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PROKON General Column

The General Column Design module can design columns of any shape, unlike the Rectangular and Circular Column Design modules which are limited to regular shapes. However, for simple rectangular and circular columns, the other two modules are preferable because they follow code design procedures exactly and provide calcsheets that make the design easy to audit. The General Column Design module is best used for irregularly shaped columns or when detailed bending schedules are needed.

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451 views

PROKON General Column

The General Column Design module can design columns of any shape, unlike the Rectangular and Circular Column Design modules which are limited to regular shapes. However, for simple rectangular and circular columns, the other two modules are preferable because they follow code design procedures exactly and provide calcsheets that make the design easy to audit. The General Column Design module is best used for irregularly shaped columns or when detailed bending schedules are needed.

Uploaded by

susan87
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Portal > Knowledgebase > Concrete Design > C13:General column design > Using the
General Column Design Module

Using the General Column Design Module


Stephen Pienaar - 2015-04-01 - 0 Comments - in C13:General column design

What is the difference between General Column Design and the other concrete column
design modules. Which module should I be using?

PROKON Structural Analysis features three different concrete column design modules:
Rectangular, Circular and General Column Design. There is some overlap in their
design scope, but the General Column Design module stands out (as its name implies) for
its ability to design columns of any general shape. However, its ability to design complex
geometries does not necessarily make it the best tool for all situations.

The code approach to column design


The design codes address the complex topic of axial force and bi-axial bending moment
interaction by breaking it down to a simplified design procedure. Not going into the exact
detail of each code, the procedure for designing a concrete column is as follows:

1. Determine if the column is slender (length exceeds some predefined slenderness


limit for the given end fixities). If slender, increase the design bending moment
about one or both main axes by adding an additional (slenderness) moment.
2. Quantify the effect of biaxial bending using some interaction formula, or by
determining a design axis and calculating an effective design moment about that
axis.
3. Determine the amount of reinforcement required to resist the design axial force and
bending moment. Verify that the amount of reinforcement falls within the allowed
minimum and maximum reinforcement levels.

This approach is suitable for designing columns with regular shapes, i.e. rectangular and
circular. It also lends itself to simplifying the design procedure even further to a point
where one can compile a set of design charts, and then read off reinforcement values for
different column sizes and design loads.

PROKON’s approach to column design


The Rectangular and Circular Column Design modules use the simplified design procedure
presented in the codes. It works well for rectangular column sections with relatively small
aspect ratios (less than 1:4) and circular columns (designed as square columns of
equivalent size). However, one cannot use this procedure for designing irregular-shaped
columns, e.g. L-shaped columns and columns with rainwater pipes. The General Column
Design module bridges this constraint.
Designing columns of general shape

General Column Design works around the


limitations of the simplified column design procedure in the codes by reverting to first
principles:

1. Using the code provisions, check if the column is slender. If slender, consider
the section geometry to determine the orientation of the weakest axis. (This is the
axis about which the column would buckle under high axial load.)
2. Calculate the additional (slenderness) moment about the weakest axis, and
vectorially add this to the initial design moments to obtain the final design moment.
3. Analyse the column section (with reinforcement as entered) using stress-strain
compatibility. Verify that the amount of reinforcement is within the code limits.

The program analyses the column section by performing an iterative analysis. The neutral
axis is orientated at an angle perpendicular to the design moment direction, and positioned
such that the internal concrete and reinforcement stresses are in equilibrium with the
design axial force and bending moment.

Starting with version 2.6.13, the program is also capable of considering orientations of the
neutral axis that are not perpendicular to the design moment direction. With this option
selected, the program finds the neutral axis orientation that give equilibrium in the direction
perpindiculat to the design direction as well. In some cases this option will yield a slightly
lower safety factor, i.e. a more concervative design

The program performs the analysis at three column positions (top, middle and bottom) for
each of the design load cases. The relevant code stress-strain relationship, e.g. rectangular
stress bock, is used for concrete in compression; concrete in tension is ignored. Dependent
on their location in the section and the design forces, reinforcement bars may work in
compression or tension.

Interpreting the design results


The General Column Design module
calculates a safety factor for the entered design loads, and graphically presents it as a dot
on a column design curve (axial force and moment capacities for the given geometry and
reinforcement bars).

A safety factor of 1.0 or slightly larger suggests an optimal design. With a safety factor
lower than 1.0, you must increase the size of the reinforcement bars or add more bars.
Likewise, you may want to reduce the amount of reinforcement when the safety factor is
much higher than 1.0.

To estimate the required reinforcement, you can divide the current amount or
reinforcement (bars as entered) by the safety factor:

Aest = As / SF

Note: The estimate assumes that the column capacity is directly proportional to the
reinforcement area; this is not accurate when the safety factor deviates from unity by a
wide margin.

Comparing design results


The different design approach of the General Column Design module (compared to
Rectangular and Circular Column Design) may yield different design results for similar
column input. The difference can be significant in some cases. This is true especially for
slender columns, and mainly due to the following factors:

The General Column Design module calculates the additional moment about the
weakest axis only. Using the code method, additional moments are added to one or
both main axes.
The General Column Design module uses a rational approach to determine the
concrete and reinforcement stress distribution throughout the column section. In
comparison, the design procedure in some codes simplifies the situation by using an
inflated effective design moment about one of the main axes.

Recommendation use of the column design modules


You can use the General Column Design module to design any shape column, including
simple rectangular and circular columns. However, for such simple cases, it may be better
to use the Rectangular and Circular Column Design modules instead for the following
reasons:
The Rectangular and Circular Column Design modules follow the exact design
procedures set out by the various codes. The Calcsheets set out every step of the
design, making auditing of your design calculations quite easy.
When using the General Column Design module you need to enter the reinforcement
during the input phase already. (The program requires knowledge of the size and
position of each bar for the section analysis.) You may also need more than one
attempt at designing the column before you feel satisfied with the results, potentially
making it a time-intensive exercise. This is not the case for the other two modules
where you enter the concrete geometry without reinforcement, and arrive at the
required reinforcement immediately after analysis.
You can use General Column Design to create bending schedules for columns with
irregular shapes. However, when detailing rectangular and circular columns, several
more steps are needed to place rebar in the section compared to when using the
Rectangular and Circular Column Design modules. In the interest of productivity and
easy auditing, it is usually best to use the Rectangular Column Design and Circular
Column Design modules for “normal” columns, and reserve General Column Design
for the special situations.

The information contained in this article was compiled using version 2.4 of General Column
Design, and updated to reflect changes made in version 2.6.13. Information may vary with
other versions of the program.

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