T

T
T
I
I
I
M
M
M
E
E
E
S
S
S
A
A
A
V
V
V
I
I
I
N
N
N
G
G
G


D
D
D
E
E
E
S
S
S
I
I
I
G
G
G
N
N
N


A
A
A
I
I
I
D
D
D
S
S
S



Columns
P o r t l a n d C e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n
P a g e 1 o f 9



The following examples illustrate the
design methods presented in the article
Timesaving Design Aids for Reinforced
Concrete, Part 3: Columns and Walls, by
David A. Fanella, which appeared in the
November 2001 edition of Structural
Engineer magazine. Unless otherwise
noted, all referenced table, figure, and
equation numbers are from that article.
The examples presented here are for
columns.
Examples for walls are available on our
Web page: www.portcement.org/buildings.
Example 1
In this example, an interior column at the
1
st
floor level of a 7-story building is
designed for the effects of gravity loads.
Structural walls resist lateral loads, and
the frame is nonsway.

Materials
Concrete: normal weight (150 pcf), -in.
maximum aggregate, f
c
= 5,000 psi
Mild reinforcing steel: Grade 60 (f
y
=
60,000 psi)
Loads
Floor framing dead load = 80 psf
Superimposed dead loads = 30 psf
Live load = 100 psf (floor), 20 psf (roof)
Building Data
Typical interior bay = 30 ft x 30 ft
Story height = 12 ft-0 in.
The table below contains a summary of the
axial loads due to gravity. The total
factored load P
u
is computed in accordance
with Sect. 9.2.1, and includes an estimate
for the weight of the column. Live load
reduction is determined from ASCE 7-98.
Moments due to gravity loads are negligible.
Floor DL (psf) LL (psf) Red. LL (psf) P
u
(kips) Cum. P
u
(kips)
7 80 20 20.0 142 142
6 120 100 50.0 238 380
5 120 100 42.7 227 607
4 120 100 40.0 223 830
3 120 100 40.0 223 1,053
2 120 100 40.0 223 1,276
1 120 100 40.0 223 1,499


T
T
T
I
I
I
M
M
M
E
E
E
S
S
S
A
A
A
V
V
V
I
I
I
N
N
N
G
G
G


D
D
D
E
E
E
S
S
S
I
I
I
G
G
G
N
N
N


A
A
A
I
I
I
D
D
D
S
S
S



Columns
P o r t l a n d C e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n
P a g e 2 o f 9



Use Fig. 1 to determine a preliminary size
for the tied column at the 1
st
floor level.
Assuming a reinforcement ratio
g
=
0.020, obtain P
u
/A
g
3.0 ksi (f
c
= 5 ksi).
Since P
u
= 1,499 kips, the required A
g
=
1,499/3.0 = 499.7 in.
2

Try a 22 x 22 in. column (A
g
= 484 in.
2
)
with a reinforcement ratio
g
greater than
0.020.
Check if slenderness effects need to be
considered.
Since the column is part of a nonsway
frame, slenderness effects can be
neglected when the unsupported column
length is less than or equal to 12h, where
h is the column dimension (Sect. 10.12.2).
12h = 12 x 22 = 264 in. = 22 ft > 12 ft
story height, which is greater than the
unsupported length of the column.
Therefore, slenderness effects can be
neglected.
Use Fig. 1 to determine the required area
of longitudinal reinforcement.
For a 22 x 22 in. column at the 1
st
floor
level:
P
u
/A
g
= 1,499/484 = 3.10 ksi
From Fig. 1, required
g
= 0.026, or
A
s
= 0.026 x 22 x 22 = 12.58 in.
2

Try 8-No. 11 bars (A
s
= 12.48 in.
2
)
Check Eq. (10-2) of ACI 318-99:
P
n(max)
= 0.80|0.85f
c
(A
g
A
st
) + f
y
A
st
]
P
n(max)
= 1,542 kips > 1,499 kips O.K.
From Table 1, 5-No. 11 bars can be
accommodated on the face of a 22-in. wide
column with normal lap splices and No. 4
ties. In this case, only 3-No. 11 bars are
provided per face.
Use 8-No. 11 bars ( = 2.58%).
Determine required ties and spacing.
According to Sect. 7.10.5.1, No. 4 ties are
required when No. 11 longitudinal bars are
used.


