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1
Lecture Chp-1
Columns

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Lecture Goals
Introduction to column
Short columns
Combined axial force and bending
Interaction diagrams, biaxial bending
Design aids
Slender columns

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 Introduction
General Information

Column:  Vertical Structural members

 Transmits axial compressive loads
with or without moment
 transmit loads from the floor & roof
to the foundation

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 Classification of columns
Columns may be classified based on the following
criteria:
a) On the basis of geometry; rectangular, square,
circular, L-shaped, T-shaped, etc. depending on the
structural or architectural requirements
b) On the basis of composition; composite columns,
in-filled columns, etc.
c) On the basis of lateral reinforcement; tied
columns, spiral columns.

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Classification of columns Cont.…
d) On the basis of manner by which lateral stability is
provided to the structure as a whole; braced
columns, un-braced columns.
e) On the basis of sensitivity to second order effect
due to lateral displacements; sway columns, non-
sway columns.
f) On the basis of degree of slenderness; short
column, slender column.
g) On the basis of loading: axially loaded column,
columns under uni-axial bending, columns under
biaxial bending.
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 Tied and Spiral Columns
Tied Columns - Most of the columns in
buildings in non-seismic regions are tied
columns. ties provide negligible restraint to
lateral expose of core
Occasionally, when high strength and/or
ductility are required, the bars are
placed in a circle, and the ties are
replaced by a bar bent into a helix or a
spiral, with a pitch from 35 to 85mm.
Such a column, is called a spiral
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 Tied and spiral Columns
Spiral Columns

spiral restrains lateral (Poisson’s effect)

axial load delays failure (ductile)

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 Behavior of Tied and Spiral
Columns
The figure on the
right shows a
portion of the core
of a spiral column
enclosed by one
and a half turns of
a spiral

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 Behavior of Tied and Spiral
Columns
Under a f1
compressive load,
the concrete in this
column shortens
longitudinally
under the stress f 1
and so, to satisfy f1
the Poisson’s ratio,
it expands laterally.

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 Behavior of Tied and Spiral
Columns
This lateral
expansion is
Especially
Pronounced at
stresses in excess of
70% of the cylinder
strength. In spiral
column, the lateral
expansion of the concrete inside
the spiral (the core) is
restrained by the spiral.
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 Behavior of Tied and Spiral
Columns
These stresses in
the spiral are in
tension For
equilibrium the f2
concrete is
subjected to lateral
compressive
stresses, f 2 f2
. f2 f2
f2
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 Behavior of Tied and Spiral
Columns
An element taken
out of the core
is subjected to
tri-axial compression
which increases
the strength of f1
concrete: f 1 = f ck +4.1f 2
f2
. f2 f2
f2
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f1 17
 Behavior of Tied and Spiral
Columns

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 Behavior of Tied and Spiral
Columns
The initial parts of these diagrams are similar. As the
maximum load is reached vertical cracks and
crushing develops in the concrete shell outside the
ties or spirals, and this concrete spalls off.
When this happens in a tied column, the capacity of
the core that remains is less than the load and the
concrete core crushes and the reinforcement buckles
outward between the ties. This occurs suddenly, with
out warning, in a brittle manner.

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 Behavior of Tied and Spiral
Columns
When the shell spalls off in spiral columns, the
column doesn’t fail immediately because the
strength of the core has been enhanced by the tri
axial stress resulting from the confinement of the
core by the spiral reinforcement. As a result the
column can undergo large deformations before
collapses (yielding of spirals). Such failure is
more ductile and gives warning to the impending
failure.
Accordingly, ductility in columns can be ensured
by providing spirals or closely spaced ties.
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 Behavior of Tied and Spiral
Columns

