Lecture 14 Columns

Concrete Columns:
Concrete is good at resisting compression but poor in resisting tension.
So, it might make sense that concrete would be the material of choice for
columns. It is true that concrete IS used for compression members such
as columns, piers, bearing walls and pedestals. Members under pure
compression could then (theoretically) be unreinforced. These members
are often subject to additional forces such as moment that would put some
tensile forces into the member and would thus necessitate the addition of
tension reinforcement.

Lecture 14 Page 1 of 15