CE 307

Design of Structures-I
Discipline of Civil Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Indore
Code Requirements on Reinforcement
and Detailing
Longitudinal Reinforcement:
• The longitudinal reinforcing bars carry the compressive loads along with the concrete.
• Clause 26.5.3.1 stipulates the guidelines regarding the minimum and maximum
amount, number of bars, minimum diameter of bars, spacing of bars etc.
• The following are the important points:
(a) The minimum amount of steel should be at least 0.8 per cent of the gross cross-
sectional area of the column required if for any reason the provided area is more
than the required area.
(b) The maximum amount of steel should be 4 per cent of the gross cross-sectional
area of the column so that it does not exceed 6 per cent when bars from column
below have to be lapped with those in the column under consideration.

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(c) Four and six are the minimum number of longitudinal bars in rectangular and
circular columns, respectively.
(d) The diameter of the longitudinal bars should be at least 12 mm.
(e) Columns having helical reinforcement shall have at least six longitudinal bars
within and in contact with the helical reinforcement.
(f) In a helically reinforced column, the longitudinal bars shall be in contact with the
helical reinforcement and equidistant around its inner circumference.
(g) The bars shall be spaced not exceeding 300 mm along the periphery of the
column.
(h) The amount of reinforcement for pedestal shall be at least 0.15 per cent of the
cross-sectional area provided.

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Cover to reinforcement:
• A minimum clear cover of 40 mm or bar diameter (whichever is greater) to the
column ties is recommended by the IS Code 456 (Cl.26.4.2.1) for columns.
• A reduced clear cover of 25 mm is permitted in case of columns of minimum
dimension 200 mm and whose reinforcing bars do not exceed 12 mm.

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Transverse reinforcement (Cl.
26.5.3.2)
• Transverse reinforcing bars are provided in forms of circular rings, polygonal links
(lateral ties) with internal angles not exceeding 135o or helical reinforcement.
• The transverse reinforcing bars are provided to ensure that every longitudinal bar
nearest to the compression face has effective lateral support against buckling.
• Clause 26.5.3.2 stipulates the guidelines of the arrangement of transverse
reinforcement.
• The salient points are:
(a) Transverse reinforcement shall only go round corner and alternate bars if the
longitudinal bars are not spaced more than 75 mm on either side. (fig.8 on IS
Code 456)
(b) Longitudinal bars spaced at a maximum distance of 48 times the diameter of
the tie shall be tied by single tie and additional open ties for in between
longitudinal bars. (fig.9 on IS Code 456)
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(c) For longitudinal bars placed in more than one row (Fig.10 of IS Code 456):
(i) transverse reinforcement is provided for the outer-most row in accordance
with (a) above, and
(ii) no bar of the inner row is closer to the nearest compression face than three
times the diameter of the largest bar in the inner row.
(d) For longitudinal bars arranged in a group such that they are not in contact and
each group is adequately tied as per (a), (b) or (c) above, as appropriate, the
transverse reinforcement for the compression member as a whole may be provided
assuming that each group is a single longitudinal bar for determining the pitch and
diameter of the transverse reinforcement as given in (Cl.26.5.3.2 (c)) .
• The diameter of such transverse reinforcement should not, however, exceed 20
mm (Fig.11 of IS Code 456).

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Pitch and Diameter of Lateral Ties
(Cl.26.5.3.2(c))
• Pitch: The maximum pitch of transverse reinforcement shall be the least of the
following:
(i) the least lateral dimension of the compression members;
(ii) sixteen times the smallest diameter of the longitudinal reinforcement bar to be
tied; and
(iii) 300 mm.
• Diameter: The diameter of the polygonal links or lateral ties shall be not less than
one-fourth of the diameter of the largest longitudinal bar, and in no case less
than 6 mm.

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Helical Reinforcement (Cl.26.5.3.2
(d))
• Pitch: Helical reinforcement shall be of regular formation with the turns of the
helix spaced evenly and its ends shall be anchored properly by providing one and
a half extra turns of the spiral bar.
The pitch of helical reinforcement shall be determined as given in sec.10.21.9 for all
cases except where an increased load on the column is allowed for on the strength
of the helical reinforcement.
In such cases only, the maximum pitch shall be the lesser of 75 mm and one-sixth
of the core diameter of the column, and the minimum pitch shall be the lesser of
25 mm and three times the diameter of the steel bar forming the helix.
• Diameter: The diameter of the helical reinforcement shall be as mentioned in Cl.
26.5.3.2 (c)

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Design of short columns under axial
compression
• Factored concentric load applied on short tied columns is resisted by concrete of area
Ac and longitudinal steel of areas Asc effectively held by lateral ties at intervals.

Pu = 0.4fck Ac + 0.67fy Asc (Clause 39.3)

where Pu = factored axial load on the member,

• fck = characteristic compressive strength of the concrete,
• Ac= area of concrete,
• fy= characteristic strength of the compression reinforcement, and
• Asc = area of longitudinal reinforcement for columns.

