Slender Columns

Slender Columns
Dr. Ammar Ben-Nakhi Slender Columns 2/17

Introduction
When the column height is noticeably long and the column cross-
section size is small, the column tends to deflect laterally (buckle), which
results in an additional secondary moment (
sec ult
M P = ) that needs to be taken
under consideration when designing the column, such a column is called a slender
column. It should be stated here that most of the columns are classified as a
short column, which is been covered earlier in undergraduate reinforced
concrete course.

Why should we care whether the column in short or slender?
Because the slender column tends to reduce the load carrying capacity of
column, and if note been taken under account (the column slenderness), the
column would buckle suddenly, and fail catastrophically!!

How does the column slenderness decrease the column load capacity?

Well, let us consider a regular
short column, the column will be
subjected at its ends to an axial
compressive force (P), and in
many cases, to an accompanied
moments (
end
M P e = ), as shown
in the figure below. Due to the
stockiness of the column, the
column lateral deflection will be
minimal and might be neglected.
So, column will follow the linear
path OA{since e (moment
eccentricity) is constant (see
the right figure), the column
end momentM
end
is linearly
related to the applied axial
force P} dashed line in the
column interaction curve
presented in the figure next
page.

Now, if the column becomes slender, it will suffer from lateral deflection
(buckling) , which in turn would lead to the creation of a secondary moment
sec
M P = at mid column height. Which in turn would sum up with the end
moment to result in a larger moment (at column mid hight) than the end columns
moments? The increase in the axial force P would lead to an increase of the
lateral deflection in a nonlinear fashion, which in turn would lead to a
nonlinear relationship between
sec
M and P (see curve
OA).

Now, after understanding the behavior of the short columns and
slender columns, and with the aid of the interaction curve shown above, one
would easily notice the reduction of the axial load carrying capacity of a slender
column than a short column with the same cross-section size and steel
reinforcement and concrete properties, as a result of secondary moment
initiated by column buckling effect ( or P- effect).

Slenderness Ratio

The column can be classified as a slender column or a short
column based on its slenderness ratio,
u
kl
r
, where:
k: effective length factor reflecting the end restraint and
lateral bracing conditions of the column. The figure below shows
different values of k for different end restrains, for both,
columns in non-sway frames, and column in sway-frames.

It should be mentioned here, that in Kuwait, almost all the frames
(especially for multistory residential houses) are classified as a non-sway
frames. Generally speaking, a structure that consist of a stiffening structural
elements , such as reinforced concrete elevator shaft, shear walls, stair wells,
masonry walls) that remarkably helps in reducing the lateral structural drift
due to horizontal force actions (wind and earth quacks) are named as non-sway
frames. For a more accurate classification of a frame, one might refer to ACI
sections 10.10.5.1 and 10.10.5.2, as stated below.

l
u
: columns unsupported length, and is defined as the clear distance between
the underside of the beam, slab, or column capital above, and the top of the slab
or the beam below.

Note: the column might have two different unsupported lengths in two
orthogonal directions, depending on the size of the supported elements
attached to the column.

r: radius of gyration, which reflects the cross-section size and shape to the
slenderness of a column.
g
I
r radius of gyration associated with axis of bending
A
0.3h rectangular column; bending about strong axis
r 0.3b rectangular column; bending about weak axis
0.25h circular column
= =

'
ult ult,1 ult,2 c y y,sp u
(mm) (mm)
(KN) (MPa) (mm) (KN.m) (KN.m) (MPa) (MPa)
, , Given : P M M , b , h , f , f , f , l
Moment Magnification for of Non-Sway Slender Column
0.3h bending about strong axis
r 0.3b bending about week axis
0.25 circular column
( )
1 2
min
0.7 0.05
K min
0.85 0.05
1
+ +
=
+
Go to Short Column Design

No need to magnify moment
No
ult1
u
ult2
M
34 12 Kl
min M
r
40
| |
|
|
>

\
Yes
u
Kl
100
r

Second-Order Analysis Yes
No
( )
( )
ult1
smaller ultimate end moment
ult2
larger ultimate end moment
M
" " if single curvature
" " if double curvature
M
" 1" if both end moments =0
(
+
(

