Analytical Prediction of Ultimate Strength in Reinforced Concrete Columns

Ramon V. Jarquio1
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Abstract

This paper describes the analytical method for predicting the ultimate strength of reinforced
concrete columns using the true parabolic stress method of analysis. This methodology precludes
the use of the current equivalent rectangular stress block, interaction formula and finite-element
procedures to solve the ultimate strength of reinforced concrete section. This analytical method
utilizes the concept of column capacity axis for equilibrium of external and internal forces which
is a fundamental requirement in any structural analysis. It facilitates the calculation of the
ultimate strength capacity of the column section at every depth of concrete section under
compression and position of the column capacity axis. Variables considered in this method are
the column section dimensions, concrete ultimate strength, fc , steel yield strength, fy, number,
size, concrete cover, and spacing of reinforcing steel bars, and “ ”, the inclination of the column
capacity axis with the horizontal or the reference axis. Derived formulas for concrete and bar
forces can be easily programmed in Microsoft Excel in customary or SI units.

Keywords: circular column capacity, column capacity axis, column capacity curve, parabolic
stress, rectangular column capacity, steel yield stress, ultimate concrete compressive stress,
ultimate strength in reinforced concrete, useable concrete strain.

Introduction

Literature in the prediction of ultimate strength in reinforced concrete columns employs graphical
methods such as the rectangular stress block, interaction formula and finite element procedures.
The analytical method precludes the use of graphical methods by using the true parabolic stress
method of analysis in reinforced concrete.
The analytical method employs the equation of the basic parabola, which closely fits the
stress-strain curves of concrete cylinders. This parabola is defined by the value of ultimate
concrete compressive stress, fc , the depth of compression, c, and the useable value of ultimate
strain in concrete, ec. The maximum area derived from these limiting parameters is the measure
of the ultimate strength of the concrete section under consideration (R. V. Jarquio, 2001 ISEC-01
and SEMC2001). The use of the parabola is defined under ACI318.10.2.6 regulations.
The steel bar forces are determined using the linear strain from the neutral axis as the
column section develops it ultimate strength when resisting external axial and biaxial bending
moments. The position of each reinforcing steel bars is determined along the column capacity
axis. This axis is perpendicular to the moment axis as the centerline of the column section and it
is referred to horizontal axis by an angle of inclination designated as .
1
Director (retired), New York City Transit, 25 Jamaica Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11207;
home phone 718 - 229 - 3408; parabola5@aol.com

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 The derived equations for concrete and steel bar forces are programmed in Microsoft
Excel 95 to yield column capacity curves and tabulated ultimate moment and axial capacities
including the customary key points of capacity curve.

Significance of the Analytical Method

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For more than five decades, analysis for the ultimate strength of reinforced concrete section
employed the equivalent rectangular stress block, finite-element methods and the interaction
formula to predict the ultimate strength of reinforced concrete section subjected to axial and bi-
axial bending loads.
The analytical method described in this paper uses the classical strength of materials
approach, basic calculus and the fundamental requirement of equilibrium conditions defined by
F = 0 and M =0 in any structural analysis. For concrete, it uses the parabolic nature of the
rising part of concrete stress/strain curve and the useable concrete strain set by codes of practice.
For steel, it utilizes the linear property of steel stress/strain curve. These two material properties
are linked to a common deformation as they resist external loads. This deformation is assumed
linear with respect to the neutral axis defined by the compressive depth, c of the concrete section.
One major difference between the current graphical method and the analytical method is
the use of the column capacity axis, which can vary from 0 to /2 from the horizontal axis and
defines the ultimate strength of the column section from uni-axial to any position of bi-axial
bending condition. This axis eliminates the concept of interaction formula for bi-axial bending in
current practice. It also allows the determination of the centroid of internal forces, which can
correspond with a specific external load, which is lacking in the current graphical method. Use of
the analytical method has also disclosed the diagonal of the rectangular as the axis for minimum
capacity to bi-axial bending and for circular section the column capacity axis can lie between any
two steel bars for equilibrium of internal and external forces.
The concrete forces are determined by integration of the stress volumes at every position
of the concrete compressive depth, using the derived equation of the true parabola. The value of
the concrete forces is not affected by the useable concrete strain assigned by codes. The steel
forces, however, is governed by the useable concrete strain, chosen in the analysis and the
limiting condition for maximum yield stress of steel. The tensile stress of the steel bar farthest
from the neutral axis is limited to the yield stress. The reader may use other limiting shape of the
steel strain such as the CRSI method in which the straight-line shape of the strain diagram is
pivoted at the position of useable concrete strain equal to 0.003. The CRSI method will yield
higher bar forces.
The example column capacity curves and tables from the Excel software program were
the result of using the ACI useable concrete strain of 0.003. The methodology is applicable not
only to concrete material but also to timber and steel whose stress/strain properties can be
expressed in an equation form for analysis.