2 Asp f sp
2 
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 Sway Frames vs. Non-sway
Frames

Non-sway Frame Sway Frame/ Un-braced columns

/ Braced columns

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 Sway Frames vs. Non-sway
Frames
• An unbraced structure is one in which frames
action is used to resist horizontal loads.
• In such a structure, the horizontal loads are
transmitted to the foundations through bending
action in the beams and columns.
• The moments in the columns due to this
bending can substantially reduce their axial
(vertical) load carrying capacity.
• Unbraced structures are generally quit flexible
and allow horizontal displacement (see Fig.).
When this displacement is sufficiently large to
influence significantly the column moments, the
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structure is termedbyaAshenafi
sway M.
frame. 23
 Sway Frames vs. Non-sway
Frames
• Although, fully non sway structures are difficult
to achieve in practice, EBCS-2 or EC-2 allows a
structure to be classified as non sway if it is
braced against lateral loads using substantial
bracing members such as shear walls,
elevators, stairwell shafts, diagonal bracings or
a combination of these (See Fig.).
• A column with in such a non sway structure is
considered to be braced and the second order
moment on such column, P-∆, is negligible.
• This may be assumed to be the case if the
frame attracts not more than 10% of the
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 Slender Columns vs. Short
Columns
 Columns are broadly categorized in to two as short
and slender columns.
 Short columns are columns for which the strength is
governed by the strength of the materials and the
geometry of the cross section.
 In short columns, Second-order effects are
negligible.
 In these cases, it is not necessary to consider
slenderness effects and compression members can be
designed based on forces determined from first-order
analyses.
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 Slender Columns vs. Short
Columns
 When the unsupported length of the column is long,
lateral deflections shall be so high that the moments
shall increase and weaken the column.
 Such a column, whose axial load carrying capacity
is significantly reduced by moments resulting from
lateral deflections of the column, is referred to as a
slender column or sometimes as a long column.

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 Slender Columns vs. Short
Columns
Slenderness Ratio
The significance of P (i.e. whether a column is short or
slender) is defined by a slenderness ratio.
In EBCS 2, the slenderness ratio is defined as follows:
For isolated columns, the slenderness ratio is defined
Le
by: 
i
where: Le is the effective buckling length
i is the minimum radius of gyration. The radius of
gyration is equal to i I A
where: I is the second moment of area of the
section
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A is crossbysectional
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area 27
 Slender Columns vs. Short
Columns
•For multistory sway frames comprising rectangular sub
frames, the following expression may be used to calculate
the slenderness ratio of the columns in the same story.
12 A

Kl L

where: A is the sum of the cross-sectional areas of all the

columns of the story
Kl is the total lateral stiffness of the columns of the story
(story rigidity), with modulus of elasticity taken as unity
L is the story height

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 Slender Columns vs. Short
Columns
Limits of Slenderness

The slenderness ratio of concrete columns shall not exceed 140

Second order moment in a column can be ignored if
a)For sway frames, the greater of
  25
15

d
where  d  N sd f cd Ac
b)For non-sway frames

Where M1 and M2 are the first-order (calculated) moments at the ends, M2 being
always positive and greater in magnitude than M1, and M1 being positive if member
is bent in single curvature and negative if bent in double curvature

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 Behavior, Nominal Capacity and
Design under Concentric Axial loads

 When a symmetrical column is subjected to a

concentric axial load, P, longitudinal strains ε,
develop uniformly across the section as shown.

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 Behavior, Nominal Capacity and
Design under Concentric Axial loads

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 Analysis and Design method for
axially loaded concrete column
 But Almost all compression
members in concrete structures
are subjected to moments in
Addition to axial loads.
 These may be due to
misalignment of the load on
the column, or may result from
the column resisting a portion of
the unbalanced moments at the
ends of the beams supported by
the columns .
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Analysis and Design method for
axially loaded concrete column

So What if we have
Bending Moment in
addition to the axial load ?

Interaction Diagrams
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 Interaction Diagrams/ M-N
Relationship
Interaction diagram is a conceptual illustration of
relation between bending moment and axial load in
column.( it illustrate axial load strength in r/n to B.M)
N.B:- The load P and moment M are calculated w.r.t.
the geometric centroid axis because the moments and
forces obtained from structural analysis are referred to
this axis.
How interaction diagram illustrate
the interaction between axial load
and bending moment on column ?

