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Chapter 9
Introduction to Columns

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This Power point presentation was prepared by Dr. Terry Weigel & Adjusted by OE.

Types of Compression Members

1- Short compression blocks – pedestals:
If the height! of an upright compression
member is less than three times its least
lateral dimensions. ACI 2.3; 14.1.3d & 14.5
2- Short reinforced columns: fail due to
initial material failure with little flexibility
3- Long or slender reinforced columns: more
slender, bending deformations will increase,
as will the resulting secondary moments.
2

Short Compression Block

Height less than three times least lateral
dimension
May be designed as unreinforced or plain
member (Pedestal Element)
Maximum force is:
0.85 f c' Ag
  0.65

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Short Reinforced Column

Stocky members – Short RC Columns

Material failure – Concrete Crush

Maximum load supported is controlled by

section dimensions and strength of
materials

Slender Reinforced Column

Bending deformations combined with Axial

Load
Secondary moments –
Due to Buckling and P-delta

Instability or buckling

Secondary Moments

P is the axial force

M is the primary
moment

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Types of Columns

Tied Columns – General Used for Square and

rectangular sections

Spiral Columns – For circular and provide

more concrete confinement

Composite columns – With industrial profiles

embedded into the concrete section

Tied Column

Spiral Column

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Composite Columns

10

Tied Columns

Ties increase column strength

Ties hold longitudinal bars in place during

construction
Ties prevent longitudinal bars from buckling
after cover spalls
Tied columns are usually, but not always,
rectangular in shape

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Spiral Columns
Spiral columns are usually, but not always,
circular in shape

Helical spirals

Spirals are more effective than ties in

increasing column strength

Spirals are loaded in hoop tension when

compressive load is place on a column
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Spiral Columns
Spiral columns are more expensive than tied
columns

Spiral columns are better for seismic

applications

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Axial Load Capacity of Columns

As per ACI eq. 22.4.2.2

Pn  0.85 f c'  Ag  Ast   f y Ast

Ag  gross column area
Ast  area of longitudinal steel

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Failure of Columns
Tied columns – cover spalls and, unless ties
are closely space, longitudinal bars buckle

Spiral columns – cover spalls but longitudinal

bars and concrete core are confined by
spirals and remain intact

Spiral cage is designed to be have a strength

equal to the spalled cover

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Strength of Spiral
Shell strength
0.85 f c'  Ag  Ac 
Ag  gross column area
Ac  area of concrete core

Spiral strength
2  s Ac f yt
 s  percentage of spiral steel
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Strength of Spiral

0.85 f c'  Ag  Ac   2  s Ac f yt

 s  0.425
A g  Ac  f c'  Ag
 0.425 
 f'
 1 c
Ac f y  Ac  f yt

ACI Code Equation 25.7.3.3

 Ag  f'
 s  0.45   1 c
 Ac  f yt

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Spiral Steel Percentage

volume of spiral in one loop
s 
volume of concrete core for a pitch of s
Vspiral
s 
Vcore
a   Dc  d b  4as  Dc  db 
s  s 
 Dc2 s sDc2
4
Dc  core diameter
db  bar diameter
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Spiral Parameters

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ACI Code Requirements for Cast-

In-Place (CIP) Columns – ACI 10.6.1.1
Percentage of longitudinal steel may not be less
than 1% nor more than 8% - Arch 0.005
At least four longitudinal bars must be used
within rectangular or circular ties
At least six longitudinal bars must be used
within spiral ties
The practical minimum column dimension is
about 8 to 10 in.
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ACI Code Requirements for Cast-

In-Place (CIP) Columns – ACI 25.7.2.1
For tied columns with No 10 and smaller long-
itudinal bars, the minimum size tie is No 3
For tied columns with longitudinal bars larger
than No 10 , and for bundled bars, the
minimum size tie is No 4
For tied columns, the maximum ties spacing is
the smallest of:
48 tie bar diameters,
16 longitudinal bar diameters, or
the least lateral column dimension
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ACI Code Requirements for Cast-

In-Place (CIP) Columns
For tied columns ,ties must be arranged so
that every corner and every alternate
longitudinal bar has lateral support
provided by a tie bent around the
longitudinal bar with an included angle not
o
greater than 135 . No longitudinal bar can
be located more than 6 in. from such a
laterally supported bar

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Supported Bars

23

Supported Bars

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Supported Bars

25

Supported Bars

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ACI Code Requirements for CIP

Columns – ACI 25.7.3 – 25.7.2.4
Spirals may not have diameters less than
3/8 in.
The clear spacing between spirals may not be
less than 1 in. or greater than 3 in.

