COLUMNS

Concrete columns can be roughly divided into

the following three categories:

Short compression blocks

or pedestals
 If the height of an upright compression
member is less than three times its least
lateral dimensions, it may be considered to
be a pedestal.
 states that a pedestal may be designed
with unreinforced or plain concrete.

 Should the total load applied to the

member be larger than 0.85φfc Ag, it will
be necessary either to enlarge the cross-
sectional area of the pedestal or to design
it as a reinforced concrete column

Short reinforced
concrete columns

 fail due to initial material failure

 The load that it can support is

controlled by the dimensions of
the cross section and the strength
of the materials of which it is
constructed

 being a rather stocky member

with little flexibility

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 Long or slender reinforced
concrete columns
 As columns become more slender,
bending deformations will increase,
as will the resulting secondary
moments.
 those columns are referred to as
being long or slender

Types of Columns

 Reinforced concrete
columns are referred
to as tied or spiral
columns, depending
on the method used
for laterally bracing or
holding the bars in
place.

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  If the column has a series of closed
ties, it is referred to as a tied
column. These ties are effective in
increasing the column strength.

 prevent the longitudinal bars from

being displaced during construction,
and resist the tendency of the
same bars to buckle outward
under load, which would cause the
outer concrete cover to break or spall
off

 Tied columns are ordinarily square or

rectangular, but they can be octagonal,
round, L shaped, and so forth.

 The square and rectangular shapes are

commonly used because of the simplicity of
constructing the forms, when used in open
spaces, circular shapes are very attractive

 The forms for round columns are often made

from cardboard or plastic tubes, which are
peeled off and discarded once the concrete
has sufficiently hardened.

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 If a continuous helical spiral made
from bars or heavy wire is wrapped
around the longitudinal bars, the
column is referred to as a spiral
column.

 Spirals are even more effective than

ties in increasing a column’s
strength. The closely spaced spirals
do a better job of holding the
longitudinal bars in place, and they
also confine the concrete inside and
greatly increase its resistance to
axial compression

 As the concrete inside the spiral

tends to spread out laterally
under the compressive load, the
column will not fail until the
spiral yields or breaks,
permitting the bursting of the
concrete inside.

 Spiral columns are normally

round, but they also can be made
into rectangular, octagonal, or
other shapes.

 For such columns, circular

arrangements of the bars are still
used.

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 Spirals, though adding to the resilience of columns,
appreciably increase costs

 they are usually used only for large heavily loaded

columns and for columns in seismic areas due to their
considerable resistance to earthquake loadings

 In non-seismic zones, probably more than 9 out of 10

existing reinforced concrete columns are tied

 Spirals very effectively increase the ductility and toughness

of columns, but they are much more expensive than ties

Failure of Tied and Spiral Columns

 a short, tied column be loaded until it
fails, parts of the shell or covering
concrete will spall off and, unless
the ties are quite closely spaced, the
longitudinal bars will buckle
almost immediately, as their lateral
support (the covering concrete) is
gone.

 Such failures may often be quite

sudden, and apparently they have
occurred rather frequently in
structures subjected to
earthquake loadings

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 the spiral is designed so that it is
just a little stronger than the shell
that is assumed to spall off. The
spalling gives a warning of
impending failure and then the
column will take a little more load
before it fails.

Axially Loaded Columns

 Columns are classified as pedestal, short column and
long column. Pedestal is a column whose height is
less than three times its least lateral dimension. They
maybe designed without reinforcement with a
maximum permissible compressive strength of
Φ0.85fc’ where Φ =0.70.

 If the column does not qualify as pedestal then it

maybe classified as a short column. They fail due to
initial material failure. The load on the column
depends on the dimension and the strength of the
material it is made.

 If the length of the column is increased, chances of

lateral buckling increases. Column that fails due to
lateral bucking are classified as long columns.

