Columns

Gokarna Bahadur Motra

Buckling Load
• Now assume we have a pin connected column. If we apply a similar
concept to that before here we find

Pcr Pcr • The internal resisting moment M in the column

is M   P
• We can write the relationship between the
deflected shape and the Moment M

d 2 M  P cr 
M 2
 
dx EI EI
d 2 Pcr  2 EI
 0 Pcr 
dx 2 EI L2
Pcr - The load at which bucking starts to happen
(Critical buckling load)
P P
 
x x
Column Buckling

• What is buckling?
Buckling occurs when a straight column subjected to axial
compression suddenly undergoes bending as shown in the
Fig.(b). Buckling is identified as a failure limit-state for
columns.
• The critical buckling load Pcr for columns is theoretically given by
Equation (1):
 2E I
Pcr 
• K L 2 [1]
I - moment of inertia about axis of buckling.
K - effective length factor based on end boundary conditions.
Slender Columns

• Slender concrete columns may fail by buckling in the elastic or inelastic stress
state or they may fail when the compressive strain in the concrete reaches its limit
of 0.0035. The former is classified as instability failure and the latter as material
failure (Purushothaman 1984).
Columns

• The strength of steel compression members is usually limited by their tendency to

buckle.

• The load at which a compression member becomes unstable is the buckling load.

• The buckling load depends on the length, cross-section, and end conditions of the
column and the stiffness of the material.

 2 EI • Pcr is the load at which the compression member becomes

Pcr  unstable
(kL) 2 • E is modulus of elasticity of steel = 2x105MPa (29,000 ksi)
• I is moment of inertia of the cross section
• L is the length of the compression member
• k is the effective length factor
Columns

• Slender columns are prone to buckling.

• Concrete members are sufficiently thick, but, buckling cannot be ignored.
• For braced frames (where side sway is prevented), the possibility of buckling
can be ignored.
• For all unbraced frames, buckling should be considered.
• A slender column may be defined as a column that has significant reduction
in its axial load capacity due to moments resulting from lateral deflections of
the column.
Long Columns

• The larger the slenderness ratio (ℓ/r), the greater the tendency to
buckle under smaller load
• Factors affecting tendency to buckle:
• end conditions
• unknown eccentricity (concentric & eccentric loads)
• imperfections in material
• initial crookedness
• out of plumb
• residual stress
• buckling can be on one or both axes (major or minor axis)
Columns
• When a column is subjected to flexure combined with axial compression, the action of the
axial compression in the displaced geometry of the column introduces ‘secondary
moments’ — commonly referred to as the P–∆ effect — which is ignored in the usual
‘first-order’ structural analysis. These secondary moments become increasingly significant
with increasing column slenderness.
• Secondary moments are negligible in columns with low slenderness ratios; such columns
are called short columns. Design codes provide guidelines, in terms of slenderness ratios.
• According to the IS Code (Cl. 25.1.2), a compression member is classified as a ‘short
column’ if its slenderness ratios with respect to the ‘major principal axis’ (lex/Dx) as well as
the ‘minor principal axis’ (ley/Dy) are both less than 12
• If (lex/Dx) as well as the ‘minor principal axis’ (ley/Dy) ≥ 12, then ‘slender column’.
• For non-rectangular sections, the slenderness ratio is better expressed in terms of the
radius of gyration r.
• r-ratio for short columns and slender columns be taken as le/r equal to 34 for ‘braced
columns’ and 22 for ‘unbraced columns’.
Columns
• Columns with both ends restrained: Unsupported length should not exceed 60
times the least lateral dimension of a column.
• Columns with one end unrestrained: Unsupported length should not exceed 100 ×
B2D, where B is the width and D is the depth of column measured in the plane
under consideration.
Columns
• Clause 10.10.1 of ACI 318 considers a column as slender in a sway frame if
λ=ℓeff/r>22 and in a non-sway frame if
M1
  34  12
eff

r M2
• where ℓeff (= kℓu) is the effective length, r is the radius of gyration, and M1/M2 is the
ratio of end moments.
• M1 is the smaller factored end moment and has a positive sign if the column is bent
in single curvature (C shaped), and negative sign if it is bent in double curvature (S
shaped). M2 is the larger factored end moment and always has a positive sign.
• In above Eqn., the term (34 − 12M1/M2) should not be taken larger than 40,
according to Clause 10.10.1 of ACI 318.
Columns
• Australian and Canadian codes
consider the effect of axial load also
in the braced limit.
Columns
•e

