J. Construct.

Steel Research 22 (1992) 39-55

Experimental Evaluation of the Effect of Bond on the

Maximum Capacity of Composite Columns
Yasser Hunaiti
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering & Technology,
University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan

Minoru Wakabayashi
& Kiyoshi Masuo
General Building Research Corporation, 5-8-1 Fujishirodai, Suita-Shi, Osaka 565, Japan
(Received 29 May 1991; revised version received 28 October 1991;
accepted 21 January 1992)

Abstract
This paper presents results from an experimental study of the effect of bond between
structural steel and concrete on the maximum carrying capacity of composite
columns. Fourteen slender battened composite columns were tested under concentric
and eccentric loads in major and minor axis bending. The inside face of the steel
channels of seven of these columns has been greased to weaken the natural bond
between the concrete core and the steel channels. Test results showed that the bond
between steel and concrete has no effect on the load carrying capacity of the tested
columns. Furthermore. data collected during the tests indicate a stable behaviour of
the columns in the absence of bond.

NOTATION

he
A~
B
D
ex

Cross-sectional area of concrete

Cross-sectional area of steel
Breadth of column section
Depth of column section
Eccentricity about the major axis
39

J. Construct. Steel Research 0143-974X/92/$5-00 ~) 1992 Elsevier Science Publishers Ltd,

England. Printed in Malta

40
ey

Ec
Es
Le
Lp
Mex
Me).
Mux
M.r
Ne
Nk
Nu
P

tp

~x
6y

t~xy
,Sv

s
Ou
,

Y. Hunaiti, M. Wakabayashi, K. Masuo

Eccentricity about the minor axis

Elastic modulus of concrete
Elastic modulus of steel
Characteristic strength of concrete
Characteristic strength of steel
Effective length of column
Length of batten plate
Mid-height moment in major axis bending
Mid-height moment in minor axis bending
Ultimate moment of resistance for major axis bending
Ultimate moment of resistance for minor axis bending
Applied load
Design load (axial load) as calculated by the ECCS specifications
Squash load
Applied load
Thickness of batten plate
Concrete contribution factor
Mid-height deflection in the direction of the x-axis
Mid-height deflection in the direction of the y-axis
Mid-height deflection in the x-y direction
Axial deformation of column
Yield strain in steel
End rotation at the top of the column
End rotation at the bottom of the column

INTRODUCTION
Composite action between steel sections and concrete cover or core in
composite columns has always been a question in need of a precise answer.
Most design codes assume complete bond between steel and concrete and
some suggest the use of shear connectors or other means to ensure
composite action between the two materials. Many factors, such as
shrinkage, creep, temperature, nature of loading, size of section, area of
interface and even the properties of concrete, affect the strength of bond
in composite columns. Some of these factors have been the subject of
several published investigations.t-4
Most of the experimental investigations on the bond problem have been
conducted in short term, and no research on the creep effect on bond is
yet available. Moreover, although improving bond by mechanical means
was assured by test results, the effect of allowable deformations of the

Effect of band on maximum capacity of composite columns

41

structural elements on the bond strength in the presence of these mechanical means seem to be not investigated yet.
In a related study, Wakabayashi s has investigated the effect of bond on
the shear behaviour of composite columns having the same section as the
columns of this investigation, for use in a building and subjected to strong
repeated horizontal shear.
In view of the above, it has been decided to study the effect of bond on
the load carrying capacity and behaviour of composite columns.
The battened composite column, consisting of two steel channels
battened at the ends and intermediate points and filled with plain
concrete, 7"s was used in this investigation to study the possibility of using
this type of composite column in practice and to create new experimental
data on its behaviour. Furthermore, it was used to predict the behaviour
of both encased and filled composite columns since the battened composite column is an intermediate type between the two conventional types.
In addition, the battened composite column has the advantage that part
of the concrete core is exposed and this makes strain measurements in
both the steel and the concrete easier than the encased or the filled
composite columns.

