In the present paper the problem of monotonically compressed concrete columns is studied numerically, accounting for transverse steel reinforcement and concrete cracking. The positive confinement effect of the ties on the core concrete is modeled explicitly and studied in the case of distributed or concentrated vertical load. The main aim is to investigate the influence of transverse reinforcement steel characteristics on the column load carrying capacity and ductility, in order to provide an evaluation about some standards requirements about the class and ductility of steel to be used for ties. The obtained results show that the influence of transverse reinforcement steel class of ductility is negligible both on the column load carrying capacity and on its ductility. Also the dissipated energy is basically unchanged. In view of these evidences, some standards requirements about the steel class of ductility to be used for ties appear to be rather questionable.