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Building Structural Design Thomas P. Magner, P.E. 2011 Parametric Technology Corp.
Chapter 4: Reinforced Concrete Columns
4.2 Effective Lengths and Critical Loads
Disclaimer
While Knovel and PTC have made every effort to ensure that the calculations, engineering solutions,
diagrams and other information (collectively Solution) presented in this Mathcad worksheet are
sound from the engineering standpoint and accurately represent the content of the book on which the
Solution is based, Knovel and PTC do not give any warranties or representations, express or implied,
including with respect to fitness, intended purpose, use or merchantability and/or correctness or
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Array origin:

ORIGIN 1
Description
An ordinary or first order frame analysis does not include either the effects of the lateral sideways
deflections of the column ends, or the effects of the deflections of members along their lengths on the
axial loads and moments in a frame. The effects of the deflections of the column ends can be
evaluated directly by performing a second order analysis or by using approximate methods. In frames
where lateral stability is dependent upon the bending stiffness of rigidly connected beams and
columns, the effective length of compression members must be determined (unless a second order
analysis meeting the requirements of ACI 318, Section 10.10 is performed). In addition, for frames that
are braced laterally, effective length factors less than 1 may be used to permit reduction in the
amplified moment, which may be required by Section 10.11.5 of ACI 318. The effective length method
uses k factors to equate the strength of a framed compression element of length L to an equivalent
pin-ended member of length kL subject to axial load only.
This application calculates the effective length factors and critical loads for rectangular columns in
braced or unbraced frames. A single story, all stories, or selected stories may be entered.
Mathcad solve blocks are used to solve the equations for effective length factors. This eliminates the
need to use either the alignment charts or the simplified formulas shown in the ACI 318 Commentary.
The intermediate variables calculated by this application include the moments of inertia of the gross
concrete sections, the relative stiffness of rectangular columns and rectangular or flanged beams, and
the ratios of the sum of the column stiffness to the sum of the beam stiffness at each specified joint.
This document is divided into four steps:
Step 1: The user enters section dimensions, member lengths
and moments of inertia, and relative member stiffnesses are calculated
Step 2: The user identifies the beams and columns at each joint, and stiffness ratios (values) at the
joints are calculated.
Step 3: The user identifies the stiffness ratios at each end of the columns and the effective length
factors are calculated.

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Step 4: The user enters the "creep" factor d and critical loads are calculated.
Note

For entry of more than two floors at a time, the user should
have a basic understanding of matrix notation and Mathcad's
vectorize operator to use this application. The number of
joints that may be entered at one time is limited to 100, the
maximum matrix size Mathcad (version 3.1) provides for
manual entry of elements. For example, if there are five joints
per floor with a unique combination of beam and column
stiffnesses, a 20 story building could be entered.

Reference: ACI 318-89 "Building Code Requirements for Reinforced Concrete." (Revised 1992)
Input

FLOOR PLAN

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Step 1
Input Variables
The user must enter the section dimensions and clear span or clear height for any member which has
a unique combination of section dimensions and clear span or height. In this example frames in the
shorter direction are under consideration.
The column thickness h must be the dimension parallel to the frame under consideration.

Direction Under
Consideration
The columns above and below each story for which effective lengths and critical loads are being
calculated must be entered to calculate the sum of the relative stiffness of all columns at the joint. The
number of column levels to be entered will therefore be one or two more than the number of stories
being calculated unless you are entering all stories of the building. Figure 1 below shows the case
used in this document where the effective lengths and critical loads for levels 1 and 2 are being
calculated, Figure 2 shows a case where the effective lengths and critical loads for level 2 are to be
calculated, and Figure 3 shows the case where all levels of a three story building are to be calculated.
The dashed lines indicate that the member properties are not required.

