Abstract
<title>Abstract</title> <p>Reinforced concrete columns rely on transverse reinforcement to provide shear resistance, prevent local buckling of longitudinal reinforcement, and confine the concrete core. Intermediate ties are type of transverse reinforcement used to support non-corner longitudinal bars; however, their structural effectiveness under different tie configurations remains insufficiently investigated. This study numerically investigates the behavior of reinforced concrete columns with various intermediate tie configurations, hoop spacings, and hook anchorage angles subjected to combined constant axial and lateral loading. Finite element modeling was performed using ANSYS Mechanical APDL 2020 R2. The developed model was first validated using experimental results from the literature and then used for a detailed parametric study. The validation model was a cantilever RC column with a 450 mm × 450 mm cross-section and 1800 mm height, while the parametric study considered columns with a 550 mm × 550 mm cross-section. A total of 53 finite element models with identical material properties and dimensions but different tie configurations were analyzed to evaluate their effects on lateral load capacity and ductility. Finite element analysis results showed that different intermediate tie configuration improved lateral load capacity from 4.18% to 6.08% and ductility also from 5.25%–22.76% relative to the reference column due to better lateral restraint against longitudinal bar buckling and core confinement. Increasing hoop spacing from 100 mm to 300 mm reduced lateral load resistance from 7.33% to 4.02% and ductility also from 32.18% to 21.52%. Increasing tie hook angles from 45° to 135° increased maximum lateral load strength from 0.31% to 2.77% but decreased in ductility by 8.28%. These results show that intermediate tie configuration strongly impacts the reinforced concrete column confinement and deformation.</p>