Derivation

The governing equations for determining the ultimate strength of a column section are:

P = Pc + Ps (1)

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 M = Mc + Ms (2)

The subscripts, c and s for P and M denote concrete and steel capacities respectively.

Concrete Forces
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In Figure 1 the equation of the parabolic stress as applied to a circular section is given by

y = (0.75 f c /c2) [(c2 + 2Rc - 3R2) + 2(3R - c)x - 3x2] (3)

and the equation of the circle is

x 2 + z 2 = R2 (4)

From equation (3) and (4) the integration of the stress volumes of the concrete forces will yield
the values of Mc and Pc.

In Figure 2, the equation of the parabolic stress as applied to a rectangular section is given by

y = [0.75fc /c2][( c2 + ch - 0.75h2 ) + ( 3h - 2c ) x - 3x2 ] (5)

and the equations for the rectangular section are as follows:

z1 = - tan [ x - h/2 ] + z0 (6)

z2 = cot [ x - h/2 ] + z0 (7)

z3 = - tan [x + h/2] - z0 (8)

z4 = cot [ x + h/2 ] - z0 (9)

in which,

z0 = (1/2)[b cos - d sin ], when < [( /2) - ] (10)

z0 = (1/2) [d sin - b cos ] when > [( /2) - ] (11)

= arctan(b/d) (12)

x2 = (1/2)[d cos - b sin ] for any value of (13)

= inclination of the column capacity axis

From equation (5) to (13) the integration of the stress volumes will yield the values of Pc and Mc

for a rectangular column section.

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 Tension Compression

Y Parabolic Stress
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x
f c’ 0.75 fc’
Neutral Axis Pc

X
O
Moment Axis Z

d’
Column Capacity Axis Tie bar

R 1

X
O
N
Last bar in tension
Reference axis
through center
c - xn xn of any bar

Max xn - c c

Max x n

h = 2R

Figure 1 - Circular Column Section

Bar Forces

Bar forces is a function of the point of zero strain and the limiting values of concrete and steel

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 Y Parabolic Stress
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fc 0.75fc’

Neutral Axis h/2

O
c - h/2
c

Z
Moment Axis 1

line z 1
zo X
line z 4
x2 /2 - V2
V1
line z2
2 2
b O
x
Column Capacity Axis 2

V3

line z 3 1
d

Figure 2 - Rectangular Column Section

strain. In Figure 3 the compressive steel strain, es is a function of the useable concrete strain, ec
in which the steel strain varies linearly from zero at the neutral axis to a maximum value of the
concrete strain, ec. However, only fy/29000 is used for ultimate strength calculations since ec is
greater than the steel yield strain, es. It shows the recommended method of tensile strain limit of
the bar farthest from the neutral axis connected by a straight line to the neutral axis as opposed to
the CRSI method which uses a straight line pivoted at the concrete strain common to beam
analysis.

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 The state of the so-called balanced condition of simultaneous development of the steel
tensile and concrete compressive strain limits occurs only once as the column section is analyzed
from pure axial load through axial load plus bending to a pure bending condition. From this
point, towards the beam condition (when P = 0), the steel tensile strain is fixed at fy/29000.
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Tension Compression

xn

xn - c c
c - xn xn

max es = fy/29000 en

neutral axis en ec

Rectangular d1 h - c - d1 d1
(Circular) d' (max xn - c) d'
Rectangular h - d1
(Circular) (max xn ) = h - d'
h

Figure 3 - Steel Bar Strain Diagram

The positions of every reinforcing bars with respect to the column capacity axis is
calculated by the value of xn. The expressions for xn for a circular column are as follows:

xn = R - (R - d ) cos(n 1 - ) (14)

in which ,
1 = 2 /N (15)

N = total number of bars

n = no. of bar position from 1 to N

In Figure 5 the expressions for xn for a rectangular column section are as follows:

Along width: xn = (n-1)[(b-2d )/((N/2)- 1)]sin + 2 (d )cos(45° - ) 1st half (16)

xn = [(n - N/2)-1][(b - 2d )/((N/2) - 1)]sin + (d - 2d )cos + 2 (d )cos(45° - ) 2nd half (17)

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 Tension Compression
Parabolic
Stress
Y
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0.75 f c’

X
O
Moment Axis
Ml Bars Z Tie Bar
1 m 2

Column Capacity Axis

1 X
n O 1
d’
2 d
N Bars b
1
c - xn xn

Figure 4 - Rectangular Column Layout of Rebars

in which,
N = no. of bars along width

Along depth: xn = m [(d - 2d )/((Ml/2)+ 1)]cos + 2 (d )cos(45° - ) 1st half (18)

xn = h - d1 - [m - (Ml /2)] [(d - 2d )/((Ml/2)+ 1)] cos 2nd half (19)

in which, n and m designate the nth or mth bar along width and depth respectively; Ml = no. of
bars along depth and total number of bars = N + Ml.

