Temple of Olympian Zeus, Athens, Greece

early Roman column construction

The Forum, Rome, Italy

Kai Li, EIT, LEED GA, Ph.D. Candidate

Kai Li, EIT, LEED GA, Ph.D. Candidate
COLUMNS
Definition: - Any member with axial load (formal definition: P > 0.1 )
- Could be in tension
- Can also have V, M and torsion
weight
Examples: E,W

P P
P
Column Analysis: In principle, similar to beams, but need to take axial load into account.
Column is more like a beam with double reinforcement.
0.003

P
Column Strength Design:
,

satisfy both ,

cross-tie

Column Details:

hoop
6” 6”

6” 6”

Kai Li, EIT, LEED GA, Ph.D. Candidate

COLUMN DETAILS
dc (out-to-out)
b

≥ #3 for ≤ #10 long.

≥ #4 for ≥ #11 long.
h

Asp ≥ #3

• Longitudinal reinforcement:

,
0.01 0.08 practical limit 4%

• Minimum: 4 bars • Minimum of 6 bars

• Maximum # of bars: → Table A-14 • 1 in. ≤ s ≤ 3 in.
• smax ≤ hmin (d/2 if shear)
≤ 16 db,longitudinal
≤ 48 db,transverse
• Ties such that every corner bar & alternate • Definition:
bar in corner of hoop or cross-tie, and no
unsupported bar more than 6 in. clear from
supported bar.
4 4
6” 6”

• Requirement:
6” 0.45 1

Kai Li, EIT, LEED GA, Ph.D. Candidate

RC Compression Member
Calculate strength of compression member (pure axial load)
Strain Stress Forces

thin slice of column

Ac = total concrete area viewed as free body diagram
Ast = total steel area,
Ag = gross area =Ac +Ast

1) Plane sections remain plane: everywhere

2) Stress-strain relations: (note: → @ about same time as → )

f ignore strain-hardening
(not well-controlled)

3) Equilibrium of forces:
0.85

maximum likely in No strain-hardening

real column considering
segregation & bleeding

Nominal axial load strength: 0.85

Column Example #1:

In a 12-in. square column with 4#9 longitudinal bars, fy = 60 ksi, fc‘ = 4 ksi. What is the
nominal axial load strength?

4 in. , 12 4 140 in.

0.85 4 140 60 4 476 240 716 kips

Kai Li, EIT, LEED GA, Ph.D. Candidate

Kai Li, EIT, LEED GA, Ph.D. Candidate
STRENGTH DESIGN FOR SHORT COLUMNS

0.65 for tied columns · ductility;

0.75 for spiral columns · more usable strength after spalling;
· confinement

was the nominal axial load strength under pure axial load; i.e., eccentricity = 0
eccentricity exists → reduce (to get , ) by · 0.80 tied columns
· 0.85 spiral columns

, 0.85 0.85 , 0.75, spiral columns

, 0.80 0.85 , 0.65 for tied columns

AXIAL LOAD + BENDING:

Basic Approach: 0.85

0.003
c a

1) Assume strain → 2) Stresses → 3) Stress resultants

→ ∑ 0
∑ 0

Column Example #2– Short Column Design

Compute the maximum design axial strength
for the tied short column shown.
Check the tie size and spacing.
Use fy = 60 ksi and fc‘ = 4 ksi.

Kai Li, EIT, LEED GA, Ph.D. Candidate

• Total area of steel, Ast = 12#10 bars = 15.2 in.2
• Ag = 24(18) = 432 in.2

15.2
0.0352 0.001 0.08
432
• , 0.8 0.85
0.8 0.65 0.85 4 432 15.2 60 15.2

, 1211 kips

• Allowable longitudinal steel:

Table A-14, 12#10 bars are allowed fir 15 in. core √

• Check ties: #3 OK
#4 preferable

• Max spacing of #4 tie: 48 × tie bar diam. = 48(0.5) = 24 in.

16 × long. bar diam. = 16(1.27) = 20.3 in. Smallest 18 in., OK.
least column dimension = 18 in.

• Clear spacing between longitudinal bars =

0.5 1.27
24 2 1.5 4 tie dia. 4 bar dia.
4.64 in. 6 in. , O. K. No extra ties needed
3

Kai Li, EIT, LEED GA, Ph.D. Candidate

Column Example #3 – Short Column Design
Design a short, square tied column for service loads of 200 kips dead load and 160 kips live load.
Use ρg of about 0.04, fy = 60 ksi and fc‘ = 3 ksi. Assume that eccentricity is small.
Solution:
→ Factored load, Pu = 1.2(200) + 1.6(160) = 496 kips
→ Required Ag = ?
, 0.8 0.85

, 0.8 0.85

0.80 0.85 1
496
→ Req d
0.80 0.85 1 0.8 0.65 0.85 3 1 0.04 60 0.004

197 in. ⟹ 14.04 in.

Select h = 15 in. → Ag = 225 in.2

→ Load carried by concrete = 0.80 0.85 1

= 0.80(0.65)(0.85)(3)225(1-0.04)
= 286.4 kips
→ Load carried by steel = 496 -286.4 = 209.6 kips
209.6
Required 6.72 in.
0.80 0.65 60
→ Select bars in multiples of four

Select 8#9 bars → Ast = 8.0 in.2 8#9 bars #3@15 in.
→ Check Table A-14: O.K.
8
→ 0.0036 ≅ 0.04 O. K.
225
→ Design of ties: use #3 ties 15 in.
least column dimension = 15 in. 1.5 in.
Max spacing 48(0.375) = 18 in. clear
16(1.13) = 18.1 in.
Use #3 ties@15 in. O.C.
→ Check clear distance between bars: 15 in.

3 9
15 2 1.5 2 3
clear distance 8 8 3.93 in. 6 in. , O. K.
2
→ Done! But re-check ,

, 0.8 0.65 0.85 3 15 8 60 8 537 kips 496 kips, O. K.

Kai Li, EIT, LEED GA, Ph.D. Candidate