ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT This paper presents an investigation on assessing the safety levels as well as main influencing factors in reinforced concrete (RC) columns designed according to the current Chinese design code of concrete structures. For analyzing the nonlinear properties of RC columns subjected to both compression and bending, the fiber element model is used for generating the moment-curvature (M-φ) curves. The M-φ curves are then used to generate the load-deflection curves of these columns. The ultimate moment-axial force (M — N) relation curves are furthermore sought to generate failure surfaces under sequential and proportional load paths. To investigate the statistical properties of M-N relation, six hundred columns are analyzed by using the Monte Carlo method. The iso-reliability contours of RC columns with different load ratio and eccentric distance are generated using the Monte Carlo method. Finally, the effects of concrete strength, reinforcement ratio and stirrup ratio on the M-N relation are examined.
