Using steel and concrete together utilizes the beneficial material properties of both elements. Concrete filled steel tubes represent a good example of a concrete - steel composite structure, and are particularly useful as columns in high rise buildings and bridge piers. They can be used in a range of fields, from civil and industrial construction through to the mining industry.

Several aspects of concrete filled tubes have received little coverage in existing design standards, design guides or relevant books, but are addressed here: construction methods or quality and their effect...