Birendra Kumar Singh,
- , Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India, ,
Abstract
The structural behavior of reinforced concrete columns and foundation base slabs subjected to axial loading and reactive forces was investigated in this study. The analysis focuses on the effect of upward reactive components generated by concrete resistance in columns and soil pressure beneath foundation bases. Since upward reactions are present in both structural elements, the corresponding lateral loads and resulting stresses were evaluated to verify the adequacy of the proposed design. A reinforced concrete column carrying an axial load of 120 tonnes was considered. The column was assumed to have a square cross-section of 500 mm × 500 mm and was designed using M30 grade concrete. Direct compressive stress calculations were performed considering the permissible compressive stress of concrete. The results indicated that the developed compressive stress remained within the allowable limits, confirming the adequacy of the selected column dimensions. The upward reactive component in the column was further considered in the evaluation of lateral loading and associated shear stresses. Similarly, a foundation base subjected to the same load of 120 tonnes was analyzed. The foundation was designed to distribute the structural load over a larger area, considering an allowable soil bearing capacity of 30 t/m². Due to the comparatively lower strength of soil relative to concrete, a larger foundation size was required to ensure safe load transfer. The lateral load was calculated using a coefficient of 0.217, resulting in a lateral force of approximately 26 tonnes. Shear stress evaluations for both the column and foundation slab demonstrated that the induced stresses were within the permissible shear strength limits of M30 concrete. The tensile stresses developed due to bending effects were also examined. The analysis showed that both tensile and shear stress remained below allowable values, indicating that the column and foundation base slab are structurally safe under the combined effects of axial load, lateral load, and upward reactive forces.
Keywords: Reinforced concrete column, foundation base slab, axial load, upward reaction, soil pressure, lateral load, compressive stress, shear stress, tensile stress, M30 concrete, structural safety, Foundation design
[This article belongs to Journal of Construction Engineering, Technology & Management ]
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Journal of Construction Engineering, Technology & Management
| Volume | 16 | |
| Issue | 02 | |
| Received | 15/06/2026 | |
| Accepted | 18/06/2026 | |
| Published | 25/06/2026 | |
| Publication Time | 10 Days |