FIG. Single and double curvature bending in braced frames (a) Braced
(non-sway) frame (b) Single curvature bending (c) Double curvature
bending
Effective length of columns
Table C-C2.2 Approximate Values of Effective Length Factor, K

KL=L KL=0.5L L KL=0.7L L

K = 1.0 K = 0.5
K = 0.7

KL- Distance between inflection points

in column.
K- Effective length factor
L- Column unsupported length

Boundary conditions
Effective length of columns

• Stability Index Q
• ‘Braced’ or ‘Unbraced’ column is
defined in the ACI Code
commentary.
• Q
Short and long-term deflections
• Short-term deflection is the immediate deflection after casting and application of partial or full service loads.
• Long-term deflection occurs over a long period of time largely due to shrinkage and creep of the materials.
• The following factors influence the short-term deflection of structures:
(a) magnitude and distribution of live loads,
(b) span and type of end supports,
(c) cross-sectional area of the members,
(d) amount of steel reinforcement and the stress developed in the reinforcement,
(e) characteristic strengths of concrete and steel, and
(f) amount and extent of cracking.
The long-term deflection is almost 2 o 3 times of the short-term deflection.
• The following are the major factors influencing the long-term deflection of the structures.
(a) humidity and temperature ranges during curing,
(b) age of concrete at the time of loading, and
(c) type and size of aggregates, water-cement ratio, amount of compression reinforcement, size of
members etc., which influence the creep and shrinkage of concrete.
Deflection Control

• Clause 23.2 of IS 456 stipulates the limiting deflections under two heads as given
below:
(a) The maximum final deflection should not normally exceed span/250 due to all
loads including the effects of temperatures, creep and shrinkage and measured
from the as-cast level of the supports of floors, roof and all other horizontal members.
(b) The maximum deflection should not normally exceed the lesser of span/350 or 20 mm
including the effects of temperature, creep and shrinkage occurring after erection of
partitions and the application of finishes.
• It is essential that both the requirements are to be fulfilled for every structure.
For the deflection requirements
• Different basic values of span to effective depth ratios for three different
support conditions are prescribed for spans up to 10m, which should be
modified under any or all of the four different situations:
(i) for spans above 10m,
(ii) depending on the amount and the stress of tension steel
reinforcement,
(iii) depending on the amount of compression reinforcement, and
(iv) for flanged beams. These are furnished in Table 7.1.
For lateral stability

