DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL, ENVIRONMENTAL AND

GEOMATICS ENGINEERING
Y3-CIVIL ENGINEERING
CSE3262 Design of Reinforced Concrete
Structures-II

DESIGN OF RC COLUMNS
Lecturer: MUGISHA Ezechias
DESIGN OF RC COLUMN
RC COLUMNS
RC COLUMNS
RC COLUMNS
RC COLUMNS
RC COLUMNS - Classification
RC COLUMNS – Slenderness and Effective length

(2) For a general definition of the effective length :

RC COLUMNS – Slenderness and Effective length

• l0, is the height of a theoretical column

of equivalent section but pinned at both
ends.
• This depends on the degree of fixity at
each end of the column.
RC COLUMNS – Slenderness and Effective length

Stiffness of each connecting beam is

taken as 2EI/l to allow for cracking
effects in the beam.

 For a typical column in a symmetrical frame with spans of approximately equal length:
RC COLUMNS – Slenderness and Effective length

for braced columns. The effective length is

RC COLUMNS – Slenderness and Effective length

(3) Limiting slenderness ratio – short or slender columns

RC COLUMNS – Effective length

Alternative way of finding lo (conservatively to BS8110)

RC COLUMNS – Effective length

Alternative way of finding lo

RC COLUMNS – Slenderness and Effective length
RC COLUMNS – Slenderness and Effective length

1. For an unbraced column an approximation to

the limiting value of λlim will be given by:

2. For a braced column a minimum to the limiting

value of λmin will be given by:

If the actual slenderness ratio is less than the calculated value of

λlim , then the column can be treated as short.
Otherwise, the column must be treated as slender and second
order effects must be accounted for in the design of the column.
RC COLUMNS – Example

Short or slender column (See example 9.1 in reference book)

Determine if the column in the braced frame shown in figure 9.3 is short or slender.
The concrete strength fck = 25 N/mm2, and the ultimate axial load =1280 kN.
RC COLUMNS – Example
RC COLUMNS – Axial Loads and Moments
RC COLUMNS – Reinforcement details

Longitudinal steel

3. The maximum area of steel, away from laps:

where As is the total area of longitudinal steel

and Ac is the cross-sectional area of the column.

at laps :
RC COLUMNS – Reinforcement details

LINKS
1. Minimum size =1/4 x size of the compression bar but not less than 6
mm.

2. Maximum spacing should not exceed the lesser of 20 x size of the

smallest compression bar or the least lateral dimension of the column or
400 mm.
This spacing should be reduced by a factor of 0.60 for a distance equal to the larger lateral dimension of the column
above and below a beam or slab, and at lapped joints of longitudinal bars > 14 mm diameter
RC COLUMNS – Reinforcement details

Short columns resisting moments and axial forces

• Design charts are usually used for columns having a rectangular or
circular cross-section and a symmetrical arrangement of reinforcement

• The basic equations or the approximate method can be used when an

unsymmetrical arrangement of reinforcement is required, or when the cross-
section is non-rectangular.

• Whichever design method is used, EC2 requires that geometric imperfections

in the structure should be taken into account.
(column being slightly out of plumb such that the axial force acting at each end of the
column will be eccentric to the other end):

A minimum value of l0/400 which results in a design moment

of : (Ned*l0/400)
• Minimum Design Moment for columns should be NEd x emin, where emin is the
larger of h/30 or 20 mm where h is the overall size of the column cross-
section in the plane of bending.
RC COLUMNS – Reinforcement details - Short columns resisting moments and axial forces

DESIGN CHARTS
Are usually used for columns having a rectangular or circular cross-section and a
symmetrical arrangement of reinforcement

They are drawn from iteratively solving basic equations of section analysis :
RC COLUMNS – Reinforcement details - Short columns resisting moments and axial forces

DESIGN CHARTS
RC COLUMNS – Reinforcement details - Short columns – ARTERNATIVE DESIGN TO BS8110

Assumption:
Axial load is applied perfectly at the centre of
the column.
RC COLUMNS – Reinforcement details - Short columns – ARTERNATIVE DESIGN TO BS8110

Assumption:
Axial load is applied considering minor
eccentricity to center of the column.

stresses in previous equation is reduced by about

10 per cent.
RC COLUMNS – Reinforcement details - Short columns – ARTERNATIVE DESIGN TO BS8110

Assumption:
Columns supporting an approximately
symmetrical arrangement of beams

These beams must be designed for uniformly

distributed imposed loads and the span must
not differ by more than 15% of the longer span
 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – NON-RECTANGULAR SECTION

 Design of a non-rectangular section entails either:

(1) an iterative solution of design equations,
(2) a simplified form of design, or (1) And (2) shall be discussed
(3) construction of M–N interaction diagrams.
 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – NON-RECTANGULAR SECTION

I. Design equations:
 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – NON-RECTANGULAR SECTION

II. Simplified preliminary design method :

1) The column is designed to resist a moment Ma only :

where Acc is the area of concrete in compression

with x = 0.45d for C50 and below.

