Load Path Effects in Circular Steel Columns under Bidirectional Lateral Cyclic Loading

Abstract

Rigorous numerical analyses are conducted to study the effects of bidirectional lateral cyclic loading on the hysteretic response of stocky circular thin-walled steel columns. Four unidirectional and eight bidirectional lateral displacement controlled load paths are considered; different performance indices obtained from the lateral load paths under consideration are compared. The results obtained from these comprehensive numerical analyses indicate that bidirectional lateral cyclic loading has a very limited effect on the ultimate strength of stocky circular thin-walled steel columns, but significantly decreases the ductility when compared with unidirectional lateral loading.