EXPERIMENTAL
Test

PROGRAMME

specimens

Fourteen column specimens were tested into two groups, each consisting
of seven columns. The inside face of the steel channels of one group
(referred to as unbonded columns hereafter) was greased to weaken the
bond between the steel channels and the concrete core. The other group
(referred to as bonded columns) was cast after cleaning the steel with
acetone to maintain the bond between the two materials.
The 14 test specimens were of a cross-section as shown in Fig. 1.
Channels of 100 mm x 50 m m x 7.5 mm sectional dimensions and 2 m long
were battened at the ends and at the third points to form the steel part of
the cross-section with a spacing of 60 mm. End batten plates were 40 mm
long and intermediate batten plates were 30 mm long. All batten plates
were 3.2 mm thick.
One concrete mix, 315:801:939/0-6 (cement:sand:aggregate/water cement ratio) and maximum aggregate size of 10mm was used. Details
and properties of the columns are given in Table I. End plates, 19 mm
thick, were welded to the columns using 5 mm butt welds. The dimensions
of the end plates were larger than the cross-section of the columns to

42

Y. Hunaiti. M. Wakabayashi. K. Masuo

y

Structural

S t e e l Chant

100x50x7.5

E
E

E
E

Plain Concrete C

y
100mm
Fig. I. Cross-section of the test specimens.

accommodate the applied load within their dimensions, and to connect the
loading plates away from the column section. Figure 2 shows details of
column end.
It should be mentioned that all columns were tested at the age of 28
days, where the strength of bond is almost maximum. This has been
proved experimentally by Hunaiti. 4

Test set-up
All columns were tested vertically in a Tokyokoki (Tokyo) 1000 tonne
Compression and Bending Test Machine, recently calibrated, with an
accuracy of 0-5%. The columns were pin ended and connected to the
testing machine by means of 50 mm thick loading plates, and steel balls as
shown in Figs 2 and 3. Holes and grooves in the loading plates were
manufactured with a high degree of accuracy to ensure the load application to the required eccentricities.
The guide frame which can be seen in Fig. 3 was used for setting
the columns under the testing machine and was kept during the test as a
sort of protection and to facilitate inspection and separation measurements.

160

160

YI5B, YI5U
Y40B, Y40U
YIOOB,YI00U 100507.5
(Minor axis
bending)

X24B, X24U
X64B, X64U
X16OB,XI60U 100507-5
(Major axis
bending)
2300

2300

2300

(mm)

B, Bonded cohmms; U, unbonded columns.

bJapanese Standards.

160

(~" colunltl,

cohtn|n

section,
D (mm)

chotlnel

size (ram)

L~

Effectit~e
length

Depth
of

Structural
steel

0B & OU
(axial
100 x 50 7.5b
compression)

Cohmm
desigm~tion
arid case
of bendiny
A~

E~

t~

f:

E~

Concrete core
End BP Intermediate
BP

Batten plates (Bp)

f.

324

324

331

2284

2284

2284

206

206

206

0-157

0"157

0-161

17

17

17

40

40

13716 22900 40

13716 22900

13716 22900

3"2

3"2

3-2

30

30

30

3-2

3-2

3'2

529

529

529

(MPa) (ram2) (MPa (%) (MPa) (ram")(MPa) L v t v L v

tp
x 10 ~)
(mm) (mm)(mm) (mm) (MPa)

f~

Steel channels

TABLE I
Details and Properties of Columns

g~

~_.,-

t~

t..

44

Y. Hunaiti. M. Wakabayashi. K. Masuo

Fig. 2. Details of the column end.