(
(
+

1.5 '
3 3 c c c
c
'
c
Kg Kg
0.043w f 1440 w 2560
m m
E
4700 f normal weight concrete
( )
2,min ult
M P 15 0.03h = +
( )
c g
dns
0.4E I
EI
1
=
+
d
dns
ult
1.2P
P
=
( )
2
c 2
u
EI
P
Kl
=
ult1
ult2
m
M
0.6 0.4
M
C max
0.4
| |
+
|
|
\
=

m
ult
ns
c
C
4P
1
max
3P
1
| |

|
=

\
ult2
ult2
2,min
M
M max
M
c ns ult2
M M =
END
Go to Short Column Design
With P
ult
and M
2,ult
=M
c
3
3
g
4
bh
moment about strong axis
12
hb
I moment about weak axis
12
h
circular column
64

Ex.
Design a tied rectangular column cross-section to resist service axial
loads and of P
d
= 500 KN and P
l
= 312.5 KN while the ultimate moments acting
on the column were found to act in a single curvature with values as summarized
in the table shown below.

Around strong axis Around weak axis
Upper-end 135 KN.m 88 KN.m
Lower-end 76 KN.m 45 KN.m

The column unsupported length is 3m in both directions and is a part of a non-
sway frame.
Use 22 reinforcement bars (A
b
=387 mm
2
) with 40 mm concrete cover and

'
c y
f 30 MPa, f 420 MPa = =
Solution:

( ) ( )
( )
( )
ult d l
g
y
x
x
y
x ux
x
P 1.2P 1.6P 1.2 500 1.6 312.5 1100 KN
Take : 0.03
r 0.3h 0.3 600 180mm
r 0.3b 0.3 250 75 mm
K 1
Take :
K 1
K l 1 3000
40
r 75
= + = + =
=
= = =
= = =
=
= =
ult1,x
ult2,x
y uy
y
M
45
34 12 34 12 27.86
M 88
min
40
The column is slender around the x-axis (i.e. around the week axis)
K l
1 3000
16.67
r 180
| |
| |
= + = |
|
|
\
\
= =
ult1,y
ult2,y
M
76
34 12 34 12 27.24
min M 135
40
The column is short around the y-axis (i.e. around the strong axis)
| |
| |
| = =
|
|
\
\

So, let now go and magnify the moment
ult2,x
M =88 KN.m, since we have concluded
a slender behavior for the column around the week axis:

( ) ( )
3
2,min ult
'
c c
M P 15 0.03h 1100 15 0.03 250 10 24.75 KN.m
E 4700 f 4700 30 25742.96 MPa
= + = + =
= = =

( )
3
3
9 4
g
600 250
hb
I 0.781 10 mm
12 12
= = =

( ) ( )
( ) ( )
d
dns
ult
9
c g
3 9 2
dns
2 2 9
c 2 2
u
ult2,x
ult2,x
2,min
ult2,x
m
1.2P
1.2 500
0.545
P 1100
0.4E I
0.4 25742.96 0.781 10
EI 10 5.2 10 KN.mm
1 1 0.545
EI 5.2 10
P 5702.4 KN
Kl 1 3000
M 88 KN.m
M max
M 24.75 KN.m
M 88 KN.m
C
= = =

= = =
+ +

= = =
=
=
ult1,x
ult2,x
m
m
lt
ns
c
ns
c ns ult2,x
M
45
0.6 0.4 0.6 0.4 0.8
M 88
max
0.4
C 0.8
C
0.8
1.077
4 1100 4P
1
1
max 3 5702.4
3P
1
1.077
M M 1.077 88 94.78KN.m
| |
| |
+ = + = |
|
|
\
\
= =
| | | |

| |
=
\
\
=
= = =

So, now we are dealing with the following moments:

ult2,y
ult2,x
M 135 KN.m
M 94.78 KN.m
=
=

So, let us continue the more clearly becoming biaxial column design:

( )
( )
( )
2
g
3 3
ult
'
c g
3
y
ult
'
c g
ult,y
3
x
mm
ult
0.65
A bh 250 600 150000 mm
P 10 1100 10
0.244 0.4
f A 30 150000
f 280
P 10 420 280
0.5 0.5 0.244 0.744
700 700 f A
max
0.6
0.744
M
135
e 10
P 1000
=
= = =