T
T
T
I
I
I
M
M
M
E
E
E
S
S
S
A
A
A
V
V
V
I
I
I
N
N
N
G
G
G


D
D
D
E
E
E
S
S
S
I
I
I
G
G
G
N
N
N


A
A
A
I
I
I
D
D
D
S
S
S



Columns
P o r t l a n d C e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n
P a g e 3 o f 9



According to Sect. 7.10.5.2, spacing of
ties shall not exceed the least of:
16 long. bar diameters = 16 x 1.41
16 long. bar diameters = 22.6 in.
48 tie bar diameters = 48 x 0.5
48 tie bar diameters = 24 in.
Least column dimension = 22 in. (governs)
Check clear spacing of longitudinal bars:

in. 885 . 6
41 . 1
2
2
41 . 1
5 . 0 5 . 1 2 22
space Clear
=

|
.
|

\
|
+ +
=

Since the clear space between longitudinal
bars > 6 in., cross-ties are required per
Sect. 7.10.5.3.
Reinforcement details are shown below.
See Sect. 7.8 for additional special
reinforcement details for columns.
22
22
8-No. 11

No. 4 ties @ 22



T
T
T
I
I
I
M
M
M
E
E
E
S
S
S
A
A
A
V
V
V
I
I
I
N
N
N
G
G
G


D
D
D
E
E
E
S
S
S
I
I
I
G
G
G
N
N
N


A
A
A
I
I
I
D
D
D
S
S
S



Columns
P o r t l a n d C e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n
P a g e 4 o f 9



Example 2
In this example, a simplified interaction
diagram is constructed for an 18 x 18
tied column reinforced with 8-No. 9 Grade
60 bars (
g
= 8/18
2
= 0.0247). Concrete
compressive strength = 4 ksi.
Use Fig. 3 to determine the 5 points on
the interaction diagram.
Point 1: Pure compression
kips 871
))] 4 85 . 0 ( 60 ( 0247 . 0
) 4 85 . 0 [( 18 56 . 0
)] f 85 . 0 f (
f 85 . 0 [ A 80 . 0 P
2
c y g
c g (max) n
=
+
=
+
=


Point 2 (f
s1
= 0)
Layer 1:
0 ) 1 ( 1 1
d
d
C 1
1
1
2
= =

Layer 2:
42 . 0
56 . 15
00 . 9
1 1
d
d
C 1
1
2
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=

Layer 3:
84 . 0
56 . 15
44 . 2
1 1
d
d
C 1
1
3
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=

Since 1 C
2
(d
3
/d
1
) > 0.69, the steel in
layer 3 has yielded.
Therefore, set 1 C
2
(d
3
/d
1
) = 0.69 to
ensure that the stress in the bars in
layer 3 is equal to 60 ksi.
d
3


=

2
.
4
4

18
1
.
5

(
t
y
p
.
)

d
2

=

9
.
0
0

d
1

=

1
5
.
5
6

1
8

No. 3 tie
3-No. 9
2-No. 9
3-No. 9


T
T
T
I
I
I
M
M
M
E
E
E
S
S
S
A
A
A
V
V
V
I
I
I
N
N
N
G
G
G


D
D
D
E
E
E
S
S
S
I
I
I
G
G
G
N
N
N


A
A
A
I
I
I
D
D
D
S
S
S



Columns
P o r t l a n d C e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n
P a g e 5 o f 9



kips 744
) 2 . 253 4 . 809 ( 70 . 0
)]} 69 . 0 3 (
) 42 . 0 (2 0) 7[(3 8
) 18 56 . 15 89 . 2 {( 70 . 0
d
d
C 1 A 87 b d C P
n
1 i 1
i
2 si 1 1 n
=
+ =
+
+ +
=
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
=