Instrumentation
Strains at mid-height of the columns in both the steel channels and the
exposed part of the concrete core were measured by 10 electrical strain
gauges, three on each channel and two on each face of the concrete.
Intermediate batten plates were also instrumented with electrical strain
gauges to measure the strains in the transverse direction.
Deflections and rotations at the mid-height and column ends were
measured by CDP-25 and SDP-100C electrical transducers with an
accuracy of 0"I/o and 0 . 2 , respectively. Same types of electrical transducers were also used to measure the axial deformations of the columns.
The instrumentation of the test specimens is shown in Fig, 4.
Strain gauges, electrical transducers and load cells were connected to a
TDS-301 data logging system. Loads, deformations and strains were
printed and stored during the tests using a S E I K O 9500 computer. Lateral

Effect of band on maximum capacity of composite columns

45

lO00tf Testing Machine

I Ball . ~
Nh\

I
v-

LoadingP l a t e /

/i

Jr

.~,o_'ndP""/i i
I
Specimen

i
3

~'l

O
O

r" ,,,, 1

II1

II

cl
c
e
CD

Specimenk I

I
800
Guide for Setting of Specimen

u
m

II

'

Loading
m

Dimensions

in

mm

/.

Steel
Ball

Fig. 3. Test set-up.

deflections and axial deformations were also plotted during the testing to
monitor the behaviour of the specimens.
The separation between the steel channels and the concrete core in the
transverse direction, which is considered to be the movement of the
channels in the direction of their major axes away from the concrete core,
was measured between two fixed points--one on the steel channel and the

46

Y. Hunaiti. M. Wakabayashi. K. Masuo

[/

(Eccentricity)L
e ,

t~

D.T.7

.T.2

Measuring
Frame

).T.6
t~
o
t~

~
o
N

o
~1
r4

D.T,4

,r-

Dimensions

in m m

Fig. 4.

I n s t r u m e n t a t i o n of the test s p e c i m e n s .

other on the concrete core--by calipers of 0"05 mm precision; it was

recorded during all stages of tests. Slip between concrete and steel was
observed through 3 m m diameter holes in the channel web at the
middle of one end panel of the column specimens tested under major axis
bending.
More details of the test programme will be described in a subsequent
publication (Konishi et al.).

Effect of band on maximum capacity of composite columns

47

ANALYSIS AND DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

The maximum strength of a composite column can be determined by
numerical integrations of the deflected shape. The maximum load is
defined as the peak of the load--deflection curve.
On the above basis, a computer program, using Newmark's technique
for numerical integration, has been developed at the University of Jordan
to calculate failure loads of the battened composite columns under
uniaxial bending about the major and the minor axis. Results of the tested
columns of this investigation using numerical integration have been
published elsewhere.9
Where design is concerned, the British Bridge Code: BS5400 1979 t the
ECCS recommendations 1981~ and Eurocode 4 : E C 4 1985 t2 contain
rules for the design of composite columns. However, these rules are
applicable only to concrete-encased steel sections and concrete-filled tubes.
None of the above design methods is applicable to the battened composite
columns since the structural steel part of the column is not included in any
of them.
Nevertheless, results published by Shakir-Khalil and Hunaiti 7's proved
that this column can be designed in accordance with the British and
European Codes of practice. Loads calculated by these methods have been
shown to predict safely the ultimate strength of the battened composite
column.
Ultimate loads for the tested columns have been calculated in accordance with the European Recommendations of the ECCS for composite
structures and are shown in Table 2. The interaction curves for the
test specimens, also calculated by the ECCS method, are shown in Figs 5
and 6.

TEST RESULTS

Load carrying capacity

The load was applied to the columns monotonically at intervals ranging
from about 10 kN to 50 kN, depending upon the stage in the test and the
expected maximum load. Table 2 shows the details of the test results. The
maximum moment at the mid-height of the columns were calculated
taking into account the P-A effects.
First, it can be seen from the test results that the carrying capacity of the
battened composite columns is in excess of the calculated values, although
no material factors of safety have been incorporated in the calculations.

24

24

64

64

160

160

X24B

X24U

X64B

X64U

XI60B

XI60U

1-00

1.00

0.40

0-40

0.15

0' 15

--

--

--

--

--

--

--

1.00

material safety factors used.

