通常设计者可以利用已经发表的相关图或利用计算机程序来计算用于设计的相关图。有时候这不太正确，例如在设计空心桥墩、电梯井或特殊形状的构件时。在多数情况下，一系列的直线加上相应于下列五种应变分布的力和弯矩值可足以表示出相关图：
1.    A uniform compressive strain of 0.003.
2.    A strain diagram corresponding to incipient（初始的） cracking, passing through（经过）a compressive strain of 0.003 on one face and zero strain on the other.
3.    The balanced strain distribution having a compressive strain of 0.003 on one face and a tensile strain of -ey(ey = yield strain) in the reinforcement next to the other face.

1.   一个为0.003的平均压应变；
2.   相应于初始开裂的应变图，在一个端面上的压应变为0.003，而在另一个端面上为零应变；
3.   一个平衡的应变分布，在一个端面上的压应变为0.003，而在靠近另一个端面的钢筋中的拉应变为-ey（ ey等于屈服应变）；
4.    A tension failure case with 0.003 compressive strain on one face and -3ey in the reinforcement on the other face.
5.    A uniform tensile strain of -ey in the steel with the concrete cracked.

4.    一个受拉失效的情况，即一个端面上的压应变为0.003，另一个端面的钢筋中的拉应变为-3ey；
5.    钢筋中一个平均的拉应变为-ey ，而混凝土开裂。
           It is difficult to calculate the pure moment（纯弯矩）case directly. If this value is required for a symmetrical section, it can be estimated as the larger of  (1) the flexural capacity（抗弯能力）ignoring the reinforcement in the compressive zone, or (2) the moment computed ignoring the concrete and assuming a strain of 5ey in the reinforcement adjacent to each face.

            很难直接计算纯弯矩的情况。如果一个对称的截面需要该值，可以估计为（下列两个值中的）较大者：（1）忽略了受压区钢筋的抗弯能力；（2）忽略了混凝土、并假定临近每一个端面的钢筋中的应变为5ey时计算的弯矩。
Design of Short Columns
短柱的设计
        
If the cross section is known and it is necessary to compute the capacity, an analysis is carried out. On the other hand, if the loads and moments are known and it is necessary to select a cross section to resist them, the procedure is referred to as design or proportioning（确定尺寸）. A design problem is solved by guessing（假定）a section, analyzing whether it will be satisfactory, revising（修正）the section, and reanalyzing it. In each case the analysis portion of the problem is most easily carried out using interaction diagrams.
            如果已知横截面，且必须计算其能力，则可进行分析。另一方面，如果已知荷载和弯矩，且必须选择一个横截面来抵抗它们，这个过程称为设计或确定尺寸。设计问题是通过假定一个截面，分析它是否满足要求，修正该截面，然后再重新分析它来解决的。在每个情况下，问题的分析部分采用相关图是最容易进行的。
              ACI Code requires a clear（净）concrete cover（保护层）of not less than 1.5 in. to the ties or spirals in columns. More cover may be required for fire protection（防火）in some cases. The concrete for a column is placed in the core inside the bars and must be able to flow out（流动）between the bars and the form. To facilitate（促进）this, the ACI code requires that the minimum clear distance between longitudinal bars shall not be less than the larger of 1.5 times the longitudinal bar diameter, 1.5 in. or 1.333 times the size of the coarse aggregate（粗骨料）. These clear distance limitation also apply to the clear distance between lap spliced（搭接）bars and adjacent bars or lap splices. Because the maximum number of bars occurs at the splices（拼接）, the spacing of bars at this location generally governs.
            ACI规范要求混凝土的保护层至柱子中的普通箍筋或螺旋箍筋的净距不少于1.5英寸。在某些情况下，为了防火，可能需要更多的保护层。柱子的混凝土灌入钢筋之间的核心区，且必须能在钢筋和模板之间流动。为了促进流动，ACI规范要求纵向钢筋之间的最小净距离不少于1.5倍的纵向钢筋直径、1.5英寸或1.333倍的粗骨料尺寸中的较大值。这些净距的限制也适用于搭接钢筋与相邻钢筋之间或搭接钢筋之间的净距（要求）。由于最多的钢筋数量发生在拼接处，因此钢筋在该处的间距通常起到控制作用。
              In most buildings in nonseismic zones, the longitudinal bars in the columns are spliced just above each floor. The requirements for lap splices vary（变化）depending on the state of stress in the bar at ultimate load（极限荷载）. Generally, all the bars in a column will have the same length or splice regardless of whether they are on the tension or compression face. This is done to reduce the chance（可能性）of field（现场）errors.