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 Circular Column 76 cm. in diameter with 20
- 25.4 mm. bars

20000
18000

Axial Capacity, P in kN
16000
14000
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12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
0 500 1000 1500 2000
Mom ent Capacity, M in kN-m .

Figure 5 - Ultimate Strength Capacity Curve for a Circular Column

Rectangular Column 76 cm. x 51 cm. with 16 -

25.4 mm. bars

16000
14000
Axial Capacity, P in kN

12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
0 500 1000 1500
Moment Capacity, M in kN-m.

Figure 6 - Ultimate Strength Capacity Curve for a Rectangular Column

Equation (14) to (19) will yield values of en and in turn will determine the steel bar forces
Ps and Ms in a column section.

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 Column Capacity Curves

The list of derived equations (not shown completely since space is very limited) is programmed
in Microsoft Excel 95 to generate tabulated values of ultimate strength values including at
customary key points and capacity curves of given column sections. The reader may refer to
published works of the author for the complete list of equations for concrete and steel forces.
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Figures 5 and 6 above are the capacity curves for a circular and rectangular column respectively
when fc’ = 34.5 Mpa and fy = 413.7 Mpa.

Conclusions

The paper showed the analytical solution is feasible by using the true parabolic stress method in
the prediction of the ultimate strength of reinforced concrete columns. The analytical method
eliminates the current method of using the rectangular stress block, the interaction formula and
finite-element procedures. More importantly, the column capacity axis must be taken into
consideration not only to determine the minimum capacity of the column to resist bi-axial
bending, but also to satisfy the requirement of equilibrium of external and internal forces, which
is fundamental in any structural analysis.

Notations

b = width of rectangular concrete section

c = depth of concrete section in compression
d = depth of rectangular concrete section
d = concrete cover from edge to center of any steel bar
ec = useable concrete strain
es = steel yield strain
en = compressive (or tensile)steel strain at nth bar location
f c = specified ultimate compressive strength of concrete
fy = specified yield stress of steel bar
h = overall thickness of member
m = bar position from reference point
xm = location of steel bar from a reference axis
xn = location of steel bar from the concrete compressive edge
M = ultimate moment capacity
Mc = moment capacity of concrete
Ml = number of bars along depth
Ms = moment capacity of steel bars
N = number of bars along width
P = ultimate axial capacity
Pc = axial capacity of concrete
Ps = moment capacity of steel bars
R = radius of circular column
= inclination of the column capacity axis with the horizontal axis
1 = central angle subtended by one bar spacing in a circular column

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 = arctan (b/d) = inclination of the diagonal of a rectangular column with the horizontal axis
ACI = American Concrete Institute
CRSI = Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute

Subscripts
n = integer to denote bar position from reference point
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c = concrete
s = steel bar

References

ACI 318 R - 83 Commentary on Building Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete,

Chapter 10.

Ferguson, Phil, M., Breen, John, E. and Jirsa, James, O.(1988), “Reinforced Concrete
Fundamentals”, 5th Edition , John Wiley & Sons, Inc., pp. 45 - 70.

Taylor, M. A.(1985), Direct Biaxial Design of Columns, Journal of Structural Engineering, Vol.
111 No. 1, ASCE, pp. 158 - 173.

Jarquio, R. V.(2001), Ultimate Strength of Reinforced Concrete Circular and Rectangular

Columns, First International Conference in Structural Engineering and Construction, held in
Honolulu, Hawaii (ISEC-01 Proceedings), A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam/Brookfield, 2001, pp. 675 -
680.

Jarquio, R. V.(2001), True Parabolic Stress Method of Analysis in Reinforced Concrete, First
International Conference in Structural Engineering and Construction, held in Honolulu, Hawaii
(ISEC-01 Proceedings), A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam/Brookfield, 2001, pp. 777- 781.

Jarquio, R. V. (2001) True Parabolic Stress Method of Analysis in Reinforced Concrete Beams,
International Conference in Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computations, held in Cape
Town, South Africa (SEMC2001 Proceedings), ELSEVIER, London, Vol. 1, 2001, pp. 319 -
326. & 343 - 350.

Smith, P. F. Longley, W. R., and Granville, W. A.(1941), Elements of the Differential and
Integral Calculus, Revised Edition, Ginn and Company, Boston, 1941, pp. 286 - 306.

10

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