• The lateral stability of beams depends upon the slenderness ratio and
the support conditions. IS code (cl. 23.3) stipulates the following:
(i) For simply supported and continuous beams, the clear distance
between the lateral restraints shall not exceed the lesser of 60b or
250b2/d, where d is the effective depth and b is the breadth of the
compression face midway between the lateral restraints.
(ii) For cantilever beams, the clear distance from the free end of
the cantilever to the lateral restraint shall not exceed the lesser of
25b or 100b2/d.
Slender Columns
• Slender columns are also becoming increasingly important and popular
because of the following reasons:
(i) the development of high strength materials (concrete and steel)
(ii) improved methods of dimensioning and designing with rational
and reliable design procedure
(iii) innovative structural concepts – specially, the architect’s
expectations for creative structures.
• Here, the behavior of slender elastic columns loaded concentrically is
explained first. Thereafter, reinforced concrete slender columns loaded
concentrically or eccentrically about one or both axes are taken up. The
design of slender columns has been explained and illustrated with
numerical examples for easy understanding.
Modes of Failure of Columns
• Mode 1: Column does not undergo any lateral deformation
and collapses due to material failure. This is known as
compression failure.
• Mode 2: Due to the combined effects of axial load and
moment a short column may have material failure.
• A slender column subjected to axial load only undergoes
deflection due to beam-column effect and may have
material failure under the combined action of direct load and
bending moment. Such failure is called combined
compression and bending failure of mode 2.
• Mode 3: Failure due to elastic instability of very long
column even under small load much before the material
reaches the yield stresses. This type of failure is known as
elastic buckling.
Behavior of Slender Columns
• The maximum moment in the column occurs at section A–A due to the combination of
the initial eccentricity e in the column and the deflection δ at this point.
• Two types of failure are possible.
• In braced against sway columns, the additional eccentricity δ is negligible, the
maximum moment M = Pe in all stages and a linear P–M path will be followed with
increasing load. This is short column behavior, and the material failure of the section
will be reached eventually, when the interaction line is reached at point A.
• In slender column, the maximum moment M = P(e + δ), and as δ increases more
rapidly at higher load levels, the P–M path will be non-linear. When the column is
stable at lateral deflection δ1, it will reach the interaction curve at point B and the
material failure of the section occurs.
• When the column is very slender, it may become unstable at lateral deflection δ2, before
reaching the interaction curve; this kind of instability or buckling failure may occur in
unbraced (sway) frames, as indicated at point C in Fig. (c) (MacGregor, et al. 1970).
Behavior of Slender Columns
• The interaction diagram for the critical section
A–A of the column shown in Fig.(a) is drawn in
Fig. 2(a), in which short and slender column
behaviors are illustrated.
• For a column with an unsupported length-to-
thickness ratio of Lu/h = 30, failure occurs at
point B under the load and the amplified
moment.
• The load and primary moment Pe at failure of
column is given by point A in Fig. 2(a).
• The point A for a range of e/h and Lu/h ratios can
be determined, and based on this, a set of curves
as shown in Fig. 2(b) can be generated Fig. 1 Behavior of slender columns (a) Column with eccentric loads (b)
(MacGregor, et al. 1970), which will give the Free body diagram (c) P–M interaction diagram
load P and the failure moment M of the column. Source: MacGregor, et al. 1970, reprinted with permission from ACI

• P–M interaction diagrams are useful in finding

the reduced strength due to slenderness for
various Lu/h ratios.
Behavior of Slender Columns
• In the single curvature, the likelihood of the maximum
bending moment being increased by the additional
moment is more than in the double curvature, because in
the former the lateral deflections will be greater and the
primary moments are near maximum over a large part of
the column.
• In both cases of loading the bending deformations cause
additional moments, these moments do not amplify the
maximum primary moments that occur at the ends of the
column (Park and Paulay 1975). Fig. 2. Construction of slender column interaction diagrams (a)
Slender column behavior (b) Slender column P–M interaction
• The three most significant variables affecting the
diagrams
strength and behavior of slender columns have been Source: MacGregor, et al. 1970, ACI
identified as the slenderness ratio Lu/h, the end
eccentricity ratio e/h, and the ratio of end eccentricities
e1/e2 (MacGregor, et al. 1970).
• The effects of these variables are strongly interrelated
(MacGregor, et al. 1970).
Behavior of Slender Columns
• In slender hinged columns subjected to single curvature
bending (Figs. 3 a and b), the interaction diagrams for all
Lu/B ratios greater than zero fall inside the interaction
diagram for the cross section (Lu/B = 0). This is not true in
the case of double curvature bending, since the maximum
applied moment occurs at one or both ends of the column,
while the maximum deflection moments occur between the
ends of the column.
• In the double curvature bending, the maximum applied
moment occurs at one or both ends of the column, while the
maximum deflection moments occur between the ends of the
column.

