Tubang, Ma.

Patricia

1. A structural member subjected principally to compressive stresses. Concrete columns may be

unreinforced, or they may be reinforced with longitudinal bars and ties (tied columns) or with longitudinal
bars and spiral steel (spiral-reinforced columns). Sometimes the columns may be a composite of structural
steel of cast iron and concrete. Unreinforced concrete columns are seldom used because of transverse
tensile stresses and the possibility of longitudinal tensile stresses being induced by buckling or
unanticipated bending. Because concrete is weak in tension, such stresses are generally avoided. When
plain concrete columns are used, they usually are limited in height to five or six times the least thickness.
Under axial loading, the load divided by the cross-sectional area of the concrete should not exceed the
allowable unit compressive stress for the concrete.
ACI 318 Code Requirements of Tied Columns:
 Longitudinal bars must have a clear distance between bars of at least 1.5 times the bar diameter,
but not less than 1.5 in (3.81 cm).
 Ties must be at least no. 3 if the longitudinal reinforcement consists of no. 10 in size or smaller.
For bars larger than no. 10, or when bundles are used in the longitudinal reinforcement, the
minimum tie size is no. 4. (Note: the maximum practical tie size is usually no. 5.)
 The concrete cover must be at least 1.5 in (3.81 cm) over the outermost surface of the tie steel.
 At least four longitudinal bars are needed for columns with square or circular ties.
 The ratio of longitudinal steel area to the gross column area, (reinforcement ratio, pg), must be
between 0.01 and 0.08. [0.01 <= pg <=0.08]
 Center-to-center spacing of ties must not exceed the smallest of 16 longitudinal bar diameters, 48
diameters of the ties, or the smaller exterior column dimension.
 Every corner and alternating longitudinal bar must be supported by a tie corner. The included
angle of the tie cannot be more than 135 deg. (Note: this is not applicable to round tied columns)
 No longitudinal bar can be more than 6 in (15.24 cm) away from a bar that is properly restrained by
a corner.
ACI Code Requirements For Spiral Columns:
 Longitudinal bars must have a clear distance between bars of at least 1.5 times the bar diameter
but not less than 1.5 in (3.81 cm).
 The minimum spiral wire diameter is 3/8 in (0.953 cm). (Note: the maximum practical size is 5/8 in
(1.59 cm) diameter.)
 The clear distance between sprials cannot exceed 3 in nor be less than 1 in.
 The concrete cover should be at least 1.5 in (3.81 cm) from the outermost surface of the spiral
steel.
 At least six longitudinal bars are to be used for spiral columns.
 The ratio of the longitudinal steel area to the gross column area, (reinforcement ratio, pg), must be
between 0.01 and 0.08. [0.01 <= pg <= 0.08].
 The ratio of volume of spiral reinforcement to the volume of the column core, (spiral reinforcement
ratio,ps) must be: ps = 0.45(Ag/Ac-1)(f'c/fy).
 The spiral pitch, s to satisfy the spiral reinforcement ratio must be: s = (4Asp/psDc). Where Asp is
area of spiral wire and Dc is diameter of core.
Common spiral wire sizes to use:
 For column diameter up to 15 in (38.1 cm), using no 10 longitudinal bars or smaller, spiral wire
size = 3/8 in (0.953 cm).
 For column diameter up to 15 in (38.1 cm), using longitudinal bars larger than no 10, spiral wire
size = 1/2 in (1.27 cm).
 For column diameter of 16 in (40.64 cm) to 22 in (55.88 cm), spiral wire size = 1/2 in (1.27 cm).
 For column diameter of 23 in (58.42 cm) and larger, spiral wire size = 5/8 in (1.59 cm).
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