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Nineteen full-scale pinned reinforced concrete columns with slenderness ratios of between 18 and 63 have been tested under short and long-term eccentric loading. The experimental results substantiate the fact that instability is the primary failure criterion for slender columns; this occurs at relatively low compressive concrete strains in the range 0.001-0.002. Creep was found to have a significant influence on the value of the buckling load e.g. with a sustained load of 60% of short-term capacity, creep can cause a reduction of 10-40% in the load capacity. N. Khalil, PhD, BSc, MACI, MASCE Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Balamand, Tripoli, Lebanon A. R. Cusens, OBE, BSc, DSc, FREng, FICE, FIStructE, FRSE Emeritus Professor of Civil Engineering, Leeds University, UK M. D. Parker, BEng, MSc, DIC, CEng, MIStructE Senior lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering, Leeds University, UK