Fig. 3. Effect of
curvature on interaction
diagrams for slender hinged columns
Source: MacGregor, et al. 1970, ACI
Behavior of Slender Columns
• An increase in the proportion of the load carried by the reinforcement led to a more
stable column. For the column to be stable, it is important to increase the p/fck ratio.
Thus, columns with high concrete strength and/or low reinforcement percentages
tended to be most strongly affected by length (Broms and Viest 1961).
• Creep due to sustained loads tends to weaken a hinged slender column by increasing
the column deflections. Columns bent in symmetrical single curvature will be much
weakened by sustained load, whereas those bent in double curvature are not affected
much, especially when the end eccentricities are large (MacGregor, et al. 1970).
• During loading, the stiffness of beams and columns is reduced by the cracking of
concrete and later by inelastic deformations. The stiffness of columns will also be
reduced by the additional moments caused by the lateral P–Δ deflection of the
columns.
• Changes in column moments will occur during the loading due to the changes in
relative stiffness and due to the additional moments caused by deflection.
Behavior of Slender Columns
• The major variables affecting the slender column behavior are summarized as
follows (MacGregor, et al. 1970):
1. The ratio of unsupported length to section depth Lu/h, the end eccentricity ratio
e/h, and the ratio and signs of end eccentricities e1/e2—the effects of these
variables are strongly interrelated.
2. The degree of rotational restraint—stiffer beams at the ends of columns provide
greater column strength.
3. The degree of lateral restraint—a braced column is significantly stronger than a
column unbraced against end displacements.
4. The amount of steel reinforcement and the strength of concrete - an increase in the
p/fck ratio provides increased stability.
5. The duration of loading—creep of concrete during sustained loading increases the
concrete deflections and decreases the strength of slender columns.
Design Methods on Slender Columns
1. Exact method based on non-linear second-order analysis
2. Moment magnifier method
3. Additional moment method
4. Reduction factor method

1. Exact Method Based on Non-linear Second-Order Analysis

• It is based on the moments and forces found from the second-order analysis of the
structure taking into account material non-linearity, member curvature and lateral
drift, duration of loading, shrinkage and creep, and interaction with the supporting
foundation. A non-linear second-order analysis can predict ultimate loads within
15% of tests conducted on columns in statically indeterminate RC structures (ACI
318:2011).
Design Methods on Slender Columns
1. Exact Method Based on Non-linear Second-Order Analysis
• The second-order analysis considers the P–Δ and P–δ moments due to the lateral
deflections of the columns in the structure. These geometric non-linear effects are
typically distinguished between P–δ effects, associated with deformations along the
members, measured relative to the member chord, and P–Δ effects, measured
between member ends and commonly associated with storey drifts in buildings.
• To EQ loads, P–Δ effects are much more significant than P–δ effects. If members
conform to the slenderness limits for special systems in high seismic regions, P–δ
effects do not generally need to be modelled in non-linear seismic analysis
(Deierlein, et al. 2010).
• Clause 39.1 of IS 456 and Clause 10.10.3 of ACI 318 recommend the second-order
analysis. To account the actual cracked member properties, the ACI code suggests a
stiffness reduction factor of 0.8 to be multiplied with the section properties used in
the analysis (MacGregor and Hage 1977).
Design Methods on Slender Columns
1. Exact Method Based on Non-linear Second-Order Analysis
• Clause 10.10.4 of ACI 318 also allows the use of elastic second-order analysis. In
this analysis, consideration must be given to the influence of axial loads, the
presence of cracked regions along the length of the member, and the effects of load
duration.
• This method is very rational, they are not usually used in design offices because of
their time consuming complex analysis and lack of availability of non-expensive
written computer software.
Design Methods on Slender Columns
2. Moment Magnifier Method: Suggested by ACI 318 in Clause 10.10.5,
moments computed from the first-order analysis are multiplied by a moment magnifier
to account for the second-order effects (a first-order frame analysis is an elastic
analysis that does not include the internal force effects resulting from deflections).
• The moment magnifier is a function of the factored axial load, Pu, and the critical
buckling load, Pcr, for the column. In this method, non-sway and sway frames should
be treated separately.
• Sway and non-sway frames can be identified based on two criteria: increase in
column end moments from second-order effects not exceeding 5% of the first-order
end moments or the stability index, Q, is less than 0.04.
• Columns in non-sway or braced frames: Side sway is prevented, so horizontal
relative displacement between top and bottom of the column is minimum. The ends
of a braced column will be partially restrained against rotation by the connecting
beams. For each load combination, the factored moments at the top and bottom of
the column are calculated using first-order frame analysis.
Design Methods on Slender Columns
2. Moment Magnifier Method
• Columns in non-sway or braced frames: Here, M1 and M2, are the smaller and larger
end moments, respectively. The column may bent in single and double curvature. If
M1/M2 is +1, the column is bent in single curvature and will result in increased
moment near the center of column. If M1/M2 is not equal to +1, the moment near the
center need not be greater than M2 (It can be in the case of double curvature).
• The magnified moment, Mc (for each load combination), is calculated by multiplying
the larger factored end moment, M2, by a magnification factor δns for non-sway
frame (Mirza, et al. 1987).
M c   ns M 2
• Here, the moment magnification factor, δns, is given by
Cm  2 EI
 ns   1.0; where Pcr 
 kLu 
2
Pu
1
0.75 Pcr
Design Methods on Slender Columns
2. Moment Magnifier Method
• Columns in non-sway or braced frames: The term 0.75 in Eqn. is a stiffness reduction
factor. When calculating Pcr, the effect of cracking, creep, and the non-linear
behavior of concrete on the stiffness, EI, can be accounted for using the following
Eqns.

