Comparison of compression member design between Chinese and American reinforcement concrete design codes

Comparison of design methods for limit state is presented between Chinese and American reinforcement concrete design codes. Representative values of material strength which defined by two design codes are transformed using the method of the average equaled to. For medium and low strength concrete, deviation between the two is small while for high strength concrete, the values defined by American Code are obviously higher because of not considering the brittleness reduction factor. Taking compression member for example, comparison of design values of member resistance are presented under different stressed state, the differences of section reinforcement result from the differences of member resistance are carried out a further comparison under different ratio of axial compression stress to strength. Results show that: the resistance of Chinese Code is higher than that of American Code under axial compression state and eccentric loaded state with compression failure; in the region around the strain of tension reinforcement equaled to 0.005 under nominal strength, the condition is reverse; in the other region, the two resistances are close to each other. Comprehensive consideration of load effect and member resistance, safety reserve of American Code is obviously higher than Chinese Code.