Question about Beams and Columns?

Question

Can someone explain this math problem to me:

A concrete column has a colume of 565 m3, and a height of 20 m. What is the maximum weight (expressed in newtons) that the column can tolerate before fracturing?......If someone know this answer, can you explain how you got it...Thanks

Answer 1

Compressibility strength of concrete is how much pressure it can take before it collapses.This is what the first source said about compressibility strength.

"In the early 1970s, experts predicted that the practical limit of ready-mixed concrete would be unlikely to exceed a compressive strength greater than 11,000 psi (76 MPa). Over the past two decades, the development of high-strength concrete has enabled builders to easily meet and surpass this estimate. Two buildings in Seattle, Washington, contain concrete with a compressive strength of 19,000 psi (131 MPa). "

Now we need the pressure on the bottom of the column. Pressure is the weight divided by the cross sectional area. The cross sectional area is found by the following calculations;

cross sectional area= volume/height=565/20= 28.5 m^2

I am going to assume it is the modern concrete with the compressibility strength of 131 mpa.

A pa is 1 n/m^2

Divide the compressible strength by the cross sectional area and you will have the maximum wt.

131 mpa/28.5m^2= 4.63 mega newtons (or mN)