Identifying Buckling Resistance of Reinforced Concrete Columns during Inelastic Deformation

A simple solution method to identify buckling resistance of reinforced concrete (RC) columns during inelastic deformation is presented. Unlike conventional buckling solution methods, this proposed method predicts inelastic buckling loads of RC columns by directly solving the equilibrium differential equation under buckling. The method considers specific deflection configuration, end restraint conditions and inelastic material properties of the deformed column. In order to evaluate the reliability and accuracy of the proposed method, the results obtained from the purposed method are compared with the test results of eccentrically loaded RC columns. In addition, by using the proposed solution procedure, a parametric study is conducted to investigate the effects of critical RC column design parameters on column buckling behavior and resistance, including slenderness ratio, concrete strength, as well as longitudinal reinforcement and stirrup ratios. The results of the parametric study show that the proposed method is rational and can be adopted to effectively identify buckling resistance of RC columns subjected to inelastic damage, especially when load redistributions have occurred in the structure during progressive collapse.