Numerical Simulation for Strength and Stability of RC Tapered Columns

Abstract

This study investigates the strength and stability of Reinforced Concrete (RC) linearly tapered square columns. Evaluating the slenderness ratio of an RC column requires the radius of gyration of its cross-section, which is well-defined for a prismatic column but not for a non-prismatic one. This study primarily investigates the application of the ACI Code formulae to evaluate the slenderness ratio of RC columns with the studied geometry. Validated numerical models, using Abaqus, were employed to perform nonlinear first- and second-order analyses on the investigated columns subjected to eccentric axial loads. The concrete damaged plasticity model was employed to simulate the nonlinear behavior of concrete. The static Riks solver, available in Abaqus, was utilized for nonlinear analyses: first, with an inactivated geometric nonlinearity for a first-order analysis, and second, with an activated geometric nonlinearity to consider the effects of secondary moments (p-δ effects). The findings indicate the reliability of defining the slenderness ratio of an RC linearly tapered column based on the ACI Code formulae, using the average cross-section of the tapered column.