{
kips - ft 182
12 / ) 4 . 181 , 1 1 . 932 , 1 ( 70 . 0
12 / )]} 44 . 2 9 )( 69 . 0 3 (
) 9 9 )( 42 . 0 (2
15.56) 0)(9 7[(3 8
00 . 1
56 . 15 85 . 0
18
) 18 56 . 15 89 . 2 5 . 0 [( 70 . 0
12 / d
2
h
d
d
C 1 A 87
C
d
h b d C 5 . 0 M
i
n
1 i 1
i
2 si
2
1 1
1 1 n
=
+ =
+
+
+
(

(
|
.
|

\
|


=
(

(
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
+

|
|
.
|

\
|
=

=


Point 3 (f
s1
= -0.5f
y
)
Layer 1:
34 . 0 ) 1 ( 34 . 1 1
d
d
C 1
1
1
2
= =

Layer 2:
23 . 0
56 . 15
00 . 9
34 . 1 1
d
d
C 1
1
2
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=

Layer 3:
79 . 0
56 . 15
44 . 2
34 . 1 1
d
d
C 1
1
3
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=

Use 0.69

kips 514
) 4 . 131 2 . 602 ( 70 . 0
)]} 69 . 0 3 (
) 23 . 0 (2 ) 34 . 0 - 7[(3 8
) 18 56 . 15 15 . 2 {( 70 . 0
d
d
C 1 A 87 b d C P
n
1 i 1
i
2 si 1 1 n
=
+ =
+
+ +
=
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
=




T
T
T
I
I
I
M
M
M
E
E
E
S
S
S
A
A
A
V
V
V
I
I
I
N
N
N
G
G
G


D
D
D
E
E
E
S
S
S
I
I
I
G
G
G
N
N
N


A
A
A
I
I
I
D
D
D
S
S
S



Columns
P o r t l a n d C e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n
P a g e 6 o f 9



{
kips - ft 246
12 / ) 5 . 763 , 1 8 . 447 , 2 ( 70 . 0
12 / )]} 44 . 2 9 )( 69 . 0 3 (
) 9 9 )( 23 . 0 (2
15.56) )(9 34 . 0 - 7[(3 8
34 . 1
56 . 15 85 . 0
18
) 18 56 . 15 15 . 2 5 . 0 [( 70 . 0
12 / d
2
h
d
d
C 1 A 87
C
d
h b d C 5 . 0 M
i
n
1 i 1
i
2 si
2
1 1
1 1 n
=
+ =
+
+
+
(

(
|
.
|

\
|


=
(

(
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
+

|
|
.
|

\
|
=

=

Point 4 (f
s1
= -f
y
)
Layer 1:
69 . 0 ) 1 ( 69 . 1 1
d
d
C 1
1
1
2
= =

Layer 2:
02 . 0
56 . 15
00 . 9
69 . 1 1
d
d
C 1
1
2
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=


Layer 3:
74 . 0
56 . 15
44 . 2
69 . 1 1
d
d
C 1
1
3
2
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
Use 0.69
kips 338 ) 5 . 3 9 . 478 ( 70 . 0
)]} 69 . 0 3 (
) 02 . 0 (2 ) 69 . 0 - 7[(3 8
) 18 56 . 15 71 . 1 {( 70 . 0
d
d
C 1 A 87 b d C P
n
1 i 1
i
2 si 1 1 n
= + =
+
+ +
=
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
=


{
kips - ft 280
12 / ) 8 . 362 , 2 3 . 436 , 2 ( 70 . 0
12 / )]} 44 . 2 9 )( 69 . 0 3 (
) 9 9 )( 02 . 0 (2
15.56) )(9 69 . 0 - 7[(3 8
69 . 1
56 . 15 85 . 0
18
) 18 56 . 15 71 . 1 5 . 0 [( 70 . 0
12 / d
2
h
d
d
C 1 A 87
C
d
h b d C 5 . 0 M
i
n
1 i 1
i
2 si
2
1 1
1 1 n
=
+ =
+
+
+
(

