Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

EXPERIMENT 5

CRITICAL BUCKLING LOAD OF A PIN PIN COLUMN

Done by
Thuniki Shrenith Suhas
(23AE60R01)

Under the guidance of

Prof. Mira Mitra
 Critical Buckling Load of a Pin-Pin Column
Aim:

To determine the critical buckling load of pin-pin column using Southwell’s plot.

Apparatus Required:

a) Stainless Steel Column

b) Pin Joints
c) Dial Gauge

Figure 1: Experimental Set-Up

Theory:

Buckling of Columns:

When an increasing compressive axial load is applied to a slender column, beyond a certain
value of compressive load, the column undergoes a drastic transverse displacement. This
is called the buckling load of the column. The curved configuration of a column, under an
axial load is called buckled shape. Due to this, the distribution of stress over the section
will not be uniform, and the resulting eccentricity, however slight, will cause bending
moments. This bending moment produces bending stresses which are referred to as
buckling stresses simply to prevent confusion with bending stresses produced by the
eccentricity of applied loads. Thus, the buckling stresses and bending stresses are the same
except that the buckling stresses result from axial loads while the bending stresses from the
applied eccentric load. However, it should be clearly noted that buckling stresses are in
addition to the direct compressive stress due to applied load.
In general, the buckling tendency of a column varies with the ratio of the
length to least lateral dimension. The ratio is known is known as slenderness ratio. It is
given by the following relation:

For tall slender columns, this ratio is large and if failure occurs, it will be entirely due to
buckling. When this ratio is very small, failure occurs due principally to yielding. Between
these extremes are the so-called intermediate columns where failure will be due to
combination of buckling and crushing. The resistance of any member to bending is
determined by its flexural rigidity EI and the quantity I may be written as I = Ak 2 . Where
I = area of moment of inertia
A = area of the cross-section and k = radius of gyration.
Thus, the load per unit area which the member can withstand is therefore related to k.
A plot of load against lateral deflection at mid-height would have the formed. At the point
where critical buckling load is reached, the column can deflect in any of the three
directions depending on its state of undisturbedness. This is called the bifurcation point and
is reached at higher values of buckling load also.

Figure 2: Load v/s Deflection for Long Column

Euler’s Theory for Buckling of Pinned Column:

The Euler's theory is based on the following assumptions:

1. Axis of the column is perfectly straight when unloaded.
2. The line of force coincides exactly with the unstrained axis of the column.
3. Flexural rigidity El is uniform.
4. Material is isotropic and homogeneous.
5. The buckling value of P = PE is assumed to obtain for all degrees of flexure.
Usually, the two assumptions are not really realized in practice. The column may have
initial curvature, or crookedness. The theory, therefore, refers to an ideal column and
not to a real one. Consider an axially loaded strut, shown below, and is subjected to

an axial load 'P' this load 'P' produces a deflection 'y' at a distance 'x' from one end.
Assume that the ends are either pin jointed or rounded so that there is no moment at
either end.

The column assumed to be initially straight; the end load being applied axially through
centroid.

We know that,

This is a second order differential equation which has a solution of the form consisting of
complimentary function and particular integral. (s P.I. = 0: since the R.H.S. of differential
equation =0)

Therefore,

In order to evaluate the constants A and B let us apply the boundary conditions:

1. at x = 0: y = 0
We obtain A = 0
2. at x = L: y = 0
Hence either,
If B = 0, that means y is 0 for all values of x hence the column has not buckled yet.
Therefore,
the solution required is,

From the above relationship the least value of p which will cause the column to buckle and
it
is called Euler crippling Load

The solution chosen of nL = π is just one particular solution; the solutions nL= 2 π, 3 π, 5
π etc are equally valid mathematically and they do, in fact, produce values of 'Pe' which are
equally valid for modes of buckling of strut different from that of a simple bow.
Theoretically therefore, there are an infinite number of values of Pe, each corresponding
with a different mode of buckling. The value selected above is so called the fundamental
mode value and is the lowest critical load producing the single bow buckling condition.
The solution nL = 2 π produces buckling in two half waves, 3 π in three half-waves etc.
Southwell’s Plot:

If vm(P) denotes a measured lateral deflection at load level P. Let Pcr = the buckling load.
A finite lateral deflection vm exists because of structural imperfections or eccentric
loading. Southwell observed that the following approximation holds as P approaches Pcr.

If vm /P and vm are plotted along the x and y axis, respectively, the equation for vm
becomes the equation of a straight line in which the slope is Pcr. From measurements at
several axial loads P < Pcr one obtains vm and vm /P as data points. These are plotted along
the vertical and horizontal axes, respectively, as illustrated in this image. This is the
Southwell plot. A straight line is fitted to these points. This technique has the important
advantage of being non-destructive because P need not exceed the critical load Pcr. For this
reason, it is often used in aerospace structures fabricated of expensive materials such as
composites.

Procedure:

1. The stainless-steel column is placed in between the pin joints and the dial gauge is
attached to the column at mid span.
2. Compressive load is gradually applied gradually on the column and the corresponding
transverse displacement of the column is determined from the dial gauge.
3. The above procedure is repeated until a fairly constant value of load is obtained
indicating the critical buckling load.6
4. The variation of deflection and deflection/load is plotted, and the slope of the curve fitted
straight line is determined.

Observations:

The dimensions of the cantilever beam are determined to be,

L = 51.4 𝑐𝑚
𝑏 = 25.31 𝑚𝑚
ℎ = 1.73 𝑚
Graph:
Calculations:

Experimentally, the slope of the Southwell plot can be determined as follows,

At y = 1 mm ; y/F = 0.01 mm/N

At y = 2 mm ; y/F = 0.02 mm/N

Slope = Pcr = (2-1) / (0.02 – 0.01)

Pcr = 100 N

Theoretically, the buckling load is determined using the relation ,

Conclusion:

The critical buckling load of the stainless-steel is determined experimentally from the
Southwell’s plot and is found to be which is acceptably close to the theoretical value .