2) The area of tension reinforcement, As, as given

by equation 9.14 is then reduced by an amount
equal to Ned/0.87fyk.

Note:
This method should not be used if the
eccentricity, e, is less than (h/2 – d/2).
 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – NON-RECTANGULAR SECTION

EXAMPLE:
 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – NON-RECTANGULAR SECTION

EXAMPLE: - answer
i. Eccentricity e :

ii. Increased moment Ma:

iii. Area of Concrete in Compression, Acc :

x = 0.45d = 144 mm,
s = 0.8x = 115 mm
b1 : width of the section at the limit of the stress block
 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – NON-RECTANGULAR SECTION
EXAMPLE: - answer Cont’d

iv. Depth of the centroid of the trapezium , 𝒙 :

v. Area of Required Compression Reinforcements , 𝑨𝒔 :

vi. Area of Required Tensile Reinforcements , 𝑨𝒔 :

 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – NON-RECTANGULAR SECTION
EXAMPLE: - answer Cont’d

iv. Reducing As by Ned/0.87fyk :

Maximum allowable reinforcement ratio = 0.4 away from laps:

𝐴 4623
= = 0.0297 ≈ 3% < 4%
𝐴 400
500 + 300 × − 4623
2
 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – BIAXIALLY LOADED COLUMN
Design:
Typically, this could be required for
1. Check : corner columns for of a building.
But they tend to be less loaded in
comparison to other columns.
 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – BIAXIALLY LOADED COLUMN
Design:

2. Design with a single axis bending moment, with an increased moment:

 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – BIAXIALLY LOADED COLUMN
Design:
 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – BIAXIALLY LOADED COLUMN
Design:

Answer:
 RC COLUMNS – Short columns – BIAXIALLY LOADED COLUMN
Design:

Answer: CONTINUED

< 4%𝐴
 RC COLUMNS – SLENDER COLUMNS - Normal Curvature Method
Introduction:

 Slender Column :

 Design concept: Slender Columns are designed for an

additional moment caused by its curvature.

The Additional moment is given by :

o NED : ultimate axial load

Buckling (lateral deflection) of a

slender column in compression
 RC COLUMNS – SLENDER COLUMNS - Normal Curvature Method
Design:
 Design concept: NED : ultimate axial load

1. Equivalent first-order eccentricity:

The greater of :

2. Accidental eccentricity :
• where l0 is the effective column height
about the axis considered

• .
Conservative estimate of ea
where l is the height of the column in metres
 RC COLUMNS – SLENDER COLUMNS - Normal Curvature Method
Design:
3. The second-order eccentricity e2 : is an estimate of the deflection of the column at failure.

In Simplified form:
K2 is a reduction factor to allow for the fact that
the deflection must be less when there is a large
proportion of the column section in compression.

with

To calculate K2, the area As of the column reinforcement must

be known and hence a trial-and-error approach is necessary,
taking an initial conservative value of K2 = 1.0
Values of K2 are also marked on the column design charts as shown in figure 9.8.
 RC COLUMNS – SLENDER COLUMNS - Normal Curvature Method
Example:
 RC COLUMNS – SLENDER COLUMNS - Normal Curvature Method
Example:

Answer: Design data:

 RC COLUMNS – SLENDER COLUMNS - Normal Curvature Method
Answer:
Step 1. Checking slenderness

Design data
 RC COLUMNS – SLENDER COLUMNS - Normal Curvature Method
Answer:
Step 2. Finding eccentricity et

Design data
 RC COLUMNS – SLENDER COLUMNS - Normal Curvature Method
Answer:
Step 3. Design Moment

Design data

Step 4. Design for reinforcements and Find coefficient K2

 RC COLUMNS – SLENDER COLUMNS - Normal Curvature Method
Answer:
Step 4. Design for reinforcements and Find coefficient K2
 RC COLUMNS – SLENDER COLUMNS - Normal Curvature Method
Answer:
Step 4. Design for reinforcements and Find coefficient K2
 RC COLUMNS – SLENDER COLUMNS - Normal Curvature Method
Answer:
Step 4. Design for reinforcements and Find coefficient K2