Design of column
Reinforced concrete design
Prof. BD Ikotun
Civil Engineering
Department
Column
Definition
• Column is a vertical structural member that acts as a
vertical support to suspended members and to
transmit loads from these members to the foundation.
Type of loading to expect, and design for in columns
• Columns can be subjected to pure axial force without
bending moments (columns with pin supports), or a
combination of both axial forces and bending
moments. The bending moments can be uni-axial
(about one axis only, either the x axis or Y-axis, or bi-
axial (about both X-axis and Y axis simultaneously)
Building
Slab and
beams
Columns
Foundations
3
Column effective height
The column effective height is of great importance as it determines
the column failure mode.
Effective height (Le) may be calculated using general method,
rigorous method or read from nomograph.
With general method, effective height (Le) about an axis is the
product of the clear height (distance between lateral restraints) Lo
and a coefficient (β)
Le = βLo
Limit of slenderness:
Generally: Lo < 60b and b > 0.25h (These criteria are important
to ensure column min cross-sectional dimensions)
For cantilever column: Lo < 25b and b > 0.25h
Clear height for computing effective heights
Extracts from Greg Parrott and SANS Lo =Distance between top of the bottom
10100-1
slab to the soffit of the top slab/ or beams
Fig 1: column with beam in one direction only Fig 2: column with beams in both directions
5
Column effective height
The coefficient (β) is the function of:
• the end restraints of the column and
• whether the column is braced or unbraced.
The value of β can be obtained from Table 18 and 19 of
SANS 10100 for braced and unbraced column respectively.
End condition 1: beam or slab depth or foundation exceeds
column dimensions
End condition 2: column dimension exceeds beam or slab
depth
End condition 3: nominal end restraint only (pinned)
End condition 4: totally unrestrained (tip of cantilever)
Column effective height
Braced and unbraced column
Braced column are laterally supported by wall, bracing or
buttressing designed to resist all lateral forces in that
plane.
Unbraced column in a plane is not supported in that
plane and resist lateral loads by the bending action of
the column.
Braced and unbraced column
Extracts from Greg Parrott and SANS 10100-1
Short and slender column
Fig 3: short column Fig 4: slender column
Refer to graphical behavior of compression members
for better understanding of the implications of Extracts from Greg Parrott and SANS
slenderness 10100-1
Short and slender column
Short and slender column
M1 = smaller initial end moment which should be taken
as negative for a column bent in double curvature.
M2 = larger initial end moment, taken as positive.
(M1 and M2 are the moment from structural analysis)
M1 M2
M2 M1
Column behavior explained graphically (For steel section)
Short column fail by
Short columns Slender columns crushing, whereas slender
columns fail by buckling.
Crushing stress (σy)
Boundary between short
of material
and Slender columns Slender columns will buckle
(σy)
and fail before the Crushing
stress or load of the
material is reached.
The higher the slenderness,
the less load the member
will take.
f (Mpa)
SRlim Upper
Slenderness boundary limit Upper slenderness limit
Corresponding to crushing Extracts from Greg Parrott and SANS
allowed by design Codes 10100-1
stress Fig 5: stress vs slenderness
13
Column behavior explained graphically (Reinf
Concrete)
14
Column loading
A column can be axially loaded, uniaxially loaded or biaxially
loaded.
An axially loaded column has a concentric axial load. No
moments in both x and y axes. Total load is supported by the
compressive action of both concrete and steel. Example is a truly
central column
A uniaxially loaded column has an axial load and a moment in
one direction. Example are most side columns.
A biaxial loaded column has an axial load and moments in the two
axes. Example is a truly corner column.
Design axial load
Design axial load = load from the column immediately
above + reactions from the beam and/or slab at the top
of the column + the self-weight of the column.
Assumption: beams and slabs transmitting force into the
column are simply supported.
Additional moment in slender column
Additional moment in slender column
Additional moment in slender column
Uni-axial bending
Uniaxial-braced slender column
Fixed support top and
pinned support at bottom
Both support
fixed
Both supports
pinned
Extracts from Greg Parrott and SANS
10100-1
Additional moment from slenderness
22
Uni-axial bending
Braced slender column - design moment
Extracts from Greg Parrott and SANS
10100-1
24
Extracts from Greg Parrott and SANS
10100-1
25
Uni-axial bending
Unbraced slender column – Additional moment
Extracts from Greg Parrott and SANS
10100-1
M2 M2+Larger Madd
M1 M1+Reduced Madd
27
Unbraced slender column – Additional moment
M2 M2+Madd
M1 M1
Extracts from Greg Parrott and SANS
10100-1
28
Extracts from Greg Parrott and SANS
10100-1
29
Bi-axial bending
Bi-axial bending
0.000 0.50
0.075 0.60
0.150 0.70
0.250 0.70
0.300 0.65
0.400 0.53
0.500 0.42
≥ 0.600 0.30
Short columns
For short columns, where no additional moment arises out of
slenderness, the design moment will be given by the greater of
(a) or (b) below.