Figure 1
(K values & Pcr, Levels 1 & 2)

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Figure 2
(K values & Pcr, Level 2)

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Figure 3
(K values & Pcr, Levels 1, 2, & 3)
Enter the size and length of each column with a different combination of size and/or length.
T

Level 1
Level 2
Level 3

Level 1
Level 2
Level 3

Level 1
Level 2
Level 3

Width of columns:

18 24 12 24

bcol 18 24 12 24 in

18 24 12 24

Thickness of columns:

18 12 24 12

hcol 18 12 24 12 in

18 12 24 12

Clear height of columns:

14 14 14 14
Lcol 10 10 10 10 ft

10 10 10 10

Number of columns at
each story with a different
combination of size and
length (for use in Step 4):

6 6 4 4
NoCols
6 6 4 4

Effective width of flanged

or rectangular beams:

60 60 21 21
bf
in
60 60 21 21

Thickness of beams:

hbm 20 in

Flange thickness:

hf 3 in

Level 1
Level 2

Level 1
Level 2

Beam web width of flanged beams, or width of rectangular beams:

T

18 18 12 12
bw
in
18 18 12 12
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Level 1
Level 2

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Clear span of beams:

18.5 18.75 18 18.5

Lbm
ft
18.5 18.75 18 18.5

Level 1
Level 2

All variables are entered either as single values, or as transposed matrices of the same size, with
each column representing a joint and each row a framed level. This requires duplicate entries but
provides maximum flexibility for changing dimensions, and avoids additional manipulation required
when calculating with arrays of different sizes.
Computed Variables for Steps 1, 2, and 3
Icol

moments of inertia of gross concrete section of columns

Ibm

moments of inertia of gross concrete section of beams

Kcol

relative column stiffness, strong or X axis

Kbm

relative stiffness of beams

ks

slenderness factors for unbraced frames

kb

slenderness factors for braced frames

Pc

critical load computed using ACI 318, Eq. (10-9)

Material Properties and Constants

Enter compressive strength and unit weight of concrete for columns and beams.
Specified compressive strength
of concrete for columns:

f'c_col 4 ksi

Specified compressive
strength of concrete for beams:

f'c_bm 4 ksi

Unit weight of column concrete:

wcol 145 pcf

Unit weight of column concrete:

wbm 145 pcf

Modulus of elasticity of
reinforcement (ACI 318, 8.5.2):

Es 29000 ksi

Modulus of elasticity of column concrete for values of wc

between 90 pcf and 155 pcf, (ACI 318, 8.5.1):

wcol 1.5
f'c_col
Ecol
33 psi
psi
pcf

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Ecol = 3644 ksi

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Modulus of elasticity of beam concrete for values of wc

between 90 pcf and 155 pcf, (ACI 318, 8.5.1):

wcol 1.5
Ebm
33
pcf

f'c_bm
psi
psi

Ebm = 3644 ksi

Solution for Step 1

Moments of inertia of gross concrete section of columns:

1
Icol bcol hcol 3
12

Icol

8748 3456 13824 3456

= 8748 3456 13824 3456 in 4

8748 3456 13824 3456

Solution for Moments of Inertia of Beam Sections

Distance from the neutral axis of the gross section to the top of the section:

1
2
2
bw hbm + bf bw hf
2
yt
bw hbm + bf bw hf
7.796 7.796 9.14 9.14
in
yt T =
7.796 7.796 9.14 9.14
Distance from the neutral axis of the gross section to the bottom of the section:

yb hbm yt
12.204 12.204 10.86 10.86
in
yb T =
12.204 12.204 10.86 10.86
Moment of inertia of gross concrete section beams:

22
hbm

hf

1
Ibm bw hbm 3 + bf bw hf 3 + bw hbm
yt + bf bw hf yt
12
2

18837.83 18837.83 9773.73 9773.73 4

in
Ibm T =
18837.83 18837.83 9773.73 9773.73

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Solution for Relative Stiffness, EI/L

Relative stiffness of columns:

Icol
Kcol Ecol
Lcol
189756 74965 299861 74965
Kcol T = 265658 104951 419806 104951 kip in

265658 104951 419806 104951

Relative stiffness of beams:

Ibm
Kbm Ebm 0.5
Lbm
154612 152551 82447 80218
kip in
Kbm T =
154612 152551 82447 80218
Beam stiffness is multiplied by 0.5 to allow for reduced stiffness due to cracking. See the Commentary
of ACI 318, Section R10.11.2.
Step 2
In Step 1 the relative stiffness of columns and beams with unique
combinations of cross section dimensions and member length were determined. In this section the
user must assign the relative column and beam stiffnesses at each joint for calculation of the ratios of
the sum of the column stiffness to the sum of the beam stiffnesses. This is a simple calculation. The
essential point is to ensure that the correct beam and column stiffnesses for each joint are used.
In this example there are 12 columns and 8 beams. The stiffness of a beam at any particular joint is
specified by its matrix row number, which matches the beam number shown on the sketch above, and
its matrix column number which corresponds to the level it supports. A column is specified by its
matrix row number, which corresponds to the joint number, and its matrix column number, which
corresponds to the level it supports.
Example:

Kcol

1,2

This is the relative stiffness of the

column at joint number 1, level 2.

