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The following examples illustrate the Materials

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.
• Concrete: normal weight (150 pcf), ¾-in.
maximum aggregate, f′c = 5,000 psi
• Mild reinforcing steel: Grade 60 (fy =
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.

Example 1 The table below contains a summary of the

In this example, an interior column at the
1st 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.
axial loads due to gravity. The total
factored load Pu 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) Pu (kips) Cum. Pu (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
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Use Fig. 1 to determine a preliminary size For a 22 x 22 in. column at the 1st floor
for the tied column at the 1st floor level. level:

Assuming a reinforcement ratio ρg = Pu /Ag = 1,499/484 = 3.10 ksi

0.020, obtain Pu /Ag ≈ 3.0 ksi (f′c = 5 ksi).
From Fig. 1, required ρg = 0.026, or
Since Pu = 1,499 kips, the required Ag =
1,499/3.0 = 499.7 in.2 As = 0.026 x 22 x 22 = 12.58 in.2

Try a 22 x 22 in. column (Ag = 484 in.2) Try 8-No. 11 bars (As = 12.48 in.2)
with a reinforcement ratio ρg greater than
0.020. Check Eq. (10-2) of ACI 318-99:

Check if slenderness effects need to be φPn(max) = 0.80φ[0.85f’c (Ag – Ast) + fy Ast]

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.
φPn(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 (ρ = 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.
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22 − 2 1.5 + 0.5 +

According to Sect. 7.10.5.2, spacing of 1.41 

ties shall not exceed the least of:
Clear space =  2  − 1.41
2
16 long. bar diameters = 16 x 1.41 = 6.885 in.
16 long. bar diameters = 22.6 in.
Since the clear space between longitudinal
48 tie bar diameters = 48 x 0.5 bars > 6 in., cross-ties are required per
48 tie bar diameters = 24 in. Sect. 7.10.5.3.

Least column dimension = 22 in. (governs) Reinforcement details are shown below.

Check clear spacing of longitudinal bars: See Sect. 7.8 for additional special
reinforcement details for columns.

8-No. 11

22″

No. 4 ties @ 22″

22″
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Example 2 • Point 2 (fs1 = 0)

In this example, a simplified interaction Layer 1:

diagram is constructed for an 18″ x 18″ d
1 − C 2 1 = 1 − 1 (1) = 0
tied column reinforced with 8-No. 9 Grade d1
60 bars (ρg = 8/182 = 0.0247). Concrete
compressive strength = 4 ksi. Layer 2:
1 − C 2 2 = 1 − 1 
d 9.00 
 = 0.42
Use Fig. 3 to determine the 5 points on d1  15.56 
the interaction diagram.
Layer 3:
• Point 1: Pure compression
1 − C 2 3 = 1 − 1 
d 2.44 
 = 0.84
d1  15.56 
φPn(max) = 0.80 φA g [ 0.85 fc′
+ ρ g ( fy − 0.85 fc′ )] Since 1 – C2 (d3 /d1) > 0.69, the steel in
layer 3 has yielded.
= 0.56 × 18 2 [( 0.85 × 4 )
+ 0.0247 (60 − (0.85 × 4 ))] Therefore, set 1 – C2 (d3 /d1) = 0.69 to
= 871 kips ensure that the stress in the bars in
layer 3 is equal to 60 ksi.
1.5″ (typ.)
d3 = 2.44″

18″
No. 3 tie
d2 = 9.00″

3-No. 9
d1 = 15.56″

18″

2-No. 9

3-No. 9
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 n  di   • Point 3 (fs1 = -0.5fy)

φPn = φ C 1d 1b + 87 ∑ A si  1 − C 2 
 i=1  d 1  
Layer 1:
d
= 0.70 {(2.89 × 15.56 × 18) 1 − C 2 1 = 1 − 1.34 (1) = −0.34
d1
+ 87[(3 × 0) + (2 × 0.42)
+ (3 × 0.69)]} Layer 2:
= 0.70 (809 .4 + 253 .2) d
1 − C 2 2 = 1 − 1.34  9.00  = 0.23
 
= 744 kips d1  15.56 

Layer 3:
  βd 
φMn = φ 0.5C 1d 1b h − 1 1 
1 − C 2 3 = 1 − 1.34 
d 2.44 
  C2   = 0.79
d1  15.56 
 d i  h 
 − di   / 12
n
+ 87 ∑ A si  1 − C 2
i=1  d 1  2  Use 0.69

