Local buckling of steel plates in rectangular CFT columns with binding bars

This paper presents a theoretical study on the elastic local buckling of steel plates in rectangular concrete-filled steel tubular (CFT) columns with binding bars under axial compression. It is assumed that the unloaded edges of the steel plate are elastically restrained against rotation, whereas the loaded edges are clamped. Based on the energy method, the formulas for elastic local buckling strength of the steel plate in rectangular CFT columns under axial compression are derived, which are calibrated with the experimental results. Then the formulas are employed to study the elastic local buckling of steel plates in rectangular CFT columns with binding bars under axial compression. It is shown that the binding bars can increase the local buckling coefficient, which results in improvement of the capacity of the steel plate to resist local buckling. Finally, appropriate spacing of binding bars, appropriate limitation for aspect ratio and corresponding appropriate limitation for width–thickness ratio are suggested for rectangular CFT columns with binding bars under axial compression.