RCFT columns (Reinforced Concrete Columns Formed in Steel Tubes) were used for the first time as the core columns of a 30 story high-rise hotel building. RCFT columns are high strength concrete columns contained in a thin-walled steel tube. The concrete is reinforced by high strength steel bars as the main reinforcement and deformed PC steel bars as shear reinforcement. This type of columns show excellent structural performance and fire resistance. Several factors need to be considered in the erection of such columns. These include, assembling and anchoring of the steel reinforcement within the tube, joining of reinforcement, erection of the steel frames, method of filling the steel tube with 80N/mm^2 high strength concrete and its quality control. These problems were investigated and solved through model tests and during the actual erection.