• Alternately, EI may be calculated as per ACI code as follows (Khuntia and Ghosh,
2004) and dividing the value by (1+ βdns).

• βdns is a factor to account for the reduction in the column stiffness due to the effect of
sustained axial load.
Design Methods on Slender Columns
2. Moment Magnifier Method
• Columns in non-sway or braced frames: The term βdns is the ratio of the maximum
factored axial sustained load to the maximum factored axial load associated with the
same load combination, but shall not be taken greater than 1.0. ACI 318 allows βdns to
be taken as 0.6, in which case EI = 0.25EcIg.
• Cm is a correction factor relating the actual moment diagram to an equivalent uniform
moment diagram and is adopted from AISC specification and is given by

• The term M1/M2 in this equation is taken as positive if the column is bent in single
curvature and negative if it is bent in double curvature. For columns with transverse
loads between support, Cm must be taken as 1.0.
• The factored end moment, M2, must not be taken less than M2,min = Pu(15 + 0.03h),
about each axis separately, where h is the column cross-sectional dimension in mm at
the direction of analysis.
Design Methods on Slender Columns
2. Moment Magnifier Method
• Columns in non-sway or braced frames:

Values of Cm for different end moment cases

Design Methods on Slender Columns
2. Moment Magnifier Method
• Columns in sway or unbraced frames: In asymmetric frames or in frames subjected
to lateral loads significant displacement between the top and bottom ends of the column,
hence, side-sway takes place. The additional moments at the ends of the column caused
by the action of the vertical load acting on the deflected configuration of the unbraced
column is called lateral drift effect.

(a) Sway frame

Design Methods on Slender Columns
2. Moment Magnifier Method
• Columns in sway or unbraced frames: Due to lateral drift effect, moments at the
unbraced column ends will be the maximum. It normally causes double curvature as
shown in Fig.

For each load combination,

the factored non-sway
moments, Mns, and the
factored sway moments, Ms,
are calculated at the top and
bottom of the column using
first-order elastic frame
analysis. (b) Deflected shape of column
(c) Moments
Design Methods on Slender Columns
2. Moment Magnifier Method
• Columns in sway or unbraced frames: The magnified sway moments are added to the
unmagnified non-sway moments, Mns, at each end of the column. The magnified
moments at each end of the column (M1 and M2) are calculated as:

• where δs is the moment magnification factor for frames not braced against side sway
and accounts for the effects of lateral drift resulting from lateral and gravity loads.

