EFFECTIVE STIFFNESS OF REINFORCED

CONCRETE COLUMNS
Elwood, K.J.1, and Eberhard, M.O.2
1University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C.
2University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Synthesis:
The presumed toughness of the building’s structural members greatly influences the
calculated reaction of the structure to ground quaking. Considering the linear analysis, the member’s
toughness dictates the estimates of the period of the structure, the dispersal of loads in the structure,
and the distortion stresses. On the other hand, in the consideration of nonlinear analysis, a precise
approximation of the member’s toughness is obligatory to consistently evaluate the yield
displacement, and in effect, influences the projected displacement ductility stresses. Applied and
precise measures are desirable in the approximation of the effective toughness up to yielding of
each structural constituent. This research associates the measured effective toughness of reinforced
concrete columns from the PEER Structural Performance Database with considered toughness in
accordance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency 356 seismic rehabilitation guidelines.
Moreover, the FEMA 356 procedure considerably miscalculates the toughness of columns with
truncated axial loads, in which there can be substantial bar slip in the beam-column joints or footings.
 RESEARCH ON CONCRETE COLUMNS
REINFORCED WITH NEW DEVELOPED HIGH-
STRENGTH STEEL UNDER ECCENTRIC LOADING
Yonghui Hou1,2, Shuangyin Cao1,2, Xiangyong Ni1,2, and Yizhu Li1,2
1 Key Laboratory of Concrete and Prestressed Concrete Structures of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China
2 School of Civil Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, China

Synthesis:
This research intended to examine the unconventional compressive behavior of RC columns
through new industrialized high-strength steel. The sloping strengthening quantity and yield strength,
unconventionality, and longitudinal bar yield strength were the trial variables. All in all, ten concrete
columns were tried under unconventional loading.
First, conferring to the investigational and diagnostic results, some conclusions were attained.
Intended for low-unconventionally encumbered concrete columns strengthened with high-strength
steel, the failure was in the middle section with concrete destructing on the compression side, thus,
compression failure happen. Meanwhile, for large-unconventionally loaded concrete columns with
high-strength steel, the tensile cracks protracted through the whole cross-section of the columns with
numerous major cracks in the tensile regions and concrete destructed on the compression side, which
makes it a typical tensile failure mode.
Next, upsizing the quantity of sloping reinforcements enhanced the deformability and
ductility of the columns with high-strength steel. Furthermore, the internment effect of sloping
reinforcements was more effective in columns exposed to small unconventionality than columns
exposed to large unconventionality.
Third, the comparable level of deformability and ductility could be attained with a lesser
quantity of sloping reinforcement when high-strength sloping reinforcements were utilized in columns
exposed to small unconventionality. Nevertheless, upsizing the sloping reinforcement yield strength
was unsuccessful in enhancing the post-peak deformability and ductility of the columns exposed to
large unconventionality due to the insufficient internment of the high-strength sloping reinforcement.
Consequently, high-strength longitudinal reinforcements enhanced the bearing capacity and
post-peak deformability of columns under unconventional loading, nonetheless the advantages of
utilizing high-strength longitudinal reinforcements for enhancing ductility can only be attained in
columns exposed to large unconventionality.
To sum it up, the corresponding rectangular stress block restrictions specified in the GB
50010-2010 Code miscalculate the bearing capacity of columns with high-strength steel, although
the bearing capacities calculated by means of the ACI 318-14 and CSA A23.3-04 Codes coincide
more with the trial results.
REFERENCES:
Eberhard, M., & Elwood, K. (2009). Effective Stiffness of Reinforced Concrete Columns. Structural
Journal, 106(4), 476-484.
Hou, Y., Cao, S., Ni, X., & Li, Y. (2019). Research on Concrete Columns Reinforced with New Developed
High-Strength Steel under Eccentric Loading. Materials, 12(13),
2139. doi:10.3390/ma12132139