Input Variables for Step 2

= the ratio of Kcol of compression members to Kbm of flexural members in a plane at one end of
a compression member.

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Kcol

1,1

Joint 1, Level 1:

+ Kcol

1,2

1,1
Kbm + Kbm
1,1

Kcol

1,2

Joint 1, Level 2:

Joint 2, Level 1:

= 1.483

+ Kcol

1,3

1,2

2,1

1,1

2,1

1,2
Kbm + Kbm

Kcol

1,2

= 1.73

2,2

+ Kcol

2,2

2,1
Kbm

2,1

= 1.179

2,1

Kcol

2,1

Joint 2, Level 2:

+ Kcol

2,3

2,2
Kbm

2,2

= 1.179

2,2

Kcol

3,1

Joint 3, Level 1:

+ Kcol

3,2

3,1
Kbm + Kbm
3,1

Kcol

3,2

Joint 3, Level 2:

Joint 4, Level 1:

= 4.424

+ Kcol

3,3

3,2

4,1

3,1

4,1

3,2
Kbm + Kbm

Kcol

3,2

= 5.162

4,2

+ Kcol

4,2

4,1
Kbm

4,1

= 2.243

4,1

Kcol

4,2

Joint 4, Level 2:

+ Kcol

4,3

4,2
Kbm

4,2

= 2.617

4,2

Step 3
Now the effective length factors for both unbraced and braced frames are calculated.
Using the joint stiffness ratios calculated in Step 2 the user must assign the stiffness ratio at each end
of each column for which effective length factors are to be determined. The essential point is to assign
the correct joint stiffness to the ends of each column.

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In this example two levels will be calculated. The first level with the lower ends of the columns fixed
against rotation, and the second level with a level of columns above. The letters A and B represent the
two ends of the column, top and bottom. The theoretical value for a fixed end is 0, however for this
example the value at the lower end of the 1st story is assumed equal to 0.2 to allow for small end
rotations which may occur unless the foundation is extremely rigid.
Input joint stiffness values:

A1 1

1 = [[ 1.483 1.179 4.424 2.243 ]]

A
T

B1 [[ 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 ]]

A2 2

2 = [[ 1.73 1.179 5.162 2.617 ]]

A

B2 1

2 = [[ 1.483 1.179 4.424 2.243 ]]

B

Solution for Step 3

Solver

Constraints

Guess Values

Effective length factor for columns in unbraced frames:

(The equation shown within the Mathcad solve block is the equation solved by the Jackson and
Moreland Alignment Chart, Fig. 10.11.2 (b) of ACI 318.)

ks 1
2

A B 36

ks
ks

6 A + B
tan
ks

ks 1

f A , B Find ks

Effective length factors in unbraced frames:

ks f A , B
1.255 1.215 1.511 1.34
ks T =
1.487 1.369 2.187 1.694
Effective length factors for columns in braced frames:
(The equation shown within the Mathcad solve block is the equation solved by the Jackson and
Moreland Alignment Chart, Fig. 10.11.2 (a) of ACI 318.)

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Solver

Constraints

Guess Values

PTC_CE_BSD_4.2_us_mp.mcdx

kb 0.75

2 tan

kb
A B A + B
2 kb

+
+
1

4
2

kb
tan

kb

kb
2

kb > 0.5

kb < 1

f2 A , B Find kb

Effective length factors for columns in braced frames:

kb f2 A , B
0.697 0.686 0.735 0.715
kb T =
0.831 0.795 0.927 0.874
Step 4
Enter the ratio of maximum factored axial dead load to maximum total factored axial load, where the
load is due to gravity effects only in the calculation of Pc in Eq. (10-7) of ACI 318:

