DESIGN OF COLUMNS

 A column is a compression member which is mainly subjected to axial loads

and the effective length of which exceeds three times its lateral dimension.
The compression member whose effective length is less than three times its
lateral dimension is called a pedestal.
 The horizontal member which is inclined or horizontal is called a strut.
Struts are used in trusses.

CLASSIFICATION OF COLUMNS
 Columns may be classified as short or slender, braced or unbraced,
depending on various dimensional and structural properties. In this topic
we shall only study short braced columns.

COLUMN SECTIONS.
 Some common column sections are shown below. (a) Square, (b) circular
and (c) rectangular section. Any section can be used provided that the
overall lateral dimension does not exceed four times its smallest dimension.
(h≤4b).
 When h ≥ 4b the member should be regarded as a wall for design purposes.

SHORT AND SLENDER COLUMNS.

 Columns may fail due to one of the following three mechanisms:
1. Compression failure of the concrete/ steel reinforcement.
2. Buckling.
3. Combination of buckling and compression failure.
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  For any compression, failure mode 1 is most likely to occur with columns,
which are short and stocky, while failure mode 2 is probable with columns,
which are long and slender.
 It is important, therefore to be able to distinguish between columns, which
are short, and those that are slender since the failure mode and the design
procedure for the column types are likely to be different.
 Clause 3.8.1.3 of BS 8110 classifies the column as being short if.
l ex l ey
h
< 15 and b
< 15
Where;
lex Effective height of the column in respect to the major axis.
ley Effective height of the column in respect of the minor axis.
b Width of the column cross section.
H Height of the column cross-section.
 It should be noted that the above definitions only apply to the columns
which are braced, rather than unbraced.

BRACED AND UNBRACED COLUMNS

 A column may be considered braced if the lateral loads due to wind for
example, are resisted by shear walls or some other form of bracing rather
than the column. For example, all the columns in the reinforced concrete
frame in the figure below are braced in the y-direction.
 A column may be considered unbraced if the lateral loads are resisted by
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the sway action of the column. For example, all the columns in the figure
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are resisted in the x-direction.

  Depending upon the layout of the structure, it is possible for the column to
be braced or unbraced in both directions as shown in figure and figure
respectively.

EFFECTIVE HEIGHT
 Effective height l eof the column in a given plane is given by multiplying then
clear height between lateral restrains l o by a coefficient (β) which is a
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function of the fixity at the column ends and is obtained from the table.
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  The effective length is given by, l e =β l o whereby β is read from the table
below.

End condition at Bottom

End condition at top 1 2 3
1 0.75 0.80 0.90
2 0.80 0.85 0.95
3 0.90 0.95 1.00

Condition 1. End condition 1 signifies the column fully restrained.

 Like, when the end of the column is connected monolithically to beams on
either side which are at least as deep as the overall dimension of the
column in the plane considered.

 If the column is the lowest length of a structure and is connected to a

substantial base, then condition 1 may also apply at the base.
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 Condition 2. End condition 2 signifies that the column end is partially
restrained.
 Like when the end of the column is connected monolithically to beams on
either side, which are shallower than the column, e.g., the column in the
example is connected to a floor, which is 300mm deep.

Condition 3
 The column is connected to shallow members that will provide some
nominal restrain, e.g. a shallow floor.
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EXAMPLE
  Check whether the column is short
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SHORT BRACED COLUMN DESIGN

  For design purposes, BS 8110 divides short braced columns into three
categories. These are:
1. Columns resisting axial loads only.
2. Columns supporting an approximately symmetrical arrangement of beams.
3. Columns resisting axial loads and uniaxial or biaxial bending.

 Referring to the floor plan shown in Fig 3.90, it can be seen that column B2
supports beams which are equal in length and symmetrically arranged.
Provided that the floor is uniformly loaded, Column B2 will resist an axial
load only and is an example of category 1.
 Columns B2 supports a symmetrical arrangement of beams but which are
unequal in length. Columns C2 will, therefore, resist an axial load moment.
However, provided that;
(a) the loading on the beam are uniformly distributed, and
(b) the beam spans do not differ by more than 15 percent of the longer,
the moment will be small.
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 As such, column C2 belongs to category 2 and can be safely designed by

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considering the axial load only but using slightly reduced values of the
 design stresses in the concrete and steel reinforcement. Columns belong to
category 3 if the conditions (a) and (b) are not satisfied.
 The moment here becomes significant and the column may be required to
resist an axial load and uniaxial bending, e.g columns A2., B1, B3, C1, C3
and D2, or an axial loads and biaxial bending, e.g A1, A3, D1 and D3.
 The design procedures associated with each of these categories are
discussed in the sub-section below.

AXIALLY LOADED COLUMNS

 A column having a net cross-sectional area Ac and a total area of
longitudinal reinforcement Asc. The total ultimate load N that can be
supported by a column is given by the equation.

