Behaviour of high-strength concrete filled steel tubes under transverse impact loading

• We tested high strength concrete filled steel tubes (CFST) under impact load.
• We analyzed full range behaviour of CFST beam under transverse impact.
• We conducted parametric study on the dynamic flexural capacity of CFST.
• We obtained a simplified model for dynamic flexural capacity calculation of CFST.

This paper presents a set of new test data for high strength concrete filled steel tubular (CFST) members subjected to transverse impact. A total of 12 circular CFST specimens and reference hollow steel tubes were tested in a drop hammer rig. The cube strength of the concrete used for the CFST members is up to 75 MPa. A finite element analysis (FEA) model is established to predict the impact behaviour of high strength CFST members, and the accuracy of which is then verified by the presented test results. Full-range analyses of the behaviour of CFST members under impact loading are then carried out using the FEA model to produce the force state, internal force distribution, and flexural capacity. Finally, a simplified model is obtained based on a parametric analysis to calculate the flexural capacity of CFST members under impact load.