d_b 0.735
The d_b factor for gravity loads which produce no appreciable sidesway is the ratio of the factored
dead load to the total factored load on the column under consideration. The d_b factor may calculated
for each column and entered as a matrix, with a value for each column to be evaluated. If the loads are
essentially uniform, as assumed in this example, a single value may be entered. This factor reduces the
column stiffness to allow for the effect of "creep", and consequentially decreases the critical load.
Enter the ratio of the maximum factored sustained lateral load to the maximum total factored lateral
load in that story in the calculation of Pc in Eq. (10-8) of ACI 318:

d_s 0
The d_s factor is 0 for wind or seismic loads. Appreciable sustained lateral load may occur due to an
unsymmetrical frame or unsymmetrical dead loads. When there is appreciable sustained load it may
be necessary to calculate a value of d_s for each column.
Solution for Step 4
Separation of the values of Icol and Lcol for levels 1 and 2 from the matrices containing the values of
Icol and Lcol for levels 1, 2 and 3:

I'col augment Icol1 , Icol2

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8748 3456 13824 3456 4

in
I'col T =
8748 3456 13824 3456

L'col augment Lcol1 , Lcol2

14 14 14 14
ft
L'col T =
10 10 10 10
Flexural stiffness for braced frames computed by Eq. (10-11) of ACI 318:

Ecol I'col
1
EIb
1 + d_b
2.5
7.35 10 6 2.904 10 6 1.161 10 7 2.904 10 6
kip in 2
EIb T =
6
6
7
6
7.35

10
2.904

10
1.161

10
2.904

10

Flexural stiffness for frames subject to loads producing appreciable

sidesway, computed by Eq. (10-11) of ACI 318:

Ecol I'col
1
EIs
1 + d_s
2.5
1.275 10 7 5.038 10 6 2.015 10 7 5.038 10 6
kip in 2
EIs T =
7
6
7
6
1.275

10
5.038

10
2.015

10
5.038

10

Critical column loads for unbraced frames (ACI 318, Eq. (10-9)):

2 EIs
Pc_s
2
ks L'col
2833 1193 3087 981
kip
Pc_s T =
3954 1841 2889 1204
Critical column loads with sidesway inhibited (ACI 318, Eq. (10-9)):

2 EIb
Pc_b
2
kb L'col

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5284 2156 7521 1988

kip
Pc_b T =
7295 3150 9258 2605
Sum of critical loads for all columns with a unique combination of size and length, at each level, with
sidesway permitted:

P'c_s ((NoCols)) Pc_s

16999.2 7158.6 12349.3 3923
kip
P'c_s T =
23726.3 11048.6 11554.9 4815.6
Summation of critical loads at each level, sidesway permitted:

P'c_s1 = 40430 kip

Level 1

P'c_s2 = 51145 kip

Level 2

Summary
Effective
length factors
ks, sidesway
permitted:

1.255 1.215 1.511 1.34

ks T =
1.487 1.369 2.187 1.694

Effective
length factors
kb, sidesway
inhibited:

0.697 0.686 0.735 0.715

kb T =
0.831 0.795 0.927 0.874

Critical column
loads, unbraced
frame:

2833.2 1193.1 3087.3 980.7

kip
Pc_s T =
3954.4 1841.4 2888.7 1203.9

Critical column
loads, braced
frame:

5284.3 2156.3 7521 1987.7

kip
Pc_b T =
7295.3 3149.6 9258 2604.6

Sum of the critical loads for

each level, unbraced frame:

Level 1
Level 2

P'c_s1 = 40430 kip

Level 1

P'c_s2 = 51145 kip

Level 2

Moments of inertia are calculated using the gross concrete section

neglecting reinforcement. If any input is entered as a vector, the vectors
must be "transposed" for horizontal display.

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User Notices

Equations and numeric solutions presented in this Mathcad worksheet are applicable to the
specific example, boundary condition or case presented in the book. Although a reasonable effort
was made to generalize these equations, changing variables such as loads, geometries and
spans, materials and other input parameters beyond the intended range may make some
equations no longer applicable. Modify the equations as appropriate if your parameters fall
outside of the intended range.
For this Mathcad worksheet, the global variable defining the beginning index identifier for vectors
and arrays, ORIGIN, is set as specified in the beginning of the worksheet, to either 1 or 0. If
ORIGIN is set to 1 and you copy any of the formulae from this worksheet into your own, you need
to ensure that your worksheet is using the same ORIGIN.

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