The　use　of　very　high　strength　materials　is　currently　being　researched　as　a　way　to　reduce　material　use　and　improve　sustainability.　In　this　investigation　a　total　of　32　specimens　were　fabricated　using　very　high　strength　(VHS)　steel　tubes　and　plates　to　form　stub　columns.　The　VHS-plate　fabricated　stub　columns　were　tested　under　axial　compression.　The　specimens　comprised　20　fabricated　square　sections　and　12　fabricated　triangular　sections.　The　VHS　steel　tubes　used　have　a　nominal　yield　stress　of　1350　MPa　and　a　nominal　ultimate　tensile　strength　of　1500　MPa.　Mild　steel　plates　and　high　strength　steel　plates　were　used　to　connect　the　VHS　tubes　at　the　vertices　thereby　forming　square　and　triangular　cross　sections.　Normal　strength　concrete　with　a　standard　concrete　strength　grade　of　32　MPa　was　used　as　concrete　in-fill.　Finite　element　models　are　developed　to　simulate　the　behaviour　of　the　VHS-plate　stub　columns.　The　finite　element　models　predicted　the　load-deformation　behaviour　of　the　fabricated　columns　well　with　the　peak　strength　and　post-peak　behaviour　similar　to　the　experimental　results.　A　parametric　study　was　also　carried　out　to　determine　the　effect　of　concrete　strength,　facet　plate　yield　strength　and　facet　plate　width　to　wall　thickness　ratio.　The　parametric　study　shows　that　there　is　benefit　in　concrete　confinement　through　the　use　of　higher　strength　steel　facet　plates.　This　paper　also　proposes　a　method　for　determining　the　axial　compression　capacity　of　fabricated　VHS-plate　stub　columns.　The　predicted　peak　strength　from　the　proposed　design　method　is　in　good　agreement　with　the　test　results.　©　2013　Elsevier　Ltd.