N=0.45 f CU AC +0.87 f y A C ……….i

 Equation i assumes that the load is applied perfectly axially to the column.
However, in practice perfect conditions never exist. To allow for small
eccentricity BS 8110 reduces the design stresses in in the above equation
by about 10 percent, giving the following expressions.

N=0.4 f cu A c + 0.75 f y A sc … … … ii

 This is the equation that can be used to design short braced axially loaded
columns.

EXAMPLE 1
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Design the column given the following information.

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Design ultimate axial load on the column N = 2400 KN

 Height of the column L = 4.5 m
Depth of the cross- section h = 350 mm
Width of the column b = 350 mm
Characteristic strength of concrete fcu = 40 N/mm2
Characteristic strength of reinforcement fy = 460 N/mm 2
Column is supported by a floor and a beam of dimensions 600 mm deep
and 350 mm wide.

Solution
Clear height lo=4.5 m−0.6=3.9 m
Consider the column to be connected to a beam 600 mm deep greater and
substantial base at the bottom. Therefore, β=0.75
Then, l e =0.75 ×3.9=2.925 m
Slenderness of the column
2925
=8.35<15 , design as axially loaded short column
350
Let the area of steel= A sc
Areaof column=350 ×350=122,500
Areaof concrete , A c =122,500−A sc
Assuming the short-braced column axially loaded, we use the equation.
N=0.4 f cu A c + 0.75 f y A sc
3
2400 ×10 =0.4 × 40 ( 122500− A sc )+ 0.75 ×460 × A sc
2,400,000=1,960,000−16 A sc +345 A sc
329 A sc =440,000
2
A sc=1,337.39 mm
Provide four 25 mmm diameter barslongitudinally . An even number of bars must
be provided, i.e one in each corner.( A scProv =1960 mm2 )
¿ˇ
Minimum area of reinforcement,
100 A sc 100 ×1960
Ac
=
350 ×350
=1.6 % >0.4 % OK
Maximum area of reinforcement
1.6 % <6 % OK
Area of steel chosen is suitable
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LINKS
Assuming that 4T 25 are used
 Minimum diameter of the links is a quarter diameter of the largest bar, i.e
1
×25 mm=6.25 mm, Adopt links of diameter 8 mm, i.e R 8
4
Maximum spacing of the links = ¿ 12×diameter of the smallest ¯¿ 12 ×25=300 mm

Therefore Provide R 8 links at @ 300 mm centres

EXAMPLE 2
A short-braced column in which f cu=30 N /mm2 and f y =460 N /mm2 is required to
support an ultimate axial load of 2000KN. Determine a suitable section for the
column assuming that the area of longitudinal steel, A sc is 3% of the cross-
sectional area of the column.
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 Since the column is axially loaded the equation above applies
N=0.4 f cu A c + 0.75 f y A sc
3
(
¿ 2000 ×10 =0.4 × Acol −
100 )
3 A Col
+0.75 × 460×
3 A Col
100
2
ACol =87,374 mm
Assuming the column to be square, b=h=√ 87373=296 mm
Hence a 300 mm square column constructed of concrete, f cu=30 N /mm2 would
be suitable.

COLUMNS SUPPORTING AN APPROXIMATELY SYMMETRICAL ARRANGEMENT

OF BEAMS
Where the column is subject to an axial load and small moment, the latter is
taken into account simply by decreasing the design stresses in equation ii by
around 10 percent, giving the following expression for the load carrying
capacity of the column:
N = 0.35 fcuAc + 0.67 fyAsc
This equation can be used to design columns supporting an approximately
symmetrical arrangement of beams provided (a) the loadings on the beams
are uniformly distributed, and (b) the beam spans do not differ by more than
15 percent of the longer.

EXAMPLE 1
An internal column in a braced two storey building supporting an
approximately symmetrical arrangement of beams of 350 mm wide x 600 mm
deep results in characteristic dead and imposed loads each 1100 KN being
applied to the column. The column is 350 mm square and has a clear height of
4.5 m as shown. Design the longitudinal reinforcement and links assuming.
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 Solution
Effective height
 Depth of the beams (600 mm) > depth of the column (350 mm), therefore
end condition at the top of the column= 1.
 Assuming that the pad footing is not designed to resist moment, end
condition at bottom of the column = 3. Therefore, from the column β=0.9 .
l ex=l ey =β l o =0.9 ×4500=4050 mm

l ex l ey 4050
= = =11.6
h b 350
Hence the ratios are less than 15, the column is short.

Longitudinal steel
 Since the column is supporting an approximately symmetrical arrangement
of beams, use the equation:
N=0.35 f cu A c +0.67 f y A sc

 The ultimate axial load, N=1.4 Gk +1.6 Qk

¿ 1.4 × 1100+1.6 ×1100=3300 KN
 Substituting this into the above equation for N
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3300 ×103 =0.35 ×40 ( 3502− A sc ) + 0.67 ×500 A sc

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 A sc=4938 m2
 2
H ence provide 4 T 32∧4 T 25 , A sProv =3220+1960=5180 m
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