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 AXIALLY LOADED SHORT TIED COLUMNS
The axial load capacity of tied columns is given by:
Pu =Ф0.80{0.85fc’(Ag-Ast) + Astfy} Ф = 0.70
Ag = gross area of the column
Ast = area of reinforcement
Limits of reinforcement for tied columns A
pg  st
1. Pg ranges from 0.01 to 0.06 Ag
2. The minimum number of longitudinal bars is 4 for bars within
rectangular or circular ties, 3 for bars within triangular bars.
Sizes and spacing of main bars and ties
1. Clear distance between longitudinal bars shall not be less than
1.5dbnor 40 mm.
2. Use 10 mm diameter ties for 32 mm bars or smaller and at least
10 mm in size for 36 mm and bundled longitudinal bars.
Vertical spacing of ties shall be the smallest of the following:
 16 times longitudinal bar diameter
 48 times tie diameter
 least dimension of the column

Axially loaded short spiral columns

The axial load capacity of spiral columns is given by:
Pu =Ф0.85{0.85fc’(Ag-Ast) + Astfy} Ф = 0.75
Limits of reinforcement for spiral columns
1. Pg ranges from 0.01 to 0.06
2. The minimum number of longitudinal bars is 6
Sizes and spacing of main bars and ties
1. Clear spacing between spirals shall not exceed 75 mm,
nor less than 25 mm
2. For cast in place construction, size of spirals shall not be less
than 10 mm.
3. The percentage of spiral reinforcement is computed by
4as (Dc  db )
ps 
SDc2

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 Where:
Dc = diameter of the concrete core
as = cross sectional area of the spiral
S = spacing of the spirals
db = diameter of spirals
4. The minimum spiral percentage is given by
Ag
0.45 fc' ( 1)
Ac
ps min 
fy

Where: Ac = area of the concrete core

Clear cover ( min. of 40 mm)
D 2

Ac  c
DC D
4
Clear cover ( min. of 40 mm)
Dc = D – 2 ( clear cover )

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 Problems
 A square tied column 350 mm by 350 mm is reinforced with 6 of 25
mm bars with fc’ = 20.7 MPa and fy = 345 MPa. Determine the
following :
a) Ultimate axial load capacity of the column.
b) spacing of 10 mm lateral ties
Solution
 ( 25 )
2
Pu =Ф0.80{0.85fc’(Ag-Ast) + Astfy} A st  6  2945 . 25 mm 2
4
0.7(0.80){0.85(20.7)[(350)(350)  2945.25]  2945.25(345)}
Pu   1747kN
1000
Spacing of 10 mm ties
S  16 ( 25 )  400 mm
S  48 (10 )  480 mm
S  350 mm Use S = 350 mm

Problems
 A circular spiral column 400 mm in diameter is reinforced with 8 of
25 mm bars with fc’ = 20.7 MPa and fy = 345 MPa. Determine the
following :
a) ultimate axial load capacity of the column.
b) the spacing of 10 mm spirals assuming clear covering of 40 mm

Solution  ( 25 ) 2
Pu =Ф0.85{0.85fc’(Ag-Ast) + Astfy} A st  8  3927 mm 2
4
 ( 400 ) 2
Ag   125664 mm 2

4
0.75(0.85){0.85(20.7)[(125664  3927]  3927(345)}
Pu   2229.2kN
1000

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 Diameter ot the concrete core
Dc = D – 2 ( clear cover )=400-2(40) = 320 mm

 D c2  ( 320 ) 2
Ac    80425 mm 2
4 4
A
0.45 fc' ( g  1) 0.45(20.7)(125664  1)
Ac 80425
ps    0.0152
fy 345
 D s2  (10 ) 2
As    78 . 54 mm 2
4 4
4 a s ( D c  d b ) 4 ( 78 . 54 )( 320  10 )
S    60 mm  25 mm  75 mm
Ps D c2 0 . 0152 ( 320 ) 2

Use s = 60 mm

Design of axially Loaded Tied Columns

Given :axial load, fc’, fy
Required : Column size, size of main bars, size and spacing
of lateral ties
General Procedure
1.Solve for design axial load Pu
2.Assume pg 0.01 to 0.06
3. Solve for required gross area to get column size
Pu
Ag 
( 0 .7 ) 0 .80 .85 fc ' (1  p g )  p g f y 
4. Solve for Ast
Ast = pgAg
5. Using adjusted values of column size and Ast, check
column capacity (optional)
Pu =Ф0.80{0.85fc’(Ag-Ast) + Astfy}
6. Assume size ot ties and solve for the spacing
Use the smallest value from the ff:
a) 16 times longitudinal bar diameter
b) 48 times tie diameter
c) least dimension of the column

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 Problem:
Design a square tied column to support an axial dead load
of 600 kN and axial live load of 750 kN. fc’ =20.7 MPa, fy = 345 MPa.