--

--

--

--

--

--

100

1.00

0.40

0.40

0-15

0-15

--

--

er/B

49"51
49-51
49-51
49-51

1001
I001
1001
1001
I001

0-229

0.229

0.229

0.229

49-51

49"51

1001

0.229

0.229

0.228

0-228

0.229
--

--

I001

1001

--

1002
--

--

1002

--

50' 59

1020

I001

50"59

1020

1001

0'229

0.229

0.229

0.225

0.225

M,,,,
(kN m)

Nu
(kN)

--

--

--

--

--

--

30'36

30"36

30"36

30"36

30"36

30-36

31'04

31"04

M,,,
(kN m)

235
236

21"61

22"23

! 1"88

12"78

404
398

7'09

7-20

--

598

601

206

--

--

353

---

--

532
540
353

-0-16

208

fir
(ram)

--

--

--

--

--

--

26-62

22-79

16.80

18"66

10"34

10"67

3-05

3-23 - 2 " 3 2

&.~
(ram)

Mid-height
deflection
tit N,

852

851

N,
(kN)

load,

tntlxilnLtnl,

Experimental

llliotl

Ultimate moment
of resistance

Jact or,

Concrete Squash
contrihload,

b M,~ = N,~(e, + t$x), M, r = N,).((,). + ~).).

"No

--

YI00U

--

--

40

--

100

--

Y40U

YI00B

--

--

Y40B

15

40

--

YI5U

--

--

--

--

YI5B

e,,/D

--

er
(ram)

Eccentricit),
ratio

15

0U

e,,
(ram)

0B

tltlliot!

Column Eccentricity
desig-

Test Results

TABLE

225

225

388

338

554

554

214

214

378

378

563

563

774

774

Nk
(kN)

Design
load,"

N,

1.05

1"04

1-03

1-04

1"08

1"08

0.96

0-97

0.93

0"93

0"96

0"95

1"10

I'!0

Nk

1'97

--

--

42.82
42.86

--

--

--

--

26'08

25"54

20-05

20"71

13"68

13"66

2-60

30"20

31"02

18-59

18"75

--

--

---

--

--

--

0"!4

2.75

M,,,
M,y
( k N m ) ( k N m)

load b

mllximl#lt

Mid-height
moment at

g~
t~

~r.
....

~a
e,

~t
t~

Oo

Effect of band on maximum capacity of composite columns

1.0

0.8

49

Minor Axis Bending

~"

Z
Z

0.6

s~o~,Co'u~n,n,..,o,,on Co..

."

Oesign

Interaction Curve
ECCS Method.

~.perimenta, Rasulta
. BondedCo,umns.
. Oo~oodedCo,umna.

~
0.4

~ ~

coomoo,,v..0.,o0.,.

\
~
~ ' '

(pCO;ue:t:.G:; Average

0.2

0.0
0.(

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

M/Mu
Fig. 5. Interaction curves for column specimens,

1.0
Major

Axis

Bending

0.8

Short Column Interaction Curve.

(Column of Average Properties}
Ae

0.6

Experimental Results

Z
Z

Bonded Columns.

0.4

0.2

0.0 I0.0

Design
Interaction Curve
ECCS Method.

Unbonded Columns.
O

(Column of Average
Properties}

0.2

0.4

q,

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

M/Mu
Fig. 6. Interaction curves for column specimens.

1.4

50

Y. Hunaiti, M. Wakabayashi. K. Masuo

Secondly, the test results showed that the load carrying capacity of
the bonded and unbonded columns is almost the same in both cases
which clearly indicates that there is no effect of bond between steel
and concrete on the load carrying capacity of the tested columns, and
as the tested columns have a cross-section intermediate between the
encased and the filled composite columns, it could be concluded that
the effect of bond on the carrying capacity of composite columns is
insignificant.
Deformations

The load-deflection curves of the test specimens are shown in Figs 7

and 8. Axial deformations were gathered during tests. Numerical values
of these deformations are shown in Table 3. The test results showed
that bond has an insignificant effect on the deformations of the test
specimens.
Separation between the steel channels and the concrete core has been
observed and recorded during all stages of tests. Cracks in concrete were
also observed carefully and recorded. Test results showed that no separation between the two materials occurred prior to the maximum load for
!