The ends of the circular tie must overlap by

not less than 6 in. and terminate with
standard hooks that engage a longitudinal
column bar.
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Capacity Reduction Factor

Failure of a column is more significant than

failure of a beam

For tied columns, = 0.65

For spiral columns, = 0.75

ACI 21.2.2

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Eccentricity of Axial Load

Pu e  M u
Mu
e
Pu
To account for (accidental) eccentricity, the
ACI Code uses a factor 

 0.80 for tied columns

 0.85 for spiral columns

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ACI Column Design Capacity

Equations

 Pn   0.85 f c'  Ag  Ast   f y Ast 

 Pn  0.75  0.85  0.85 f c'  Ag  Ast   f y Ast  (spiral)
 Pn  0.65  0.80  0.85 f c'  Ag  Ast   f y Ast  (tied)

ACI Code Equation 22.4.2.1b (spiral)

ACI Code Equation 22.4.2.1a (tied)

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Column Design Examples

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Example 9.1
Design a square tied column to support an
axial dead load of 130 k and an axial live
load of 180 k. Begin using approximately 2
percent longitudinal steel, a concrete
strength of 4,000 psi and Grade 60 steel.

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Example 9.1

Determine the factored axial load

Pu  1.2 130 k   1.6 180 k   444 k

Note: for a tied column,  = 0.65 and  = 0.80

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Example 9.1

Select the column dimensions

 Pn    0.80  0.85 f c'  Ag  Ast   f y Ast 

444 k 
 0.65  0.80   0.85  4 ksi   Ag  0.02 Ag    60 ksi   0.02 Ag 
Ag  188.4 in 2 Use 14" x 14" column  Ag  196 in 2 

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Example 9.1

Select the longitudinal steel

 Pn    0.80   0.85 f c'  Ag  Ast   f y Ast 

444 k 
 0.65  0.80   0.85  4 ksi  196 in 2  Ast    60 ksi  Ast 
Ast  3.31 in 2
Use 6 No 7 bars  Ast  3.61 in 2 

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Example 9.1

Design the ties

3 
48  in   18 in
8 
7 
16  in   14 in
8 
Least column dimension = 14 in
Use No 3 ties at 14 in

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Example 9.1

Other ACI Code requirements

 25.2.1 Longitudinal bar clear spacing =
9 7
in  in  3.625 in  1 and  db
2 8
10.6.1.1 Steel percentage
3.6 in 2
0.01     0.01837  0.08
14 in 14 in 
10.7.3.1 Number of bars = 6  4
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Example 9.1

Other ACI Code requirements

 9.7.6.4.2  Minimum tie size =
No 3 for No 7 longitudinal bars

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Example 9.1

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Example 9.2
Design a round spiral column to support an
axial dead load of 240 k and an axial live
load of 300 k. Begin using 2 percent
longitudinal steel, a concrete strength of
4,000 psi and Grade 60 steel.

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Example 9.2

Determine the factored axial load

Pu  1.2  240 k   1.6  300 k   768 k

Note: for a spiral column,  = 0.75 and  = 0.85

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Example 9.2
Select the column dimensions
 Pn    0.85  0.85 f c'  Ag  Ast   f y Ast 
768 k 
 0.75  0.85   0.85  4 ksi   Ag  0.02 Ag    60 ksi   0.02 Ag 
Ag  266 in 2 Use 18" diameter column  Ag  255 in 2 

Note: Since 255 in2 < 266 in2, the reinforcing

steel percentage will be greater than 2%
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Example 9.2

Select  Pn    0.85  0.85 f c'  Ag  Ast   f y Ast 

the 768 k 
longitudinal  0.75  0.85  
steel
0.85  4 ksi   255 in  Ast    60 ksi  Ast 
2
 
Ast  5.97 in 2 Try 6 No 9 bars  Ast  6.00 in 2 
6.00 in 2
  0.0235  0.02
255 in 2
Use 6 No 9 bars  Ast  6.00 in 2 
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Example 9.2

Design of the spiral ties

 15 in 2 
Ac   177 in 2
4
 Ag  f'
Minimum  s  0.45   1 c 
 Ac  f yt
 255 in 2  4 ksi
0.45  2
 1  0.0132
 177 in  60 ksi

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Example 9.2

Design of Try a No 3 spiral

Spiral db  0.375 in
as  0.11 in 2
4as  Dc  db 
s 
sDc2
4  0.11 in 2  15 in  0.375 in 
0.0132 
s 15 in 
2

s  2.17 in; use s = 2 in

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Example 9.2

6 No 9 bars

15”
18”

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Example 9.3

Design an axially loaded short square

tied column for Pu = 2600 kN
if fc’ = 28 MPa and
fy = 350 MPa.
Initially assume  = 0.02

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Example 9.3

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Example 9.3

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