Abstract: A series of axial compressive tests were conducted on two macrofoam columns and seven GFRP-Macrofoam columns. The failure modes, load-displacement curves and the characteristic of energy absorption of the tested specimens under compressive loads were presented. Influences of the numbers of GFRP layers, foam density and different horizontal fiber layer ratios were discussed herein. The test results show that with the using of GFRP, the deformation modes of columns change from the 45°-fracture to the typical three-stages. The carrying capacities, the total energy absorption and the specific energy absorption of specimens will increase as the layers of GFRP, foam density or horizontal fiber layer ratios increase. As the layers of GFRP increase from 0 to 2 and 4, respectively, the load capacity of specimens increases by 71.02% and 86.04% , and the energy absorption capacity are improved significantly. The density of macrofoam has a significant effect on stroke utilization. As the density increases, the stroke utilization decreases.

Key words: macrofoam, axial compressive test, specific energy absorption, stroke utilization