INTRODUCTION

If compressive load is applied on a column, the member may fail either by crushing
or by buckling depending on its material, cross section and length. If member is
considerably long in comparison to its lateral dimensions it will fail by buckling. If a
member shows signs of buckling the member leads to failure with small increase in
load. The load at which the member just buckles is called as crushing load. The
buckling load, as given by Euler, can be found by using following expression.

Le = αL Pcr = π2EI / Le2

The following boundary condition:

 Pined-Pined – 1.0
 Pined-Fixed – 0.7
 Fixed-Fixed – 0.5

OBJECTIVE

To determine the buckling load of a strut.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

Column is a slender member. It tends to fail due to buckling behaviour instead of

material itself. Therefore, it is important to determine the buckling load of column so
that can serve its primary function
RESULTS AND DATA ANALYSIS

(a) Brass, E = 145 GPa

Fixed-fixed condition

1. Length of member = 560.0mm

2. Width of member = 26.0mm
3. Thickness of member = 2.7mm
4. Moment of inertia of member = 42.65mm4

Dial gauge reading, 1 div = 0.01mm

Le = αL

= 0.5 x 560 = 280mm

Pcr = π2EI / Le2

= (π2 x 145000 x 42.65)/2802 = 778.52N

Load, P (N) Mid-span Mid-span d/P (mm/N)

deflection, d (div) deflection, d (mm)
20 12.5 0.125 0.00625
40 49.0 0.490 0.01225
60 56.0 0.560 0.00933
80 60.0 0.600 0.00750
100 75.0 0.750 0.00750

0.8
0.7
deflection (mm)

0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0 0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01 0.012 0.014
deflection/load (mm/N)
 Pinned-fixed condition

1. Length of member = 580.0mm

2. Width of member = 26.0mm
3. Thickness of member = 2.7mm
4. Moment of inertia of member = 42.65mm4

Dial gauge reading, 1 div = 0.01mm

Le = αL

= 0.7 x 580 = 406mm

Pcr = π2EI / Le2

= (π2 x 145000 x 42.65)/4062 = 370.28N

Load, P (N) Mid-span Mid-span d/P (mm/N)

deflection, d (div) deflection, d (mm)
20 0.0 0.000 0.00000
40 3.0 0.030 0.00075
60 7.5 0.075 0.00125
80 10.0 0.100 0.00125
100 15.5 0.155 0.00155

0.18
0.16
0.14
deflection (mm)

0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
0 0 0 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.001 0.002 0.002
deflection/load (mm/N)
 Pinned-pinned condition

1. Length of member = 600.0mm

2. Width of member = 26.0mm
3. Thickness of member = 2.7mm
4. Moment of inertia of member = 42.65mm4

Dial gauge reading, 1 div = 0.01mm

Le = αL

= 1.0 x 600 = 600mm

Pcr = π2EI / Le2

= (π2 x 145000 x 42.65)/6002 = 169.54N

Load, P (N) Mid-span Mid-span d/P (mm/N)

deflection, d (div) deflection, d (mm)
20 0.0 0.00 0.00000
40 3.0 0.03 0.00075
60 12.0 0.12 0.00200
80 30.0 0.30 0.00375
100 55.0 0.55 0.00550

0.6
0.5
deflection (mm)

0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
0 0.001 0.002 0.003 0.004 0.005 0.006
deflection/load (mm/N)
Support Fixed-fixed Pinned-fixed Pinned-pinned
Theoretical 778.52 370.28 169.54
buckling
load (N)
Experimenta
l buckling = 60.83 = 90.00 = 72.00
load (N)
Percentage
differential = 92.19 = 75.69 = 57.53
(%)
(b) Aluminium, E = 70 GPa

Fixed-fixed condition

1. Length of member = 565.0mm

2. Width of member = 26.0mm
3. Thickness of member = 2.7mm
4. Moment of inertia of member = 42.65mm4

Dial gauge reading, 1 div = 0.01mm

Le = αL

= 0.5 x 565 = 282.5mm

Pcr = π2EI / Le2

= (π2 x 70000 x 42.65)/282.52 = 369.21N

Load, P (N) Mid-span Mid-span d/P (mm/N)

deflection, d (div) deflection, d (mm)
20 2.0 0.020 0.001000
40 14.5 0.145 0.003625
60 30.0 0.300 0.005000
80 44.5 0.445 0.005563
100 55.0 0.550 0.005500

0.6

0.5
deflection (mm)

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
0 0.001 0.002 0.003 0.004 0.005 0.006
deflection/load (mm/N)
 Pinned-fixed condition