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 Interaction Diagrams/ M-N
Relationship

P
M

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 Interaction Diagrams/ M-N
Relationship

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 Interaction Diagrams/ M-N
Relationship
Points on the lines plotted in this figure represent
combinations of P and M corresponding to the resistance
of the section.
A point inside the diagram, such as E,
represents a combination of P and M
that will not cause failure

Combinations of P and M falling on the Fig. 1Interaction

line or outside the line, such as point F, diagram for an
will equal or exceed the resistance of elastic column,
the section and hence will cause |fcu| = |ftu|.
failure
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 Interaction Diagrams/ M-N
Relationship for RCC
Since reinforced concrete is not elastic & has a tensile
strength that is lower than its compressive strength, the
general shape of the diagram resembles the figure
bellow

How we can develop

Interaction Diagrams
/M-N Relationship for
RCC ?

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 Interaction Diagrams/ M-N
Relationship for RCC
Strain Compatibility Solution - Procedures to follow
1. Assume strain distribution and select the location of
the neutral axis.
2. Compute the strain in each level of reinforcement
from the strain distribution.
3. Using this information, compute the size of the
compression stress block and the stress in each layer
of reinforcement.
4. Compute the forces in the concrete and the steel
layers, by multiplying the stresses by the areas on
which they act.
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 Interaction Diagrams/ M-N
Relationship
5. Finally, compute the axial force Pn by summing the
individual forces in the concrete and steel, and the
moment Mn by summing the moments of these
forces about the geometric centroid of the cross
section.
6. These values of Pn and Mn represent one point on
the interaction diagram.4 Other points on the
interaction diagram can be generated by selecting
other values for the depth, c, to the neutral axis
from the extreme compression fiber.

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 Interaction Diagrams/ M-N
Relationship for RCC
𝜈=𝑁𝑢/𝑓𝑐𝑑 𝑏ℎ

𝜇=𝑀𝑢/𝑓𝑐𝑑 𝑏ℎ2

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 General Design steps for
concrete column
In the actual design, interaction charts prepared for
uniaxial bending can be used as design aides.
The procedure involves:
1. Assume a cross section, d’ and evaluate d’/h to
choose appropriate chart.
2. Compute: Normal force ratio: 𝜈=𝑁𝑢/𝑓𝑐𝑑 𝑏ℎ Moment
ratios: 𝜇=𝑀𝑢/𝑓𝑐𝑑 𝑏ℎ2
3. Enter the chart and pick ω (the mechanical steel
ratio), if the coordinate (ν, μ) lies within the families
of curves. If the coordinate (ν, μ) lies outside the
chart, the cross section is small and a new trail need
to be made.
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 General Design steps for
concrete column
4. Compute 𝐴𝑠,𝑡𝑜𝑡 = 𝜔𝐴𝑐𝑓𝑐𝑑/𝑓𝑦𝑑
5. Check A tot satisfies the maximum and minimum
provisions.
6. Determine the distribution of bars in accordance
with the charts requirement

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 General Design steps for
concrete column

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 Actions
Actions on the columns are determined using
one of the analysis methods we looked at for
flexural design.
From the analysis obtain the following
data:
 Ultimate axial load, Ned
 Ultimate moment at the top of
the column, Mtop
 Ultimate moment at the bottom
of the column, Mbottom

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Is the Column Slender? EBCS EN 1992-
1-1:2013
Second order effects may be ignored if they
are less than 10% of the corresponding first
order effects
Second order effects may be ignored if the
slenderness, λ is less than λlim where
λlim = 20 A B C/√n
With biaxial bending the slenderness should
be checked separately for each direction and
only need be considered in the directions
where λlim is exceeded

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 Slenderness
Slenderness, λ = Lo/i
Lo=effective length = F.L
(L = actual length)
i = radius of gyration = √(I/A)
hence
for a rectangular section λ = 3.46 Lo / h
for a circular section λ = 4 Lo / h

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 Effective lengthas EBCS EN 1992-1-1:2013
Effective length, Lo=FL for last two

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 Slenderness limit EBCS EN 1992-1-1:2013
Allowable Slenderness
λlim = 20⋅A⋅B⋅C/√n
where:
A = 1 / (1+ 0.2ϕef)
ϕef is the effective creep ratio;
(if ϕef is not known, A = 0,7 may be used)
B = √(1 + 2ω) ω= Asfyd / (Acfcd)
(if ω is not known, B = 1,1 may be used)
C = 1.7 - rm
rm= M01/M02
M01, M02 are first order end moments,
absolute blue of two moments M02≥ M01
(if rm is not known, C = 0.7 may be used)
n = NEd / (Acfcd)

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 Is λ≥λlim?
Is
Lo/i = λ ≥ λlim = 20⋅A⋅B⋅C/√n ?