Pu  1.4 PD  1.7 PL  1 .4 (600 )  1.7 (750 )  2115 kN

Assume pg = 0.02

Pu
Ag 
( 0 .7 ) 0 .80 .85 fc ' (1  p g )  p g f y 
2115 (1000 )
Ag   156435 mm 2
( 0 .7 ) 0 .80 .85 ( 20 .7 )(1  0 .02 )  0 .02 ( 345 ) 

t A g  156435  395 mm Say 400 mmx 400 mm square column

As  p g Ag  0.02(156435)  3128mm 2

Using 20 mm bars
3128 ( 4 )
No .   10 pcs
 ( 20 ) 2
Note: No need to check column capacity

Spacing of 10 mm ties
S  16 ( 20 )  320 mm
S  48 (10 )  480 mm
S  400 mm Use S = 320 mm

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Design of axially Loaded Short Spiral Columns
Given :axial load, fc’, fy
Required : Column size, size of main bars, size and spacing
of spirals
General Procedure
1.Solve for design axial load Pu
2. Assume pg 0.01 to 0.06
3. Solve for required gross area to get column size
Pu
Ag 
(0.75)0.850.85 fc ' (1  p g )  p g f y 

4. Solve for Ast

Ast = pgAg
5. Using adjusted values of column size and Ast, check
column capacity (optional)
Pu =Ф0.85{0.85fc’(Ag-Ast) + Astfy}
6. Solve for the diameter of the concrete core
Dc = D – 2 ( clear cover)
Ag
7. Solve for the spiral percentage 0.45 fc' ( 1)
Ac
ps min 
fy
8. Assume size of spirals and solve for required spacing

4as ( Dc  db )
S where: S ≥ 25 mm, S≤ 75 mm
Ps Dc2

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 Problem:
Design a circular spiral column to support an axial dead load of 600 kN and axial
live load of 750 kN. fc’ =20.7 MPa, fy = 345 MPa.

Pu  1.4 PD  1.7 PL  1.4(600)  1.7(750)  2115kN

Assume pg=0.02

Pu
Ag 
(0.75)0.850.85 fc ' (1  p g )  p g f y 

2115(1000)
Ag   137427mm2
(0.75)0.850.85(20.7)(1  0.02)  0.02(345)
D 2
 137427mm2 D  420mm
4
Ast  pg Ag  0.02(137427)  2749mm2

Using 25 mm bars 25 mm main vertical bars

2749( 4)
N 6
 (25) 2 40

Diameter ot the concrete core

Dc = D – 2 ( clear cover )=420-2(40) = 340 mm
420
 D c2  ( 340 ) 2
Ac    90792 mm 2
4 4 40
Ag 137427 10 mm spirals at
0.45 fc' (  1) 0.45(20.7)(  1) 60 mm pitch
Ac 90792
ps    0.014
fy 345
Using 10 mm spirals
 D s2  (10 ) 2
As    78 . 54 mm 2
4 4
4 a s ( D c  d b ) 4 ( 78 . 54 )( 340  10 )
S    60 mm  25 mm  75 mm
Ps D c2 0 . 014 ( 340 ) 2
Use 10 mm spirals at 60 mm pitch

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Plate: Axially loaded short columns

A square tied column 400 mm by 400 mm is reinforced with 8 of 25 mm bars

with fc’ = 20.7 MPa and fy = 345 MPa. Determine the following :
a) Ultimate axial load capacity of the column.
b) spacing of 10 mm lateral ties

A circular spiral column 450 mm in diameter is reinforced with 10 of 25 mm

bars with fc’ = 27 MPa and fy = 415 MPa. Determine the following :
a) ultimate axial load capacity of the column.
b) the spacing of 10 mm spirals assuming clear covering of 40 mm

Design a circular spiral column to support an axial dead load of 450 kN and axial live
load of 600 kN. fc’ =20.7 MPa, fy = 345 MPa. Use pg =0.025 and 10 mm spirals

Design a square tied column to support an axial dead load of 450 kN and axial
live load of 600 kN. fc’ =20.7 MPa, fy = 345 MPa. Use pg =0.03 and 10 mm ties.

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