1. Length of member = 580.0mm

2. Width of member = 26.0mm
3. Thickness of member = 2.7mm
4. Moment of inertia of member = 42.65mm4

Dial gauge reading, 1 div = 0.01mm

Le = αL

= 0.7 x 580 = 406mm

Pcr = π2EI / Le2

= (π2 x 70000 x 42.65)/4062 = 178.76N

Load, P (N) Mid-span Mid-span d/P (mm/N)

deflection, d (div) deflection, d (mm)
20 7.0 0.07 0.00350
40 21.0 0.21 0.00525
60 44.0 0.44 0.00733
80 76.0 0.76 0.00950
100 110.0 1.10 0.01100

1.2

1
deflection (mm)

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 0.002 0.004 0.006 0.008 0.01 0.012
deflection/load (mm/N)
 Pinned-pinned condition

1. Length of member = 600.0mm

2. Width of member = 26.0mm
3. Thickness of member = 2.7mm
4. Moment of inertia of member = 42.65mm4

Dial gauge reading, 1 div = 0.01mm

Le = αL

= 1.0 x 600 = 600mm

Pcr = π2EI / Le2

= (π2 x 70000 x 42.65)/6002 = 81.85N

Load, P (N) Mid-span Mid-span d/P (mm/N)

deflection, d (div) deflection, d (mm)
20 19.0 0.19 0.00950
40 105.0 1.05 0.02625
60 230.0 2.30 0.03833
80 510.0 5.10 0.06375
100 1089.0 10.89 0.10890

12

10
deflection (mm)

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12
deflection/load (mm/N)
Support Fixed-fixed Pinned-fixed Pinned-pinned
Theoretical 369.21 178.76 81.85
buckling
load (N)
Experimenta
l buckling = 112.73 = 110.58 = 110.15
load (N)
Percentage
differential = 69.47 = 38.14 = 25.69
(%)
(c) Steel, E = 205 GPa

Fixed-fixed condition

1. Length of member = 600.0mm

2. Width of member = 25.0mm
3. Thickness of member = 3.0mm
4. Moment of inertia of member = 56.25mm4

Dial gauge reading, 1 div = 0.01mm

Le = αL

= 0.5 x 600 = 300mm

Pcr = π2EI / Le2

= (π2 x 205000 x 56.25)/3002 = 1264.54N

Load, P (N) Mid-span Mid-span d/P (mm/N)

deflection, d (div) deflection, d (mm)
20 2.0 0.02 0.0010
40 8.0 0.08 0.0020
60 14.0 0.14 0.0023
80 16.0 0.16 0.0020
100 18.0 0.18 0.0018

0.2
0.18
0.16
deflection (mm)

0.14
0.12
0.1
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0
0 0.001 0.001 0.002 0.002 0.003
deflection/load (mm/N)
 Pinned-fixed condition

1. Length of member = 590.0mm

2. Width of member = 25.0mm
3. Thickness of member = 3.0mm
4. Moment of inertia of member = 56.25mm4

Dial gauge reading, 1 div = 0.01mm

Le = αL

= 0.7 x 590 = 413mm

Pcr = π2EI / Le2

= (π2 x 205000 x 56.25)/4132 = 667.23N

Load, P (N) Mid-span Mid-span d/P (mm/N)

deflection, d (div) deflection, d (mm)
20 13.0 0.13 0.0065
40 42.0 0.42 0.0105
60 86.0 0.86 0.0143
80 163.0 1.63 0.0204
100 337.0 3.37 0.0337

4
3.5
3
deflection (mm)

2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025 0.03 0.035 0.04
deflection/load (mm/N)
 Pinned-pinned condition

1. Length of member = 600.0mm

2. Width of member = 25.0mm
3. Thickness of member = 3.0mm
4. Moment of inertia of member = 56.25mm4

Dial gauge reading, 1 div = 0.01mm

Le = αL

= 1.0 x 600 = 600mm

Pcr = π2EI / Le2

= (π2 x 205000 x 56.25)/6002 = 316.14N

Load, P (N) Mid-span Mid-span d/P (mm/N)

deflection, d (div) deflection, d (mm)
20 3.0 0.03 0.0015
40 36.0 0.36 0.0090
60 69.0 0.69 0.0115
80 121.0 1.21 0.0151
100 220.0 2.20 0.0220

2.5

2
deflection (mm)

1.5

0.5

0
0 0.005 0.01 0.015 0.02 0.025
deflection/load (mm/N)
Support Fixed-fixed Pinned-fixed Pinned-pinned
Theoretical 1264.54 667.23 316.14
buckling
load (N)
Experimenta
l buckling = 200.00 = 126.23 = 143.48
load (N)
Percentage
differential = 84.18 = 81.08 = 54.61
(%)