotonic and cyclic lateral loading, with different levels of applied axial loading. The test results show that the bending behaviour of CFST elements is highly dependent on the steel tube properties and that the type of infill does not have a significant influence on the flexural behaviour of the member. It is also found that Eurocode 4 is conservative in predicting the flexural capacity of the tested specimens. Additionally, it was found that the seismic design of composite momentresisting frames with CFST columns, according to Eurocode 8, not only leads to lighter design solutions but also to enhanced seismic performance in comparison to steel frames.