• If δs calculated by this equation exceeds 1.5, the magnified moments must be calculated
using the second-order elastic analysis or by using

• where ΣPu is the summation of all factored vertical loads in a storey and ΣPcr is the
summation of the critical buckling loads for all sway-resisting columns in the storey.
Design Methods on Slender Columns
3. Additional Moment Method
• It is adopted in IS 456. The column section’s failure moment is the sum of the applied
moment M and a complementary or additional moment Ma equal to load times the
complementary eccentricity, induced by the column deflections.
• The column is designed for the axial load Pu and the moment (Me + Ma). The additional
moment is a function of the slenderness ratio and the eccentricity ratio, e/h.
• The deflection δ of the column is computed from the curvature diagram as shown in
Fig. The ultimate curvature at a cross section of the column is given by
1 c  s
max  
ru d
where, εc and εs are the strains in the
extreme fiber of compression concrete and
in the extreme tension steel, respectively,
and d is the depth of the section between
the extreme compression fiber of concrete
Deflection of beam-column based on curvature (a) Deflected shape of
and the extreme tension steel. slender column at ultimate load (b) Moment diagram (c) Idealized M–f
relationship (d) Curvature diagram
Design Methods on Slender Columns
3. Additional Moment Method
• For design purposes, the curvature diagram is assumed somewhere between the
triangular (un-conservative) and rectangular (conservative) distribution, with maximum
curvature denoted by 1/ru. By integrating the curvature diagram, deflection for
triangular distribution obtained as L2/(12ru) and for the rectangular distribution as
L2/(8ru). Let us take it in between as L2/(10ru) for design purposes (Cranston 1972).
Hence, the additional moment Ma is given by Pu L2
M a  Pu 
10ru
• For the balanced condition (Clause 39.7.1.1), the values of εc = 0.0035 and εs =0.002.
So, the ultimate curvature for the balanced condition is
1 0.0035  0.002 1
max   
ru d 182d
• Hence, 2
Pu d  L 
Ma   
1820  d 
Design Methods on Slender Columns
3. Additional Moment Method
• As per Clause 39.7.1 of IS 456, the additional moments Max and May are expressed in
the conservative side as:
2 2
Pu D  Leff  Pu B  Leff 
Ma x    and M a y   
2000  D  2000  B 
• For unbalanced failure (since column is a compression member, it generally fails in
compression mode), the sum (εc+εs) will be less than the assumed balanced values.
Hence, a moment reduction factor, k, is used as specified in Clause 39.7.1.1 of IS code.
(k is obtained from the P–M interaction curve, by approximating it to a straight line)
Pnz  Pu
k  1.0
Pnz  Pb
• where Pu is the axial load on the compression member, Pnz is the axial load capacity of
the section = 0.45fck Ac+0.75fyAs, and Pb is the axial load corresponding to the condition
of maximum compressive strain of 0.0035 in extreme compressive fiber of concrete and
tension strain of 0.002 in the outermost layer of tension steel.
Design Methods on Slender Columns
3. Additional Moment Method
• The value of Pb will depend on the
arrangement of reinforcement and
cover ratio, d′/D, in addition to the
grade of steel and concrete. The
value of Pb may be evaluated for
rectangular and circular sections
as follows (Table 60 of SP 16):
• For rectangular sections
 P 
Pb   k1  k2  f ck BD
 f ck 
• For circular sections
 P 
Pb   k1  k2  ck
f D 2

 f ck 
Design Methods on Slender Columns
3. Additional Moment Method
• Clause 39.7.1 of IS 456 suggest the following:
1. A column may be considered braced in a given plane if the lateral stability of the
structure as a whole is provided by walls or bracings designed to resist all lateral
loads in that plane. It should otherwise be considered as unbraced.
2. In the case of braced columns without any transverse loads, the additional moment
can be added to an initial moment equal to
M u  0.4M u1  0.6M u 2  0.4M u 2
where Mu2 is the larger column end moment and Mu1 is the smaller end moment
(assumed negative if the column is bent in double curvature).
3. Unbraced columns at any given storey of a frame are constrained to deflect equally.
In such cases, the slenderness ratio of each column may be taken as the average of
all columns acting in the same direction.
Design Methods on Slender Columns
4. Reduction Factor Method
• It is a highly simplified procedure, which was used in an earlier version of ACI 318
(1963) and is still used in IS 456 for the working stress method of design. As per
Clause B-3.3 of IS 456, the permissible stresses in concrete and steel are reduced
using a strength reduction factor Cr given by
Leff
Cr  1.25 
48 B
• where B is the least lateral dimension of the column (or diameter of the core in a
spiral column) and Leff is the effective length of column. Alternatively, the code also
gives another equation for ‘more exact’ calculations as
Leff
Cr  1.25 
160rmin

• where rmin is the least radius of gyration.

