Equivalence of Columns with a Continuous Foundation Support to Pin-pin Columns

by J ulio C. Banks, PE
Reference
1. Gere and Timoshenko, "Mechanics of Materials", 4th Edition. A MathCAD-based e-book
2. Arthur H. Nilson, David Darwin, Charles W. Dolan, "Design of Concrete Structures".
ISBN 0-07-059854-1.
3. ILYA MIKHELSON, " Structural Engineering Formulas". ISBN 0-07-143911-0
Determine a load-reduction factor such that a column fixed at its bottom support and pinned at is
upper support is made equivalent to a pin-pin column.
Fi gure 1: Fixed-pinned column (Ref. 1)
According to Ref. 2, page 386, "Col umn supported by a cont inuous foundati on mat should be
assumed f ixed at thei r l ower ends". Therefore the maximum moment and deflections away from
the bottom support (Ref. 3, page 53) and corresponding deflections are:
The local x-coordinate is measured from the fixed-support end of the beam
J ulio C. Banks, P.E. Columns Supported by a
Continuous Foundation.xmcd
page 1 of 2
Flexural moment:
M
1
9
128
w L
2
=
at x =0.625 x L
Lateral deflection:

max
wL
2

185 EI
=
at x =0.579 x L
Check the mean location of moment and deflection:
x
avg
0.625 0.579 +
2
|

\
|
|
.
0.602 = :=
Therefore, assume that both the moment and deflections occur at the same location x
avg
0.60
Determine a factor to equivalence the Fixed-pin boundary conditions (BC) to that of pin-pin.
9
128
wL
2

( )

BC
1
8
|

\
|
|
.
wL
2

( )
=

BC
9
128
|

\
|
|
.
8 0.563 = :=
This factor is comparable to decreasing the wind load by a third and increasing the resulting pin-pin
moment by 1.6 as follows:

w
1
3
1.6 0.533 = :=
%

w

BC

BC
5.2 % = :=
Conclusion
The use of
w
0.53 = produces wind load that is 5.2% lower for Pin-pin than if Fixed-pinned connection
with
BC
0.56 = is utilized. However, the strength is reduced by a 0.9 factor which is 10% strength
reduction. Therefore, the use
w
0.53 = of has been analytically substantiated. That is, reducing the
wind load by 1/3 and increasing the moment by 1.6 in the LRDF (Strength Design) for a pi n-pi n beam
is equivalent to having a moment of a fi xed-pi nned beam with the full wind load.
J ulio C. Banks, P.E. Columns Supported by a
Continuous Foundation.xmcd
page 2 of 2