(a) M2
(b) emin N
Design flow
Determine if column is unbraced or braced.
This is important in determining the
slenderness, which in turn, in combination
with the nature and type of loading,
determines the design approaches.
This is explained by the flow diagram below:
33
Primary moments
Loading and analysis
Building layout
Axial load
Clear height(Lo) Braced/Unbraced Breath (b) Height (h)
Effective Height (Le)
Additional
moment
Slenderness
Short column Slender columns
Braced Unbraced Braced Unbraced
M2 M2 or M1+Madd/2,
M2 + Madd
emin(N) Mi+Madd
emin(N)
emin(N)
For pinned M1 M2 and Mi are zero. In addition, additional moments at the supports are zero
34
The diagram above is summarized as follows:
From the building layout, you get:
• The loading, which together with the building geometry, you are able to analyze the structure
and get column moments (primary moments) and axial loads required to design the columns.
• The clear height lo, the effective height le, the column cross sectional dimensions (h) and (b),
and also you are able to establish if the columns are braced or unbraced. you also able to
work out the effective height
Once you have the effective height Le, the primary moments; using the cross sectional dimensions
(h) and (b), you calculate the slenderness.
From the slenderness and classification of columns being either braced or unbraced, you are able
to work out the additional moment if applicable, minimum moment and design moments.
once you have all these parameters, then use reinforcement charts to work out the reinforcement
required.
35
36
Longitudinal reinforcement
Longitudinal reinforcement
Suitable design charts for symmetrically reinforced columns,
based on the relevant material properties and partial safety
factors, may be used in the design of column sections to get the
longitudinal reinforcement.
Design charts
Example of Design charts
Example of Design charts
Example of Design charts
Example and explanation of How to
use design chart for columns
• Example 6.3 in Greg Parrot text book will be used to
illustrate the use of design charts for columns.
This example is also uploaded under additional resources for
reference.
• We will only use the chart for d’/h = 0.15 to illustrate how
design charts should be used.
For any intermediate values of d’/h, please use interpolation.
For this example,
N/bh = 10.2
M/bh2 = 4.42
3.2 4
Increments of 1 units
Increments of 0.2 units
N/bh = 10.2
M/bh2 = 4.42
On the vertical axis, the increments are in units of 1.
meaning:
0; 1; 2; 3; 4; 5… so the value of 10.2 is between just above the horizontal
line through 10, at a 1/5th the distance between 10 and 11.
Make horizontal line through this value of 10.2 (Line 1)
On the horizontal axis, the increments are in units of 0.2,
meaning:
0; 0.2; 0.4; 0.6; 0,8; 1 … so the value of 4.42 is beteewn the 2nd and 3rd
verticals (4.4 and 4.6 respectively) from 4, at 1/5th the distance
between 4.4 and 4.6
Make vertical line through this value of 4.42 (Line 2)
The intersection of horizontal (Line 1) and vertical line (Line
2) gives the percentage of area of reinforcement to be used.
The two lines here meets between boundary 3 and boundary
4. Measure off the distance between the two boundaries (3
and 4) and workout the exact value at the intersection of the
two lines (Line 1 and Line 2).
The intersection in this case is at 1/5th the distance between
boundary 3 and boundary 4, from boundary 3 which
correspond to the value of 3.2.
That is how this value of 3.2 was calculated.
4
3.2
3
Repeat the same process as described above for d’/h = 0.2 to get the
percentage area of 3.6.
For this example, d’/h is 0.166, which is between d’/h = 0.15 and d’/h =
0.2.
hence, the area of reinforcement was calculated for 0.15 and 0.2, then the
area of d’/h = 0.166 calculated by interpolation between the corresponding
areas for 0.15 and 0.2.
For d’/h = 0.15, percentage area is 3.2
For d’/h = 0.2, percentage area is 3.6
For d’/h = 0.166, the area is found by interpolation between 3.2 and 3.6 to
get to 3.33
Additional Design considerations
• Provide minimum of 4 reinforcement in column, with minimum
diameter of 12 mm.
• The area of longitudinal reinforcement in a vertically cast
column may not exceed 6%.
• The area of longitudinal reinforcement in a horizontally cast
column may not exceed 8%.
• For both vertically and horizontally cast columns, the area of
reinforcement at laps may not exceed 10%.
• Provide links at least one-quarter the size of the largest bar at
a maximum spacing of twelve times the size of the smallest
bar.
Shear in columns
Design Examples
Practice examples 6.1, 6.2 and 6.3
Reinforced Concrete – Design to SANS 10100, Parrott G, SAICE. ISBN:978-1-
919858-14-2
Practice example 11.7
Roberts, JM & Marshall, V. 2010. Analysis and design of concrete structures.
Cement and Concrete Institute, Midrand
References
SANS 10100
Reinforced Concrete – Design to SANS 10100, Parrott G, SAICE. ISBN:978-1-
919858-14-2
Roberts, JM & Marshall, V. 2010. Analysis and design of concrete structures.
Cement and Concrete Institute, Midrand
