ELASTIC BUCKLING Columns iY i A) a 9) Simply supported column b) Alternative lateral displacement paths Buckling of simply supported column It is taken for granted that material behaviour is linear elastic and that axial compression u= NEA is negligible. Let us first consider the case of an axially loaded and simply supported column, as illustrated in Fig, 12.1. The column is perfectly straight and the axial load is perfectly aligned with the centre axis of the column, In this introductory part it is assumed that the column is free tolateral displacements in the Z direction, see Fig. 12.1.a, but held against any out of plane displacements in the y direction, as well as against any cross sectional twist. Let us imagine that NV is gradually increased to higher and higher values, and that we set out to monitor the lateral displacement A at mid-span of the column, The most obvious path of system equilibrium is that there is no lateral deformation at all (Alt. 1 in Fig. 12.1.b). However, let us investigate the possibility that at some unknown value of N'= Mz there is an alternative path of equilibrium (Alt, 2 in Fig, 12.1.6) which involves an unknown lateral displacement w(x). For this to be possible it is an inescapable requirement that the system is still in a state of equilibrium. NA NeQ—— > o> Azw(x2") @) Equilibrium 6) Column ¢) Load-displacement requirement displacement path Fig. 12.2 Equilibrium requirement and column displacements Assuming that w(x) is small, then the equilibrium requirement at N defined by (Fig. 12.2.a) M, (x)= Ngw(x)=0 (12.1) where, from theory of elasticity, we know that M, (x)=~E/,}"(x), and thus, the following differential equation is obtained