Minor Axis Bending

900

6x

e = 0rnm

800

~ - i

\.....

700

ey = 1

600

500

-7-

8xv =
:

6xy

Bond
Bond

Un

K 400
300
20O
100

./

O
O

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

55

60

65

8y (mm)
Fig. 7. Lateral deflectionof columns under minor axis bending.

70

Effect of band on maximum capacity of composite columns

Major A x i s Bending

9ii

51

Gx

6xy

Omm

800

'

t Gy

G~

700
ex

6O0

6xy = ~6xZ+GY:

5oo

....... : Un-Bond

: Bond

ex
=-

64mrn

400

-.--.......,___

300

ex

160ram.

200
100
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

35
6x

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

(ram)

Fig. 8. Lateral deflectionof columns under major axis bending.

both bonded and unbonded columns. Loads at crack initiation in both
bonded and unbonded columns were very close to each other and at late
stages near the maximum load (i.e. failure load).
Crushing and spalling of concrete in the failure region (mid-height in
most columns) occurred at the final stages of loading, well beyond the
maximum loads in both bonded and unbonded columns.
Figure 9 shows a deflected specimen at the end of the test.
Strains
Figure 10 shows the strain plots for selected specimens comparing both
bonded and unbonded columns. The strain readings indicate similar
behaviour in both cases, and none of the tested columns shows any sign of
local instability until late stages of loading beyond the maximum load.
Strains in the batten plates for bonded and unbonded columns were small
and close to each other in all tests.
In addition to the similarity of the mode of failure, the deflected shape
and the overall behaviour of the test specimens, the strain readings assured
that the bond between the structural steel and the concrete has no effect on
the behaviour of the columns. Furthermore, the strains in the batten plates

3-230
-0-160
0"100
0"320
0"530
0"360
0-160
0'150
7"197
7"094
12"780
11"884
22"232
21'612

851
852

532
540
353
353
208
206

601
598
404
398
235
236

Y15B
YI5U
Y40B
Y40U
YI00B
YI00U

X24B
X24U
X64B
X64U
XI60B
XI60U

4"500
2"010
0-850
1"460
1-430
0"330

10"673
10-341
18"659
16"804
22"792
26"618

-2-316
3"049

~y
(mm)

tSx
(ram)

Deflections

0B
0U

Colunln Maximum
load
designation
N,
(kN)

8'488
7"373
12"808
!!'973
22-278
21"615

10"673
10"346
18'667
16"808
22"793
26"618

3-975
3-049

6xy
(mm)

2"820
2"759
2"430
2"420
3.500
3-410

2"375
2-375
2.400
2"202
1'780
2-510

4"135
3'550

(ram)

Axial
deformation,
6~

14"089
12'505
23-426
21.040
39"616
38"080

18"336
19"368
33"622
29"794
42"945
49"679

-3"749
5-196

13-277
13-058
23"307
22"793
40.984
38.920

19"464
18"732
33-411
29"556
44"488
47"988

-1'851
6'070

OL
(xlO-3rad)

End rotations
O~
(xlO-3rad)

TABLE 3
Deformations of Test Specimens at Maximum Loads

e~

L~
tO

EffEct ~" band on maximum capacity of composite columns

53

Fig. 9. Test specimen at the end of test.

soo ~

500

i#
- - " : "

300

. - .1 0 .

~'~

300

200

200

100

100

-- 5 0 0 '

200

-20

soo

400 ~

.,.. ........

