Title: Nonslender Column Limits for Braced and Unbraced Reinforced Concrete Members

Author(s): Jostein Hellesland

Publication: Structural Journal

Volume: 102

Issue: 1

Appears on pages(s): 12-21

Keywords: columns; compression member; reinforced concrete

DOI: 10.14359/13526

Date: 1/1/2005

Abstract:
Slenderness limits of compression members, at which second-order effects are negligible, are studied. Existing limits are reviewed, and extensive nonlinear analysis results for unbraced (sway) and braced (nonsway) members are presented. New, reliable limits are proposed for unbraced, transversely loaded braced and end-moment loaded braced members. They are defined in terms of a rational slenderness parameter labeled as normalized slenderness that is a function of geometrical slenderness, axial force, and reinforcement. The limits may be used with confidence for a wide range of parameters. They are not unnecessarily conservative, and it is believed that they will allow slenderness effects to be ignored in many more cases than allowed by existing lower limit formulations.