EQ TIP NO.

22
Short column effect

Contact Prepared by
Ketan.abhani@yahoo.com KETAN ABHANI
BE-Civil Engineer
WHAT IS A COLUMN?
 A structural member in vertical direction
subjected to axial compressive force is called
column.

 It carry heavy compressive force (axial force)

 Two types of column:-

 1)
Long column
 2) Short column
 Difference between long and
short column
Long column short column
 When length of column is  When length of column is
more as compared to its cross- less as compared to its cross-
sectional dimension it is called sectional dimension it is
long columns. called short columns.
𝒍𝒆

𝒍𝒆
≥ 15  < 15
𝒅 𝒅
𝒍𝒆
 λ =
𝒍𝒆
≥ 50  λ = < 50
𝒌𝒎𝒊𝒏 𝒌𝒎𝒊𝒏
 le = effective length of
column
 le = effective length of column
 d = least lateral dimension
 d = least lateral dimension of
of column
column
 𝑘𝑚𝑖𝑛 =mini. Radius of
 𝑘𝑚𝑖𝑛=mini. Radius of gyration
gyration
 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧 𝒍𝒆
 Slenderness ratio = =λ =
𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐦 𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐮𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝒌𝒎𝒊𝒏

I
Where, 𝑘𝑚𝑖𝑛 =
A
𝑘𝑚𝑖𝑛= radius of gyration
I = moment of inertia
A= c/s area
le= effective length of column
TYPES OF COLUMN FAILURE
 A) Axial failure

 B) Shear failure
CRUSHING LOAD :-
 In case of short column , with increase in axial
compressive load , compressive stress increases.

 After some load , column fails by crushing.

 This load at which , short column fails by crushing is

called crushing load.
Buckling/ Crippling/ critical load
 In case of Long column , with increase in axial
compressive load , compressive stresses increases, after
some load column starts buckling (bending) and bending
stresses also produce & column fails by buckling.

 The load at which , long column starts buckling is called

buckling load.
WHAT IS SHORT COLUMN?
During earthquake , buildings that have columns of
different heights within one storey , suffers more
damage in shorter column compared to taller one

Short columns suffer more damage

compare to long column

Mezzanine or Loft floor

is an Intermediate floor
b/w two regular floors.

Buildings on a
Sloping ground
BEHAVIOUR OF SHORT COLUMN
 STIFFNESS = Force required to produce
deformation
 Higher the stiffness, larger the force required
 So short columns are designed to bear large
forces during an earthquake.
 This behaviour is called
“ SHORT COLUMN EFFECT ”
CAPTIVE COLUMN EFFECT
 Masonry infill walls increase the initial stiffness of
reinforced concrete frame & attract more seismic shear
forces thereby damage the column seriously due to
extreme shear forces. It is termed as captive column
effect.
 To overcome this failure, shear force should flow
smoothly through strut action.
STRUT STEEL
ACTION BRACING
RIGID FLOOR DIAPHRAGM ACTION
 When building is rested on sloped ground ,
during earthquake shaking all column move
horizontally by same amount ∆ along with slab

 If both short & tall column exist within same

storey level , then SHORT COLUMN attracts
larger earthquake force & suffer more damage
as compares to taller one.
 Masonry or RC wall of partial height built to fit a window over
the remaining height , column behaves a
Short column

 When slab moves during an earthquake ,upper ends of column

undergo the same displacement

 Stiff wall resist these

horizontal movement of
lower portion of
short column

 So short column attracts a

larger force and sustain
more damage.
 Regular columns deform over the
full height.
 Effective height on which small
column bend is small , so it offers
more resistance to horizontal
motion.
 It attracts a larger force compare
to regular column.
 Figure shows X-cracking in a
column adjacent to the wall of
partial height.
 These damage in the form of X-
shaped cracking is due to
“ SHEAR FAILURE “
SHEAR FAILURE
 SOLUTION
 SHORT COLUMN EFFECT can be avoided during
architectural design stage itself .
 Seismic inertia forces generated at floor levels
are transferred through beams & columns.
 Failure of column can affect the stability of the
whole building.
 Failure of beam cause
localized effect.

So adequate ductility is
Provided where damage
Is expected.
FOR NEW BUILDINGS
 As per IS code for ductile
detailing Code (IS : 13920-1993)
RC structures requires
special confining
reinforcement provided
over full height of short
column.

 CLOSELY SPACED TIES

must extent vertically
above and below by a
certain distance as shown
in figure.
FOR EXISTING BUILDINGS
 Different retrofit solutions can be employed to avoid
damage in future earthquake.

 Where walls of partial height are present , simplest

solution is used to close the openings by building a wall
of full height.

 Short columns need to be strengthened using one of the

wall established retrofit techniques/column jacketing
/steel bracing.
COLUMN JACKETING
STEEL BRACING
Any Questions
??

REFERENCES

www.nicee.org or www.bmtpc.org

www.vkingpub.com

Is 13920(1993) IS code for Ductile Detailing

Paper no. E015

(Indian society of earthquake technology
IIT Roorkee)