10

c l (x l O ' b i
i
*
,
20 - 2 0
-10
i

IO0
1 (110"~1

400"

10

20 - 2 0

400

-iO

3OO

300

2OO

200

*
-10

20

4
--.
CI

I00

4 1,~10"1
j

1"0

~ 400

tO0
i,
-20

"

g~ I ~ 1 0 " 1

61x10"11

lO
Sple~me*ts:

20-20
~

-~o

0
X 64B

10

20-20
..............

-10

10

20

Th* * * . * *Lira
~* * . * * ~ I A e
. r.a**~. S,.*ia.

X 64U

Fig. 10. Strains in steel channels for columns X64B and X64U.

54

Y. Hunaiti, M. Wakabayashi. K. Masuo

showed that unbonded columns offer a stable behaviour similar to the

bonded columns.
It was expected that unbonded columns will sustain a little less load
than the bonded columns especially in the case of major axis bending
where the steel channels are more susceptible to lateral buckling (away
from the concrete core) in the direction of the minor axis of the columns,
but as can be seen from the test results, unbonded columns sustain almost
the same loads as the bonded columns and offer similar behaviour. Thus,
it might be concluded that the mutual enhancement of strength between
both the steel elements and the concrete core is the major contributing
factor to the total behaviour of the composite columns.

CONCLUSIONS
The test results showed that bond between steel and concrete has no effect
on the load carrying capacity of the tested composite columns.
The tested columns behave very well in absence of bond and show no signs
of local or overall instability until late stages beyond maximum loads.
The battened composite column proved to be a reliable type of
composite columns and can be safely used in practice, since the experimental maximum loads were in excess of the calculated values.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors wish to express their sincere appreciation to Mr Y. Matano
for his valuable contributions during the course of this investigation.
One of the authors (Y. H.) wishes to express his sincere gratitude to the
Matsumae International Foundation for sponsoring his research visit to
Japan, The General Building Research Corporation for Sponsoring the
experimental programme and the University of Jordan for approving his
research leave for a period of three months.

REFERENCES
1. Virdi, K. S. & Dowling, P. J., Bond strength in concrete filled steel tubes,
IABSE Proc. P-33/80, Periodica 3/1980, pp. 125-39.
2. Roik, K. & Breit, M., Momentenfreier anschlub an betonofullte hohlprofilsutzen.
Experimentalle Entersuchungen, Ruhr-Universitat Bochum, FRG, Projekt
52. 1981.

Effect of band on maximum capacity of composite columns

55

3. Roeder, C. W., Bond stress of embedded steel shapes in concrete. In

Composite and Mixed Construction. Proc. US/Japan Joint Seminar, Seattle,
WA. Structural Division, ASCE, 1984, pp. 227-40.
4. Hunaiti, Y. M. Bond strength in battened composite columns. ASCE J. oJ
Structural Enging 117 (1991).
5. Wakabayashi, M., 1980, Recent developments for composite buildings in
Japan. In Composite and Mixed Construction. Proc. US/Japan Joint Seminar,
Seattle, WA. Structural Division, ASCE, 1984, pp. 241-53.
6. Konishi, M., Masuo, K. and Hunaiti, Y. M. Behaviour of Eccentrically
Compressed Long Battened Composite Columns, Publication of the General
Building Research Corporation. Report No. 3, Dec. 1989, Osaka, Japan (in
Japanese).
7. Shakir-Khalil, H. & Hunaiti, Y. M. Behaviour of battened composite columns. In Proc. Conf. Applied Solid Mechanics, University of Strathclyde,
Glasgow, UK Elsevier Applied Science, 1985, pp. 415-33.
8. Shakir-Khalil, H. & Hunaiti, Y. M. Battened composite columns, Steel in
Buildings: IABSE-ECCS Symposium, Luxembourg, September 1985, pp. 32533.
9. Wakabayashi, M., Mauso, K., Hunaiti, Y. & Konishi, M., Behaviour of
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