Chapter 6 - Column

Basic CHAPTER COLUMN
Reinforced
Concrete
Detailing 6
1. INTRODUCTION
The re-bars in column are mainly used to enhance the compression capacity of the
column. They are in the form of vertical bars. In some situations, if the column
has to resist large bending moment, the bars have to resist the flexural tensile
stress similar to the longitudinal bars in beam.
Large diameter Grade 500 high tensile steel bars are usually used.
As the vertical bars are designed to take up compression, they have to be
restrained from buckling. Restraint in the form of horizontal links (or called
binders) is used. For ease of fixing, small sizes Grade 250 mild steel bars are
usually used for the links.
The vertical bars together with the links forms a steel cage. The steel cages are
usually spliced or lapped at the floor level.
2. VERTICAL BARS
2.1 Steel Area
The area of vertical re-bars is determined by the strength requirement of the

column. It is expressed in mm2. It is usually designed to resist compression force
and is denoted by Asc. The bars are evenly distributed around the perimeter of the
section. If the column has to resist large bending moment, the vertical bars may
have to resist tension force and is denoted by Ast. The bars are then placed along
the faces parallel to the axis of bending
When the column is subjected to biaxial bending, the amount of re-bars required
for each direction may be different.
The following are the Hong Kong Code of Practice requirements on detailing of
column vertical bars
04/21/17 Page 6-1

Chapter
Column 6
HK COP of Structural Use of Concrete 2013 requirements
on column re-bars
Minimum area of vertical steel 0.8%
Maximum area of vertical steel if vertically cast 6%
Maximum area of vertical steel if horizontally 8%
cast
Maximum area of vertical steel if laps in 10%
vertically or horizontally cast
Minimum size of vertical bars 10
Minimum number of vertical bars 4 for rectangular section
6 for circular section
Example
A 450 x 450 column, the designer specified that the vertical steel required is
8200mm2 evenly distributed within the column. Determine the number and size of
re-bars for the column.
Check minimum steel area required: 0.8% x 450 x 450 = 1620 mm2
Check maximum steel area allowed: 6% x 450 x 450 = 12150 mm2
Try 4T40 + 4T32, Asc provided = 8244mm2, 4.07%.
(Comment: pay attention to the maximum percentage of steel at the lap)
2.2 Bar spacing
Although in Hong Kong Code of Practice, there is no specific requirement on bar

spacing for vertical bars in column, the following guidelines are recommended:
(i) Adequate bar spacing should be provided to ensure good compaction of
concrete around the bars. The minimum bar spacing should be: (a)
maximum aggregate size + 5mm or (b) bar size, whichever is larger.
(ii) In order to avoid conflict of bars at the beam-column junction, bar spacing
of not lesser than 100mm is suggested.
(iii) If the bars are subjected to tension, the requirements on bar spacing for
beam shall apply.
2.3 Lapping and anchorage
Vertical bars of column are seldom curtailed. Vertical bars are usually continuous
from the floor to floor. They extend above the upper floor level to lap with the
bars of the upper floor column.
04/21/17 Page 6-2

Chapter
Column 6
At foundation level, re-bars are provided for lapping with the column bars. They
are called starter bars. As the starter bars are usually exposed for a long time
before the commencement of the superstructure work and they are usually located
at ground level, in order to reduce the risk of being damaged, it is recommended
that the size of starter bars should not be less than T20.
At the roof, the vertical bars have to terminate with adequate anchorage length
into the roof beams.
It is common practice not to provide re-bar lapping details for each individual
column and instead a typical lapping and anchorage details of re-bars as shown in
DWG 601 is provided.
2.4 Concrete Cover
According to the fire-resisting requirement, for a column of 1 hr FRR the

minimum concrete cover is 25mm; and for column of 2 to 4 hrs FRR the
minimum concrete cover is 35mm.
In practice, it is common to adopt a concrete cover of 40mm for all columns.
3. CONTAINMENT OF COMPRESSION BARS
The vertical bars are subjected to compression and have to be restrained from
buckling by links (or binders).
Cl. 9.5.2.1 of HK COP for Structural Use of Concrete 2013 requirements:

When part or all of the main bars in the compression zone required to resist
compression, the following bars required to be restrained by links:-
(a) corner bars
(b) alternate bars in the outer layer
(c) no bar should be more than 150mm from a retrained bar
Details of the links for restraining compression bars:-
(a) size of link >= ¼ the size of the largest compression bar or 6mm
whichever is greater
(b) spacing of link =< 12 times the smallest compression bar
(c) the lesser dimension of column
(d) 400mm
04/21/17 Page 6-3

Chapter
Column 6
Table 6.1 – Nominal Column Links

Vertical bars 12 16 20 25 32 40 50
Size of link 10 10 10 10 10 10 12
Min spacing 125 175 225 300 375* 475* 600*
*It is common practice to limit the maximum spacing of links to 300mm.
(Pay attention to requirements on the spacing of links at the lapping)
The detail of the links is similar to the shear links used in beam.
Example
A 500 x 500 column, the area of steel specified = 8200 m2. The bars can be
evenly distributed. Grade 30 concrete, moderate exposure. FRP =2hrs. Provide
the re-bar details.
Concrete cover to all bars required = 30mm (appendix A of Chapter 3)
Use 4T40 + 4T32 vertical bars, Asc = 8244mm2, 3.3%, ok.
Arrangement of bars: T40 at corners, T32 at mid of the column face.
Check the distance of the T32 from the corner bars: (500 – 2x30 – 2x10 – 40)/2 =
190mm > 150mm. Therefore the T32 has to be restrained.
R10-200 links to be provided. There are two possible arrangements of the links
as shown in Alternatives A and B of DWG603. Although both arrangements are
theoretically acceptable, some engineers prefer alternative A because it renders
the steel cage more rigid and not easily dislocated during concreting.
An additional alternative C, 4T32 + 12T25 can be used and the arrangement of
the re-bars is also shown in DWG 603.
4. PRESENTATION
The presentation of the re-bar details for column is usually in the tabular form
called ‘Column Schedule’. An example is shown in DWG 602 This column
schedule should be read together with the typical details shown in DWG 601.
In some situations where the typical detail is not applicable, elevations and
sections of the column should be provided.
The recommended scale is 1:50 for elevations and 1:25 for sections. Depending
on the size of the column and the complexity of the re-bars fixing, scale of 1:100
or 1:10 may be used.
04/21/17 Page 6-4

Chapter 6 - Column

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter 6 - Column

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Chapter 6 - Column

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Basic CHAPTER COLUMN

2.1 Steel Area

The area of vertical re-bars is determined by the strength requirement of the

04/21/17 Page 6-1

2.2 Bar spacing

Although in Hong Kong Code of Practice, there is no specific requirement on bar

2.3 Lapping and anchorage

04/21/17 Page 6-2

2.4 Concrete Cover

According to the fire-resisting requirement, for a column of 1 hr FRR the

3. CONTAINMENT OF COMPRESSION BARS

Cl. 9.5.2.1 of HK COP for Structural Use of Concrete 2013 requirements:

04/21/17 Page 6-3

Table 6.1 – Nominal Column Links

04/21/17 Page 6-4

You might also like