= 0.70{[( 0.5 × 2.89 × 15.56 × 18)  n  di  

φPn = φ C 1d 1b + 87 ∑ A si  1 − C 2 
 i=1  d 1  
0.85 × 15.56  
×  18 − 
 1.00 
+ 87[(3 × 0)(9 − 15.56) = 0.70 {(2.15 × 15.56 × 18)
+ (2 × 0.42)(9 − 9) + 87[(3 × -0.34 ) + (2 × 0.23)
+ (3 × 0.69)(9 − 2.44 )]} / 12 + (3 × 0.69)]}
= 0.70(602 .2 + 131 .4 )
= 0.70 (1, 932 .1 + 1, 181 .4 ) / 12 = 514 kips
= 182 ft - kips
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  βd  Layer 3:
φMn = φ 0.5C 1d 1b h − 1 1 
1 − C 2 3 = 1 − 1.69 
d 2.44 
  C2   = 0.74
d1  15.56 
 d i  h 
 − di   / 12
n
+ 87 ∑ A si  1 − C 2 Use 0.69
i=1  d 1  2 
 n  d 
φPn = φ C 1d 1b + 87 ∑ A si  1 − C 2 i  
= 0.70{[( 0.5 × 2.15 × 15.56 × 18)  d1 
 i=1
0.85 × 15.56  
×  18 − 
 1.34  = 0.70 {(1.71 × 15.56 × 18)
+ 87[(3 × -0.34 )(9 − 15.56) + 87[(3 × -0.69) + (2 × 0.02)
+ (2 × 0.23)(9 − 9) + (3 × 0.69)]}
+ (3 × 0.69)(9 − 2.44 )]} / 12 = 0.70 ( 478 .9 + 3.5) = 338 kips

= 0.70 (2, 447 .8 + 1, 763 .5) / 12   βd 

= 246 ft - kips φMn = φ 0.5C 1 d 1b h − 1 1 
  C2 
 d  h 
+ 87 ∑ A si  1 − C 2 i  − d i   / 12
n
• Point 4 (fs1 = -fy)
i=1  d 1  2 
Layer 1:
d
1 − C 2 1 = 1 − 1.69 (1) = −0.69 = 0.70{[( 0.5 × 1.71 × 15.56 × 18)
d1 0.85 × 15.56  
×  18 − 
 1.69 
Layer 2: + 87[(3 × -0.69)(9 − 15.56)
1 − C 2 2 = 1 − 1.69 
d 9.00 
 = 0.02 + (2 × 0.02)(9 − 9)
d1  15.56 
+ (3 × 0.69)(9 − 2.44 )]} / 12
= 0.70 (2, 436 .3 + 2, 362 .8) / 12
= 280 ft - kips
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• Point 5: Pure bending fs2 = E s ε s2

= 29, 000 × ( −0.0038 ) = −108 .8 ksi
Use iterative procedure to determine > -60 ksi, use fs2 = −60 ksi
φMn.

Try c = 4.0 in. Ts2 = As2 fs2 = 2 × ( −60) = −120 kips

c − d1 
ε s 1 = 0.003 
c − d1 
 ε s 3 = 0.003  
 c   c 
4 − 2.44 
= 0.003 
4 − 15.56 
 = 0.003  
 4   4 
= −0.0087 = 0.0012

fs 1 = E s ε s 1 fs 3 = E s ε s 3
= 29, 000 × (−0.0087 ) = −251 .4 ksi = 29, 000 × 0.0012 = 33 .9 ksi
> - 60 ksi, use fs1 = −60 ksi
C s3 = A s 3 fs 3 = 3 × 33 .9 = 102 kips
Ts1 = As 1 fs 1 = 3 × (−60) = −180 kips
C c = 0.85 fc′ ab
c − d1  = 0.85 × 4 × (0.85 × 4 ) × 18
ε s2 = 0.003  
 c  = 208 kips
4 − 9
= 0.003  
 4  Total T = (-180) + (-120) = -300 kips
= −0.0038
Total C = 102 + 208 = 310 kips

Since T ≈ C, use c = 4.0 in.

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Mns 1 = Ts 1  − d 1 
h Compare simplified interaction diagram to
2  interaction diagram generated from the
PCA computer program PCACOL.
= (−180 ) − 15.56  / 12
18
2 
= 98.4 ft - kips The comparison is shown on the next page.
As can be seen from the figure, the
comparison between the exact (black line)
Mns 2 = Ts2  − d2 
h
and simplified (red line) interaction
2  diagrams is very good.
= (−120 ) − 9  / 12
18
2 
=0

Mns 3 = C s 3  − d 3 
h
2 
= 102  − 2.44  / 12
18
2 
= 55.8 ft - kips

3
Mn = 0.5C c (h − a) + ∑ Mnsi
i=1
= [ 0.5 × 208 × (18 − 3.4 )] / 12 + 154 .2
= 280 .7 ft - kips

φMn = 0.9 × 280 .7 = 253 ft - kips

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