= = <
( ( +
( +
( ( + = + = (
(

( (

=

=
= =
( )
( )
3
ult,x 3 3
y
ult mm
y
x
x
y,mag y
10 122.73 mm
M
94.78
e 10 10 86.16 mm
P 1100
e
e 122.73 86.16
0.2 0.344
h 600 b 250
e
e e b 86.16 0.744 0.2 250 123.36 mm
h
=
= = =
= = < = =
| |
= + = + =
|
\

( )
3 3
ultx,mag ult y,mag
(KN.m) (mm) (KN)
6
6
ultx,mag
n '
c g
3
3
ult
n '
c g
t b
M P e 10 1100 123.36 10 135.7 KN.m
M 10
135.7 10
R 0.185
0.65 30 150000 250 f A b
P 10 1100 10
K 0.376
0.65 30 150000 f A
d 10mm since d 22 mm 32 mm

= = =
= = =

= = =

= = <

( ) ( )
t b
replace "h" by "b" if working on week axis
h h 2 c.c. 2d d 250 2 40 2 10 22 128 mm
h 128
0.51 Take 0.5
h 250
(

= = =
= = = =

From the column interaction diagram, with:
n
n g
'
c
y
0.5
R 0.185
K 0.376 0.05
f 30MPa
f 420 MPa
=
`
=
)

( ) ( )
2
st,req g g
2
s,provided
st,prov
g,prov
g
t b
A A 0.05 150000 7500 mm
Use 20 22
A 7740 mm
A
7740
0.0516
A 150000
h h 2 c.c. 2d d 600 2 40 2 10 22 478 mm
h 478
0.797 0.8
h 600
= = =

=
= = =
= = =
= = =

x
g,prov nx
'
c
y
0.8
e
0.2
h
0.0516 K 0.95
f 30MPa
f 420 MPa
=
=
`
)

( )
' 3 3
nx nx c g
KN
P K f A 10 0.95 30 150000 10 4275 KN

= = =
y
g,prov ny
'
c
y
b
0.5
b
0.5
e
0.344
b
0.0516 K 0.53
f 30MPa
f 420 MPa
= =
=
=
`
)

( )
' 3 3
ny ny c g
KN
' 3
no c g st,prov s,prov y
3
no
P K f A 10 0.53 30 15000 10 2385 KN
P 0.85f (A A ) A f 10
P 0.85 30(150000 7740) 7740 420 10 6878.4 KN

= = =
(
= +

( = + =

4
ni nx ny no
ni
ni ult
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
5.078 10
P P P P 4275 2385 6878.4
P 1969.2 KN
P 0.65 1969.2 1280 KN P 1100 KN Safe!!
= + = + =
=
= > =

( )
( ) ( )
( )
clear,min
b
clear,min
t # of bars on the side "b" b
x,clear
# of bars on the side "b"
x,clear clear,min
y,clear
40mm
s max
1.5d 1.5 22 33 mm
s 40mm
b 2 c.c. 2d N d
s
N 1
250 2 40 2 10 3 22
s 42 mm s 40mm O.K.
3 1
s

=

= =
=

=

= = > =
( ) ( )
( )
clear,min
600 2 40 2 10 9 22
37.75 mm s 40mm NotO.K.
9 1
But, it is not to far from the minimum required spacing, so, I'll leave it as is!!

= = < =

( )
( )
t
b
t,req
t
48d 48 10 480 mm
16d 16 22 352 mm
s min
b 250 mm
h 600 mm
s 250 mm
= =
= =
=

=
=

40mm
600mm
3 10 ties
@ 250 mm
40mm
250
mm
20 22
Now, if we were to have the freedom of enlarging the column cross-
section in order to convert it to a short column rather than a slender column,
we would certainly, enlarge the column width, i.e., b=250 mm, since the column
was concluded to be slender about the week axis only.

ult1,x
ult2,x x ux
x
M
45
34 12 34 12 27.86
M 88 K l 1 3000
40 min
r 0.3b
40
3000
b 358.9 mm
0.3 27.86
Take b 400mm
| |
| |
= + = |
|
|

\
\
= =

Slender Columns

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Slender Columns

Dr. Ammar Ben-Nakhi Slender Columns 2/17

Go to Short Column Design

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