Design Methods on Slender Columns
4. Reduction Factor Method
• This method uses the same eccentricity in both the slender and analogous short
columns. This is contrary to the actual behavior of slender columns, where the
reduction in load carrying capacity is caused by the increased eccentricity due to
secondary deflection moments. This is a severe shortcoming in the case of unbraced
fames, since the magnitude of the secondary moments is extremely important.
• To make formula simple, many important variables are neglected, hence, reduction
factors are considered as extreme lower bounds and are unduly conservative for many
practical cases (Purushothaman 1984).
Design Methods on Slender Columns
4. Slender Columns Bent about Both Axes
• If a slender columns is subjected to significant bending about both the axes,
additional moments have to be calculated for both directions of bending and are
combined with the initial moments found from the first order analysis to obtain the
design moments in the principal directions.
• As per Clause 25.4 of IS 456, the minimum eccentricity is to be assumed to act
only about one axis at a time.
Design Procedure:
1. Assume the sizes based on experience. Determine the effective length and
slenderness ratio in the principal X–X and Y–Y axes of the column. If the
slenderness factor is greater than 12 or more, about any of the axes, the column
has to be designed as a slender column about that axis. If it is slender about both
axes, the additional moments about both the axes should be considered.
2. Determine the end moments Mu1 and Mu2 from first-order analysis.
Design Methods on Slender Columns
Design Procedure:
3. Determine the moments caused by accidental eccentricity, Mmin.
4. Choose Mux1 as the larger of Mu1 and Mmin and Mux2 as the larger of Mu2 and
Mmin.
5. Calculate the additional moments, Madd = kx Max. Pnz and Pb can be determined
using an assumed area of longitudinal reinforcement of about 2.5–3 percent.
Chart 63 of SP 16 may be used to find Pnz, Table 60 of SP 16 may be used to
calculate Pbx, and using the value of Pbx/Pnz, the value of kx can be determined
using Chart 65 of SP 16.
6. Calculate
M ux'  0.6  larger of M ux1 and M ux 2  0.4  smaller of M ux1 and M ux 2
7. Determine the value of design moments Mdx by adding the additional moment
Madd with M′ux. The design moments can also be determined by second-order
analysis programs.
Design Methods on Slender Columns
Design Procedure:
3. Determine the moments caused by accidental eccentricity, Mmin.
4. Choose Mux1 as the larger of Mu1 and Mmin and Mux2 as the larger of Mu2 and
Mmin.
5. Calculate the additional moments, Madd = kx Max. Pnz and Pb can be determined
using an assumed area of longitudinal reinforcement of about 2.5–3 percent.
Chart 63 of SP 16 may be used to find Pnz, Table 60 of SP 16 may be used to
calculate Pbx, and using the value of Pbx/Pnz, the value of kx can be determined
using Chart 65 of SP 16.
6. Calculate
M ux'  0.6  larger of M ux1 and M ux 2  0.4  smaller of M ux1 and M ux 2
7. Determine the value of design moments Mdx by adding the additional moment
Madd with M′ux. The design moments can also be determined by second-order
analysis programs.
Design Methods on Slender Columns
Design Procedure:
8. Calculate Pu/fck BD, and using the appropriate interaction diagram of SP 16,
determine Mnx for the assumed area of steel.
9. If the column is slender in the Y–Y axis, repeat steps 2 to 8 for the Y–Y axis as
well.
10. Check the following

11. Change reinforcement or size and repeat the calculation given in step 10, if the
left-hand side of the equation results in values higher than 1.0 or much lower than
1.0.
Stability Index