(
|
.
|

\
|


=
(

(
|
.
|

\
|

|
|
.
|

\
|
+

|
|
.
|

\
|
=

=



T
T
T
I
I
I
M
M
M
E
E
E
S
S
S
A
A
A
V
V
V
I
I
I
N
N
N
G
G
G


D
D
D
E
E
E
S
S
S
I
I
I
G
G
G
N
N
N


A
A
A
I
I
I
D
D
D
S
S
S



Columns
P o r t l a n d C e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n
P a g e 7 o f 9



Point 5: Pure bending
Use iterative procedure to determine
M
n
.
Try c = 4.0 in.
0087 . 0
4
56 . 15 4
003 . 0
c
d c
003 . 0
1
1 s
=
|
.
|

\
|

=
|
.
|

\
|

=


kips 180 ) 60 ( 3 f A T
ksi 60 f use , ksi 60 -
ksi 4 . 251 ) 0087 . 0 ( 000 , 29
E f
1 s 1 s s1
s1
1 s s 1 s
= = =
= >
= =
=

0038 . 0
4
9 4
003 . 0
c
d c
003 . 0
1
2 s
=
|
.
|

\
|

=
|
.
|

\
|

=



kips 120 ) 60 ( 2 f A T
ksi 60 f use , ksi 60 -
ksi 8 . 108 ) 0038 . 0 ( 000 , 29
E f
2 s 2 s s2
s2
2 s s 2 s
= = =
= >
= =
=


0012 . 0
4
44 . 2 4
003 . 0
c
d c
003 . 0
1
3 s
=
|
.
|

\
|

=
|
.
|

\
|

=


kips 102 9 . 33 3 f A C
ksi 9 . 33 0012 . 0 000 , 29
E f
3 s 3 s s3
3 s s 3 s
= = =
= =
=


kips 208
18 ) 4 85 . 0 ( 4 85 . 0
ab f 85 . 0 C
c c
=
=
=


Total T = (-180) + (-120) = -300 kips
Total C = 102 + 208 = 310 kips
Since T C, use c = 4.0 in.


T
T
T
I
I
I
M
M
M
E
E
E
S
S
S
A
A
A
V
V
V
I
I
I
N
N
N
G
G
G


D
D
D
E
E
E
S
S
S
I
I
I
G
G
G
N
N
N


A
A
A
I
I
I
D
D
D
S
S
S



Columns
P o r t l a n d C e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n
P a g e 8 o f 9



kips - ft 4 . 98
12 / 56 . 15
2
18
) 180 (
d
2
h
T M
1 1 s 1 ns
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|
=


0
12 / 9
2
18
) 120 (
d
2
h
T M
2 2 s 2 ns
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|
=


kips - ft 8 . 55
12 / 44 . 2
2
18
102
d
2
h
C M
3 3 s 3 ns
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
|
.
|

\
|
=


kips - ft 7 . 280
2 . 154 12 / )] 4 . 3 18 ( 208 5 . 0 [
M ) a h ( C 5 . 0 M
3
1 i
nsi c n
=
+ =
+ =
=


kips - ft 253 7 . 280 9 . 0 M
n
= =

Compare simplified interaction diagram to
interaction diagram generated from the
PCA computer program PCACOL.
The comparison is shown on the next page.
As can be seen from the figure, the
comparison between the exact (black line)
and simplified (red line) interaction
diagrams is very good.


T
T
T
I
I
I
M
M
M
E
E
E
S
S
S
A
A
A
V
V
V
I
I
I
N
N
N
G
G
G


D
D
D
E
E
E
S
S
S
I
I
I
G
G
G
N
N
N


A
A
A
I
I
I
D
D
D
S
S
S



Columns
P o r t l a n d C e m e n t A s s o c i a t i o n
P a g e 9 o f 9