Types Of Column Failure

Column is a long cylindrical member subjected to axial compression. Column carries self-
weight and load coming on it. Generally, load transfers through its longitudinal direction.
Column is categorized based on its height. Every material used in the building experience both
compression and tension stress that’s how we designed the modern buildings. Columns consist
of two major material one is concrete and second one is steel. Architects do calculate the total
stress caused by the live and dead load of the entire building and will design the internal
components (foundation, beam, and columns) of the building. So if the applied stress exceeds
allowable stress (calculated) then structures start to fail.
Types of Column Failure
1- Compression Failure
2- Buckling Failure
3- Shear Failure

1. Compression Failure
When columns are axially loaded, the concrete and steel will experience some stresses.
When the loads are greater in amount compared to the cross-sectional area of the column,
the concrete and steel will reach the yield stress and failure will be starting without any
later deformation. In this type of failure, the material fails itself, not the whole column.
This type of failure mostly occurs in shorter and wider columns. To avoid this, the column
should be made with sufficient cross-sectional area compared to the allowable stress.
2. Buckling Failure
Buckling failure generally occurs in long columns. Because they are very slender and their
least lateral dimension is greater than 12. In such condition, the load carrying capacity of
the column decreases very much. The columns tend to become unstable and start buckling
to side ward even under small loads.That means the concrete and steel reached their yield
stress for even small loads and start failing due to lateral buckling.This type of failures can
be avoided by not constructing long columns of slenderness ratio greater than 30.
3. Shear Failure
In engineering, shear strength is the strength of a material or component against the type
of yield or structural failure where the material or component fails in shear. A shear load
is a force that tends to produce a sliding failure on a material along a plane that is parallel
to the direction of the force.