Sandstone is widely used a construction and building material. However, its uniaxial tensile strength (UTS) is not adequately understood. To characterize the uniaxial tensile strength of natural sandstone, three groups of specimens were fabricated for four-point bending, uniaxial compressive, and tensile tests. To characterize the evolution of the stress–strain profiles obtained via these tests, representative expressions were developed in terms of normalized strain and strength. The magnitude of the uniaxial tensile strength exceeded that of the four-point bending strength, indicating that the uniaxial tensile strength cannot be represented by the four-point bending strength. The experimental ratio of uniaxial tensile and compression strength (33–41) was underestimated by the empirical expressions reported in the literature. The suggested correction coefficient for the FBS is 0.25. The compressive modulus (E_c) was generally identical to the experimental results published in the literature, whereas the tensile modulus (E_t) was overestimated. The experimental modular ratio, E_t/E_c, ranged from 0.12 to 0.14; it was not sensitive to Poisson’s ratio, but it increased slightly with the compressive modulus. This work can serve as a reference for computing the load-bearing capacity of sandstone components under tension.

In order to research feasibility of high strength concrete applied to the main factory building frame and framed bent structure of large-scale firepower plant, based on the experimental research of 6 reinforced high strength frame slender columns under frequency cyclic loading, the failure shape and hysteretic characteristics were discussed. The main results show the surface concrete shedding of columns with high axial compression ratio and low hoop rate of the column drop more serious and those of columns with low axial compression ratio and high hoop rate drop slightly; with the decrease of axial compression ratio and stirrup ratio increases, the column hysteretic curve become increasingly full; the cumulative hysteretic energy become more and more big; the absorbed earthquake energy increases; the ductility also increases accordingly; whether high or low strength concrete frame column, with the axial compression ratio increases, the ductility decreases; the ductility of ordinary concrete columns is basically linear relation; the ductility of high strength concrete frame columns decreases nonlinearly with axial compression ratio increases.

In order to research feasibility of high strength concrete applied to the framed structure of large-scale firepower plant, the 3 high-strength concrete short columns are experimentally researched. The results show that the stirrup ratio increases, the hysteretic curves of columns increasingly become full; the absorbed earthquake energy increases; the ductility and seismic performance also increased; the composite hoop columns always have good ductility as they fails.