Theoretical model and investigation of concrete filled steel tube columns under axial force–torsion combined action

•A theoretical model called laminated tubes model was proposed.•A non-linear program was developed based on the theoretical model.•The predicted results by the theoretical model were verified with the test results.•The torsional behavior of CFST columns was detailed analyzed and discussed.•The simplified formulae were proposed for practical design.

Concrete filled steel tube (CFST) columns are currently being widely used in the construction of modern buildings and bridges. In practice, the torsion effect will be often created in CFST columns when the horizontal earthquake happened. Based on geometrical, material constitutive and equilibrium equations, a theoretical model called laminated tubes model for analyzing the mechanical behavior of CFST columns under axial force–torsion combined action was proposed. The confined effect provided by the steel tube and the compression softening effect of the concrete could be considered in the proposed concrete material model. Based on the theoretical model, the non-linear analysis program was developed for obtaining the entire loading history of CFST columns under axial force–torsion combined action. The predicted results have good agreement with test results. The torsion behavior of CFST columns was detailed discussed based on the theoretical model, and the simplified formulae for practical design are also proposed based on regression methods.