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 Requirement

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 Requirement

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 Requirement
Transverse Reinforcement Requirements
(according to New EBCS )
 The diameter of the transverse reinforcement
(links, loops or helical spiral reinforcement)
should not be less than 6 mm or one quarter of
the maximum diameter of the longitudinal bars,
whichever is the greater. The diameter of the
wires of welded mesh fabric for transverse
reinforcement should not be less than 5 mm.
 The transverse reinforcement should be anchored
adequately
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 Requirement

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 Bi-axially Loaded Columns
 Up to this point in the chapter we have dealt with
columns subjected to axial loads accompanied by
bending about one axis.
 It is not unusual for columns to support axial forces
and bending about two perpendicular axes.
 One common example is a corner column in a frame.

So, how can we construct the

interaction chart or design
such a section?

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 Bi-axially Loaded Columns
One approach is, we can convert biaxial bending into
uniaxial bending by finding the resultant moment
vector thus:

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 Bi-axially Loaded Columns
If we now rotate the section anticlockwise so that Mres
points vertically, we have uniaxial bending of a non-
rectangular section.

This is a mathematically complicated analysis!

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 Bi-axially Loaded Columns
 Another approach is constructing or making use of
the interaction diagram (M-M-N Relationship) of bi-
axially loaded column sections.
 For a given cross section and reinforcing pattern, one
can draw an interaction diagram for axial load and
bending about either axis.
 These interaction diagrams form the two edges of an
interaction surface for axial load and bending about
2 axes.

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 Bi-axially Loaded Columns

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 Bi-axially Loaded Columns
 As shown in the figure above, the interaction diagram
involves a three dimensional interaction surface for
axial load and bending about the two axes.
 The calculation of each point on such a surface
involves a double iteration:
 The strain gradient across the section is
varied, and
 The angle of the neutral axis is varied.

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 Bi-axially Loaded Columns
There are different methods for the design of Bi-axially
loaded columns:
 Strain compatibility method
 The equivalent eccentricity method
 Load contour method
 Bresler reciprocal load method
Biaxial interaction diagrams calculated and prepared
as load contours or P-M diagrams drawn on planes
of constant angles relating the magnitudes of the
biaxial moments are more suitable for design (but
difficult to derive).
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 Bi-axially Loaded Columns
Interaction diagrams are prepared as load contours for
bi-axially loaded columns with different reinforcement
arrangement (4-corner reinforcement, 8-rebar
arrangement, uniformly distributed reinforcement on 2-
edges, uniformly distributed reinforcement on 4-edges
and so on.)

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 Bi-axially Loaded Columns

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 Bi-axially Loaded Columns
In the actual design, interaction charts prepared for bi-axial
bending can be used. The procedure involves:
1. Select suitable chart which satisfy and h’/h and b’/b ratio.
2. Compute:
Normal force ratio: 𝜈=𝑁𝑢/𝑓𝑐𝑑 𝑏ℎ
Moment ratios: 𝜇h=𝑀𝑢h/𝑓𝑐𝑑 Acℎ
𝜇b=𝑀𝑢b/𝑓𝑐𝑑 Acb
3. Enter the chart and pick ω (the mechanical steel ratio),
4. Compute 𝐴𝑠,𝑡𝑜𝑡 = 𝜔𝐴𝑐𝑓𝑐𝑑/𝑓𝑦𝑑
5. Check Atot satisfies the maximum and minimum provisions
6. Determine the distribution of bars in accordance with the
charts requirement

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