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DETERMINATION OF FRICTIONAL BEHAVIOUR BETWEEN CONCRETE AND

STEEL TUBE INTERACTION

Conference Paper · September 2014

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 EUROSTEEL 2014, September 10-12, 2014, Naples, Italy

DETERMINATION OF FRICTIONAL BEHAVIOUR BETWEEN

CONCRETE AND STEEL TUBE INTERACTION
Evirgen Buraka, Tuncan Ahmeta
a
Anadolu University, Department of Civil Engineering, Turkey
burakevirgen@anadolu.edu.tr, atuncan@anadolu.edu.tr

INTRODUCTION
External forces such as earthquake are damped in the structural system with various ways by joints,
supports, internal effects of members, displacement, rotation, etc. Frictional force or frictional
resistance is also another type of these dampers that are created between steel and concrete surfaces.
Friction is a resistive force against the separation or slipping between composite sections. It is consist
of both tangential and normal components. Normal component is a hard contact that permits the
separate movements for steel and concrete in some loading conditions. Steel member dominates the
movement according to the high modulus of elasticity value. However, tangential component is
effected by the lots of factors such a surface texture, roughness of materials, additives of concrete,
temperature and humidity.
Despite the importance of frictional behaviour between steel and concrete, limited study is available
in the literature about basic friction coefficient and friction stress. Rabbat and Russell [1] performed
the fifteen tests within the aim of determining the static friction between rolled steel plate and cast-
in-place concrete or grout for both wet and dry interface conditions. Experimental push off test was
realized under three different amount of load assumptions as 0.14, 0.41 and 0.69 MPa. Baltay and
Gjelsvik [2] realized the experimental studies for calculation the friction coefficient between concrete
and mild steel under the nominal normal stress varied from 1 psi to 68000 psi. Steel was removed
sand particles from the concrete at high stress levels. It also effects the friction behaviour. The
orientation of the machining cuts on the steel surface had no serious effect on the coefficient of
friction. Durand et all. [3] researched the interface behaviour between the steel and compacted
granular material that was subjected a normal pressure up to the 100 MPa. It is also lower than the
concrete according to the interaction area and lack of adhesion by cementitious material.
Johansson and Gylltoft [4] evaluated the mechanical behaviours of circular steel concrete composite
stub columns on thirteen experimental and analytical specimens. In the finite element analysis contact
pressure overclosure model along normal direction and a Coulomb friction model in the tangential
direction at the contact surfaces with different friction coefficients were used. Confined concrete can
carry higher estimated load than unconfined case. As a result of this behaviour, increased bond
strength can be obtained according to the lateral contribution from the steel tube. However, there is
no effect on the bond strength if the load affects either entire section of the column or only the steel
section. Cairns et all. [5] indicated that the corrosion products do not reduce the friction characteristics
of bar and concrete interface when surface crack width does not exceed 1.00 mm by using anodic
polarisation. As a result of corrosion occurrence, increase of friction may occurs on the some
circumstances as well. If crushing of cover concrete is prevented, effect of corrosion on the friction
characteristics would be conservative within the crack limits of considering study. Nie et all. [6]
researched the experimental study on six composite beams and presented the ultimate shear strength
values. The ultimate shear strength of interface was determined by the concrete strength, normal
stress, roughness and friction coefficient of interface. Ferrer et all. [7] examined the effects of
geometrical and physical parameters on the steel-concrete slip mechanism. Friction is a very
complicated physical magnitude due to many uncontrolled factors during construction as a literature
summary.
 EUROSTEEL 2014, September 10-12, 2014, Naples, Italy

1 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
1.1 Material Properties
Material properties of concrete and steel members were determined by using basic material tests that
are concrete compressive strength test, steel tensile strength test and modulus of elasticity test. All of
the concrete mixture calculations were designed according to the TS802 [8]. Three different sizes of
aggregates were used in the mixture given in Table 1.
Table 1. Properties of aggregates
Size of aggregate [mm] 0-5 5 - 15 15 - 22
Unit Weight [kg/cm3] 2.49 2.59 2.67
Maximum Water Content [%] 1.96 0.16 0.13
Water Absorption Capacity [%] 4.54 0.51 0.20

Water / cement ratio values were chosen as 1.00, 0.75 and 0.60 within the aim of designation of the
three different twenty eight days concrete compressive strength. After the amount of required
materials calculation, concrete specimens were poured as three different series. Both 150mmx300mm
sized cylindrical and cubic specimens have a 160mm edge length were used during the determining
of concrete compressive strength process for each design strength level. Another samples, these have
100mmx200mm dimensions, were produced for modulus of elasticity determination as shown in
Fig.1. All specimens were subjected to curing process according to the TS EN 12390 - 2 [9].

