Experimental and numerical investigations of precast circular reinforced concrete slender columns with intermediate connection

Abstract

This paper carries out experimental and numerical investigations on the axial performance of circular Reinforced Concrete (RC) precast slender columns with an intermediate connection. A series of tests are carried out to study the effects of longitudinal reinforcement ratio (ρ), and embedded length of steel bars (Lb) of precast columns on their axial performance under concentric loading. Test results show that increasing the reinforcement ratio and the embedded length of the precast columns significantly improves the axial performance of the precast slender columns. Nonlinear finite element models (FEM) are developed to simulate the performance of the columns experimentally observed. The accuracy of the FEM is validated against the test results and found to reasonably predict the axial performance of tested columns.