Abstract Based on architecture design, engineering designer may face a conflict to design the same column with various cross section shapes. The variation of cross section for the same column is highlighted to study axial load carried by the reinforced concrete (RC) column based on different connection heights and different vertical spacing between horizontal reinforcements. In the present study, finite element model is proposed to model the performance of the same RC column with various cross section shapes. 2-D finite element analysis (FEA) is used to analyze performance of the RC column. However, the results obtained by the experimental study are used to verify the proposed finite element model. The performance of the same RC column with different cross sections is expressed as load-displacement curves. Two different cross sections of the same RC column are square shape for lower part and rectangular shape for the upper part. The parametric study is conducted to calculate the axial load carried by the same RC column with various cross section shapes. The load- displacement curves of the RC column are analyzed and presented in the present study to discuss effect of cross section variation for the same RC column.