Fig. 1. Specimens which are used in concrete tests

After twenty eight days waiting period, specimens were crushed as shown in Fig.2 with compressive
machine. 0.6 MPa/sec pace rate was used at this stage due to the TS EN 12390-3 [10]. Concrete
compressive strength values were obtained as 13, 26 and 35 MPa.

a)

b)
Fig. 2. Last status of crushed concrete specimens a) Cylindrical specimens b) Cubic specimens
 EUROSTEEL 2014, September 10-12, 2014, Naples, Italy

Modulus of elasticity test was realized with cylinder frame as shown in Fig.3 that can measure axial
shortening by LVDTs. TML-CDP25 type of 2.5 mm capacity LVDTs were used during tests at the
opposite locations. CLC-1Mna type of calibrated TML load cell has 100 tons capacity was used.
TDS303 type of data logger was used to load - deformation readings simultaneously. Elasticity
modulus of concrete specimens were determined as 9150, 21000 and 28000 MPa. Modulus of
elasticity, yielding strength, ultimate strength and elongation ratio values were given as 200000 MPa,
255 MPa, 370MPa and 32.12% respectively. These values related to the average results of steel tensile
tests on the six coupon steel specimen according to the TS EN ISO 6892-1 [11].

Fig. 3. Modulus of elasticity setup for concrete

An experimental study was made on six concrete filled tube columns that produced from cold formed
manufacturing steel plates. Circular and square shaped specimens were used within the aim of shape
effect observation. Circular specimens have 150mm inner diameter and square specimens have
150mm edge length. The height of all specimens were kept constant as a 400mm. C13, C26 and C35
concrete mixtures were placed into the tubes on the purpose of shear strength and static friction
coefficient between steel and concrete interaction surface.

1.2 Test Setup

The shear strength measurement device as shown in Fig.4(a) has been designed to permit the axial
slip of concrete. Fixing rings were produced to eliminate the movement of steel. The slippage was
performed with the push out of core concrete by using Enerpac hydraulic cylinder from bottom side.
The maximum shear strength between concrete and steel was calculated under favour of load cell.
Another test setup is a basic friction measurement device as shown in Fig.4(b) that has been used to
determine of the static friction coefficient. In the same manner, industrial steel plate and three
different concrete blocks having about 130kg weight were used. Concrete block was placed on the
steel plate and pulled with pulley system.

a) b)
Fig. 4. Experimental devices a) For shear strength measurement b) For static friction coefficient measurement
 EUROSTEEL 2014, September 10-12, 2014, Naples, Italy

1.3 Test Results

The maximum shear stress or bond stress between concrete and steel is obtained immediately before
the slipping of concrete according to the static friction force on the interaction surface as shown in
Fig.5. This shear stress is the maximum strength against slip of concrete at the same time. Dynamic
friction force gets involved after this stage and stress decreases. Circular specimens (CC13, CC26,
CC35) have higher shear stress during slip. Meanwhile, stress on the square specimens (SC13, SC26,
SC35) have immediate reduction as much as half stress of circular ones.

Fig. 5. Shear stress results on the interaction surface due to experimental study

External weights gradually applied to the platform that is located at the end of the pulling rope during
coefficient of static friction experiment. It was determined about 0.55 at the limit between static
position and motion of block as it is used to be in previous experiment. Concrete compressive strength
does not has a significant influence on the friction magnitude, if same type of surface texture provided.
However, concrete compressive stress has a directly proportional with sliding time. In the literature,
static friction coefficient at the interaction surface of concrete and steel was valid for different
conditions presented as follow. It is varied between 0.57 and 0.70 under normal compressive stress
[1]. Average friction coefficient should be taken as 0.47 under 1 - 68000 psi stress level [2]. Value of
0.2 is suitable between steel and quasi-brittle aggregate within another study [3].

2 FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS

2.1 Models
Finite element analysis of circular and square specimens was modelled within the aim of validating
the results. ABAQUS v.12 software was used. Whole specimen sizes were modelled during the
definition of parts with original dimensions. Core concrete was assumed as solid element named
C3D8R eight-node brick element with reduced integration. But, steel tube was modelled as a shell
element called as S4R a 4-node doubly curved thin or thick shell with reduced integration type
according to the real behavior of plate member. Input values of defined materials were identified in
accordance with the mechanical properties cited above. Boundary conditions, tangential and normal
interaction properties were realistically defined to provide same situations with experimental setup.
Average values of the frictional stress at surface nodes were calculated after the completion the
running of models.
2.2 Results of Finite Element Model Analysis
100 mm displacement from bottom face of core concrete was affected along the interaction surface
until reaching the resistive frictional force all around the inner face of steel. Maximum shear stress
values were obtained by this way. Core concretes were pushed out at the end of the experimental and
analytical process as shown in Fig.6. Continuous sliding was occurred in rounded specimens. This
behaviour is the result from the influence of confinement effect and regular stress distribution on
whole surface. On the other hand, stress concentration occurred at the corner regions for angular
specimens. So, non-homogeneous stress distribution and sliding behaviour were observed on them.
Besides, excessive local stress increment was seen on analytical angular specimens at the certain
points according to the same reason. Results are compared with respect to the maximum shear stresses
on the interaction surface as shown in Fig.7. Bond stress of members varied between 0.29 and 0.67
 EUROSTEEL 2014, September 10-12, 2014, Naples, Italy

