Design of Short

Columns
Subject to Axial Load and Bending
Axial Load and Bending

• Columns will bend under the action of moments, and those moments
will tend to produce compression on one side of the columns and
tension on the other.
• Depending on the relative magnitudes of the moments and axial loads,
there are several ways in which the sections might fail.
Large axial load with negligible moment

• For this situation, failure will

occur by the crushing of the
concrete, with all reinforcing
bars in the column having
reached their yield stress in
compression.
Large axial load and small moment such that
the entire cross section is in compression
• When a column is subject to a
small bending moment (i.e.,
when the eccentricity is small),
the entire column will be in
compression, but the
compression will be higher on
one side than on the other.
Eccentricity larger than in case (b) such that tension
begins to develop on one side of the column

• If the eccentricity is increased somewhat

from the preceding case, tension will
begin to develop on one side of the
column, and the steel on that side will be
in tension but less than the yield stress.
• On the other side, the steel will be in
compression.
• Failure will occur as a result of the
crushing of the concrete on the
compression side.
A balanced loading condition

• As we continue to increase the

eccentricity, a condition will be
reached in which the reinforcing
bars on the tension side will
reach their yield stress at the
same time that the concrete on
the opposite side reaches its
maximum compression, 0.85f’c .
Large moment with small axial load

• If the eccentricity is further

increased, failure will be initiated
by the yielding of the bars on
the tensile side of the column
prior to concrete crushing.
Large moment with no appreciable axial load

• For this condition, failure will

occur as it does in a beam.
The Plastic Centroid
• The eccentricity of a column load is the distance from the load to the
plastic centroid of the column.
• The plastic centroid represents the location of the resultant force
produced by the steel and the concrete.
• It is the point in the column cross section through which the resultant
column load must pass to produce uniform strain at failure.
• For locating the plastic centroid, all concrete is assumed to be stressed
in compression to 0.85f’c and all steel to fy in compression.
• For symmetrical sections, the plastic centroid coincides with the centroid
of the column cross section, while for nonsymmetrical sections, it can be
located by taking moments.
 2 – 30
mmØ
100mm
2 – 30
mmØ

Sample Problem: 200mm400mm

Determine the plastic centroid

of the T-shaped column
100mm
shown in Figure 10.2 if f’c =
28 MPa and fy = 420 MPa.
75mm75mm 125mm 75mm

150mm 200mm
Seat work: A4
75mm
• Locate the plastic centroid if f’c
= 4000 psi and fy = 60,000 psi. 150mm 500mm

75mm

75mm 75mm
150mm

75mm
375mm
Development of Interaction Diagrams

• Should an axial compressive

load be applied to a short
concrete member, it will be
subjected to a uniform strain or
shortening
Problem Illustration:

• It is assumed that the tied

column of the figure has a strain
on its compression edge equal to 350mm
6-30mmØ bars
−0.003 and has a tensile strain
of +0.002 on its other edge.
Determine the values of Pn and 475mm
62.5m 62.5m
Mn that cause this strain m m

distribution if fy = 420 MPa and 600mm

f’c = 28 MPa.
 Interaction Diagram

6592 kN
350mm
6-30mmØ bars

2774 kN 707kN-
m

62.5m 475mm 62.5m 1800 kN 759kN-

m m m

600mm

403 kN-m

1601 kN
Use of Interaction Diagrams

• The values of Pn and Mn for a given

column with a certain set of strains can
easily be determined. Preparing an
interaction curve with a hand calculator for
just one column, however, is quite tedious.
• Imagine the work involved in a design
situation where various sizes, concrete
strengths, and steel percentages need to
be considered.
• Consequently, designers resort almost
completely to computer programs,
computer-generated interaction diagrams,
or tables for their column calculations.
Design and Analysis of
Eccentrically Loaded
Columns Using Interaction
Diagrams
Design of Short Tied
Column 4 face equal
• Select reinforcing for the short
columns shown if f’c = 27.6
MPa and fy = 413.7 MPa.
Design of Short Tied
Column 2 face equal
• Select reinforcing for the short
columns shown if f’c = 27.6
MPa and fy = 413.7 MPa.
Design of Short
Spiral Column
• Select reinforcing for the short
columns shown if f’c = 27.6
1335kN
MPa and fy = 413.7 MPa.
250mm

425mm
62.5mm 62.5mm

500mm
Analysis of Short Tied
Column 2 face equal
• Use the column interaction
diagrams in Appendix A to
determine Pn values for the
short columns shown if f’c = 28
MPa and fy = 420 MPa.
Analysis of Short Tied
Column 4 face equal
• Use the column interaction
diagrams in Appendix A to
determine Pn values for the
short columns shown if f’c = 28
MPa and fy = 420 MPa.
Analysis of Short
Spiral Column
• Use the column interaction
ey = 200 mm
diagrams in Appendix A to
determine Pn values for the
short columns shown if f’c = 28
MPa and fy = 420 MPa.
Biaxial Bending

• Many columns are subjected to biaxial

bending, that is, bending about both
axes. Corner columns in buildings
where beams and girders frame into
the columns from both directions are
the most common cases, but there
are others, such as where columns are
cast monolithically as part of frames
in both directions or where columns
are supporting heavy spandrel beams.
 Bresler’s Equation
• Pni = the nominal axial load capacity of the section
when the load is placed at a given eccentricity
along both axes.
• Pnx = the nominal axial load capacity of the
section when the load is placed at an eccentricity
ex.
• Pny = the nominal axial load capacity of the
section when the load is placed at an eccentricity
ey.
• Po = the nominal axial load capacity of the section
when the load is placed with a zero eccentricity. It
is usually taken as 0.85f’c Ag + fyAs .
Analysis of Bi-axial Bending Column
62.5mm

• Determine the design capacity, 8-30mmØ

Pni , of the short tied column
shown in the figure, which is
subjected to biaxial bending. f'c 500mm 625mm
= 28 MPa, fy = 420 MPa, ex =
400 mm., and ey = 200 mm.

250mm 62.5mm
62.5mm 62.5mm

375mm
Design of Biaxially Loaded Columns
75mm

• Select the reinforcing needed for

the short square tied column
shown in the figure for the
400mm550mm
following: PD = 445 kN, PL = 890
kN ,MDX = 68 kN-m, MLX = 150 kN-
m, MDY = 55 kN-m, MLY = 123 kN-m,
f’c = 28 MPa, and fy = 420 MPa.
75mm
• Mx = My = Mnx + Mny 400mm
75mm
75mm

550mm