The effect of rectangular and T-shaped stiffeners on the seismic performance of CFDT columns

Due to the many advantages of concrete-filled double steel tube (CFDT) columns, they are highly recommended for use in heavy-load structures such as bridges, subway stations, and high-rise buildings. This study was carried out with the aim of numerically investigating and comparing the performance of CFDT columns under cyclic and seismic loads and providing innovative strengthening methods for CFDT columns. Hollow circular steel sections have been used for internal and external tubes. To make the circular CFDT columns stronger against seismic loads, stiffeners with different shapes (rectangular and Tshaped sheets) have been welded to the outside and inside tubes. The validated finite element (FE) model of the ABAQUS program is used to look into the behavior of CFDT columns numerically. Two frames of 10 and 20 floors with strengthened CFDT columns were modeled. The results showed that the use of stiffeners in the CFDT column has a significant effect on seismic performance, so that the maximum lateral load of the column is increased up to 32.74% under the effect of cyclic load. Also, the results revealed that the use of stiffeners in the columns of moderate and high-rise building frames causes a significant increase in the shear of the base and consequently the stiffness. Among the other important results that followed, it reduced the drift of floors and increased energy absorption.