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Short Axially Loaded Columns with
Helical Ties
• Columns with helical reinforcement take more load than that of tied columns due to
additional strength of spirals in contributing to the strength of columns.
• Accordingly, cl. 39.4 of IS 456 recommends a multiplying factor of 1.05 regarding the
strength of such columns.
• The IS Code 456 further recommends that the ratio of volume of helical
reinforcement to the volume of core shall not be less than 0.36 (Ag/Ac – 1) (fck/fy), in
order to apply the additional strength factor of 1.05 (cl. 39.4.1).
• Accordingly, the governing equation of the spiral columns may be written as
Pu = 1.05(0.4 fck Ac + 0.67 fy Asc)

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where Pu = factored axial load on the
member,
• fck = characteristic compressive strength
of the concrete,
• Ac= area of concrete,
• fy= characteristic strength of the
compression reinforcement, and
• Asc = area of longitudinal reinforcement
for columns.

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Design Problem
Q1) Design a RC column of size 450 mm × 600 mm subject to an axial load of 2000 kN
under service dead and live loads. Unsupported length of column is 3 m, use M20
concrete and Fe 415 steel. Assume leff = l.
Solution: Step-1: Check whether long or short column = (Clause 25.1.2)

So column is short.
Step-2: Check emin along 450 mm
emin is greater of (Clause 25.4)
(i)
(ii) 20 mm
So, emin = 21 mm

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• emin must be less than 0.05 × 450 = 22.5 mm (Clause 39.3)
• emin calculated in step-2 < 22.5 mm (O.K)
Step-3: Check emin along 600 mm
emin is greater of (Clause 25.4)
(i)
(ii) 20 mm
So, emin = 26 mm
• emin must be less than 0.05 × 600 = 30 mm (Clause 39.3)
• emin calculated in step-3 < 30 mm (O.K)
Step-4: So, now we can use
Pu = 0.4fck Ac + 0.67fy Asc

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• Provide 4 nos. 25 mm dia at corner

and additional 4 nos. 20 dia bars =

Asc = 3220 mm2 > 3110.5 mm2

p’ = (Clause 26.5.3.1 )

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• Lateral ties is greater of (Cl. 26.5.3.2)
(i) 25/4 = 6.25 mm
(ii) 6 mm
So, use 8 mm dia bar for lateral ties.
Spacing is minimum of
(iii) 450 mm
(iv) 16 ×20 = 320 mm
(v) 300 mm
(vi) Hence use 8 mm dia bars @300 mm c/c.

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Q2) Design the reinforcement in a spiral column of 400 mm diameter subjected to
a factored load of 1500 kN. The column has an unsupported length of 3.4 m and is
braced against sideway. Use M25 concrete and Fe 415 steel. Assume leff = l.
Solution: Step-1: Check whether long or short column = (Clause 25.1.2)
So, column is short.
Step-2: Minimum eccentricity
emin is greater of (Clause 25.4)
(i)
(ii) 20 mm
So, emin = 20.1 mm

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• emin must be less than 0.05 × 400 = 20 mm (Clause 39.3)
• emin calculated in step-2 < 20 mm (O.K)
Step-3: Factored load
Pu = 1500 kN (given) = 1.05(0.4 fck Ac + 0.67 fy Asc) (cl. 39.4)

Step-4: Design of longitudinal reinforcement:

Asc)min = 0.8% of Ag =
Provide 6 numbers of bars of 16 mm dia = Asc =

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Step-5: Design of spiral reinforcement:
• Assuming a clear cover of 40 mm over spirals,
Core diameter = Dc = Dg – (2× clear cover to tie) = 400 – (40 × 2) = 320 mm
• Assuming a bar diameter of 6 mm and pitch st
• (clause 39.4.1)

where fck = characteristic compressive strength of the concrete,

• Ag= gross cross sectional area
• fy= characteristic strength of steel
• Ac = core area
• Vh = Volume of helical reinforcement in unit length (1 m)
• Vc = volume of core for unit length of column
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• Gross dia = Total diameter of column
Gross area = Ag =
• Core volume Vc for unit length of column
Vc = 1000 × Ac
Ac =
Vh =

p = pitch of helix
= Diameter of helical reinforcement
Dh = diameter of helix = Dc -
Dc = Core diameter

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• As per the code requirement (clause 39.4.1)

• =

• Code restrictions on pitch (Cl. 26.5.3.2 (d))

• st lesser of two
(i) 75 mm
(ii) Core diameter/6 = 53.3 mm

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st greater of two
(i) 55 mm
(ii) = 18 mm
Provide 6 mm diameter spiral @ 28 mm c/c pitch
The detailing of reinforcement is given in Figure below.

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REFERENCES:

• S Unnikrishna Pillai, Devdas Menon , “Reinforced Concrete Design”.

• B.C. Punmia, Ashok Kumar Jain & Arun Kumar Jain, , “RCC Designs”, 8th
edition.
• NPTEL Class notes

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