MPa. Rabbat and Russell [1] found the range of this value from 0.17 to 0.61 under their conditions.
Experimental stresses of circular specimens are generally higher than analytical results about 13.3%.
But, this difference is approximately less than 21.1% for square specimens. All specimens have
almost no shear stress after exact slipping.

a)

b)
Fig. 6. Last status of specimens a) Experimental b) Analytical

Fig. 7. Comparison the experimental and analytical shear stress results on interaction surface

3 CONCLUSION
The results obtained from experimental tests and finite element analysis about the interaction between
the concrete and steel surfaces presented in this paper. The following conclusions can be drawn.
Two different experimental procedure were performed within this study. A shear stress experiment
on the interaction surface was made on six concrete filled steel tubular stub columns. Bond stresses
of composite members were found between 0.29 and 0.67 MPa. Rounded specimens have two times
higher shear strength than angular specimens against slipping on the interaction surface according to
the confinement effect. Stress distribution is not homogeneous on the angular specimens due to corner
effects. So, slipping process immediately occurs in the square specimens. Concrete compressive
strength does not has a significant influence on the friction magnitude if the same type of surface
texture conditions are provided.
The coefficient of static friction experiment was realized between steel plate and three varied concrete
blocks. Static friction coefficient between the concrete and steel tube can be considered as 0.55 under
same conditions within corresponding paper while calculating the static frictional forces and stresses.
 EUROSTEEL 2014, September 10-12, 2014, Naples, Italy

Three dimensional nonlinear finite element models were established with deformable solid parts both
concrete and steel members. These analytical results verified with the experimental models. Models
were also used to obtain how the concrete and steel behave as a composite material. Maximum 21.1%
difference was seen if analytical results by comparing with the experimental results.

REFERENCES
[1] Rabbat, B. G., and Russell, H. G., 1985. “Friction coefficients of steel on concrete or grout”. Journal of
Structural Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 111, pp. 505-515.
[2] Baltay, P., and Gjelsvik, A., 1990. “Coefficient of friction for steel on concrete at high normal stress”.
Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 2, pp. 46-49.
[3] Durand, B., Delvare, F., Bailly, P., Picart, D., 2013. “Identification of the friction under high pressure
between an aggregate material and steel: Experimental and modelling aspects”. International Journal of
Solids and Structures, Vol. 50, pp. 4108-4117.
[4] Johansson, M. and Gylltoft, K., 2002. “Mechanical behavior of circular steel-concrete composite stub
columns”. Journal of Structural Engineering, ASCE, Vol. 128, pp. 1073-1081.
[5] Cairns, J., Du, Y., Law, D., 2007. “Influence of corrosion on the friction characteristics of the
steel/concrete interface”. Construction and Building Materials, Vol. 21, pp. 190-197.
[6] Nie, J.G., Wang, Y.H., Zhang, X.G., Fan, J.S., Cai, C.S., 2012. “Mechanical behavior of composite joints
for connecting existing concrete bridges and steel–concrete composite beams”. Journal of Constructional
Steel Research, Vol. 75, pp. 11–20.
[7] Ferrer, M., Marimon, F., Crisinel, M., 2006. “Designing cold-formed steel sheets for composite slabs: An
experimentally validated FEM approach to slip failure mechanics”. Thin-Walled Structures, Vol. 44, pp.
1261-1271.
[8] TS 802, 2009. “Design of Concrete Mixes”, Turkish Standards Institute, Ankara.
[9] TS EN 12390-2, 2002. “Testing hardened concrete-Part 2: Making and curing specimens for strength
tests”, Turkish Standards Institute, Ankara.
[10] TS EN 12390-3, 2010. “Testing hardened concrete-Part 3: Compressive strength of test specimens”,
Turkish Standards Institute, Ankara.
[11] TS EN ISO 6892-1, 2010. “Metallic materials-Tensile testing - Part 1: Method of test at room
temperature”, Turkish Standards Institute, Ankara.

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