This paper investigates the behaviour of axially-loaded tubular columns filled with M20 grade concrete and partially replaced concrete. The parameters varying in the study are slenderness ratio (13.27, 16.58 & 19.9), and normal M20 grade concrete, partially replaced quarry dust and concrete debris. The effects of the various concrete mixes and composite action between the steel tube and the concrete core are studied and a graph visualizing the differences between the load carrying capacity and the axial deflection is plotted. Some of the performance indices like the Ductility Index (DI), Concrete Contribution Ratio (CCR), Confinement Index (θ) and Strength Index (SI) are also evaluated and compared amongst the CFST columns. From the results it has been noted that an increase in the L/D ratio decrease the behaviour of the composite columns irrespective of the in filled materials. The composite action was achieved in the CFST columns filled with partially replaced quarry dust and concrete debris when compared with hollow steel columns. The load carrying capacity of the CFST column increases by 32 % compared with the hollow tubular columns.

In this work, the instability damage modes of yield state of a steel tube at the tension side of a rectangular steel tube-confined concrete (RCFST) column under eccentric compression were classified into two types based on the coupling effect of slenderness ratio (λ) and eccentricity ratio (γ). The two types include the unilateral compression yield failure mode with a smaller value of γ and tensile and compressive yield failure modes on both column sides with a larger value of γ. Further, the parametric analyses were performed by employing the finite element (FE) method and the analytical analysis to test 16 groups of RCFST columns by varying the γ value with different λ values. It was observed that the results of the analysis for the mechanical properties like the responses of load-strain ( P-ε) and RCFST column instability modes correlated well with the results obtained in the experiments. Furthermore, the proposed theoretical method could be used to investigate the roles of γ as a controller against the instability in RCFST columns when compared with λ.