Columns & Struts

17:47 MEC 3351 1

Load carried by a short column

P  A where  - Stress intensity

A - Cross - sectional Area
• If σ is the ultimate crush stress for the column, then P shall be the
crushing load for the column.
• Columns do not generally fail only due to crushing, they buckle too.
a) b) c)

40m

6 9 18
6 4 2
• Keeping cross-section area the same but varying the side.
• Column c) likely to fail by buckling.

17:47 MEC 3351 2

• Also the load carrying capacity reduces with increase in height.
•  shall depend on slenderness of the column.
Height of Column
Slendernes s Ratio 
Least Side of Column
Also
Height of Column l
 
Least radius of Gyration (r) rx , y
I x, y
Where rx , y  , I x, y - Correspond ing Moment of Inertia
A
A - Cross - sectional Area

• Apart from the slenderness, the load carrying capacity depends upon its
end condition too to fix the column.
• At a certain critical load a column shall start bending after which failure of
column is certain.

17:47 MEC 3351 3

Consider a straight column AB of length l that buckles under load P such that
the mid-point C has a max eccentricity e.
P

Both ends
hinged
e l
C
y
l/2 D
x

Section C is subjected to max moment

M  Pxe

17:47 MEC 3351 4

The max and min stress intensifies due to the combination effect of direct &
bending stresses σd and σb are
P Pe
 max  d b  
A Z
P Pe
 min   d b  
A Z
Z – section modulus
Column shall fail when either σmax reaches the ultimate crush stress OR when
σmin reaches the ultimate tensile strength of the column material.

 Column that fails primarily due to direct stress is called a short column.
 Column that fails primarily due to bending stress is called a long column.
 Short columns are those whose length is less than 8 times the diameter
(or the smallest side).

17:47 MEC 3351 5

Euler’s formulation
His analysis is based on following assumptions:
a) The columns are initially straight.
b) The columns are made of homogeneous material.
c) The columns carry perfectly axial loads.
d) The columns have uniform cross-sectional areas throughout.
e) The columns are long compared to lateral dimensions.
f) Self weight of the columns is neglected.
g) The columns fail only due to buckling.
h) Shortening of columns due to direct loading is neglected.
i) Stresses do not exceed the limit stress of the material.

17:47 MEC 3351 6

1) Both Ends Hinged
Consider a long column of effective length l , hinged at both ends crippling
under an axial load, called Euler’s Crippling load PE . Assume a small internal
force buckles the column. Let the eccentricity at any D at a height x from A be
y. The moment at the point is
P

Both ends
hinged
e l
C
y
l/2 D M   Py
x
d2y d2y
 EI 2   Py OR EI 2  Py  0 ... (1)
A dx dx

17:47 MEC 3351 7

If we set
P
 k 2 ... (2)
EI
then the differential equation of deflection becomes

d2y
2
 k 2
y  0 ... (3)
dx
 When solving the above equation, we need merely find a function which
when differentiated twice and added to itself (times a constant) is equal to
zero.
 Evidently either sin kx or cos kx possesses this property. In fact, a
combination of these terms in the form,

y ( x)  C sin kx  D cos kx ... (4)

 May be taken as solution of eqn (3). This may be readily checked by

substituting y(x) into eqn (3).

17:47 MEC 3351 8

To determine C and D: at A, y = 0 when x = 0. substituting these values in eqn
(4), we obtain,
0  0 D or D0

At B, y = 0 when x = l . Substituting these values in eqn (4) with D = 0, we

obtain,

0  C sin kl
Evidently either C =0 or sin kl = 0. But if C = 0 then y is everywhere zero and
we have only the trivial case of a straight bar which is configured prior to the
occurrence of buckling. Therefore we take

sin kl  0 ... (5)

For this to be true, we have
kl  n (n  1,2,3...) ... (6)

17:47 MEC 3351 9

 P
Substituting k 2  in eqn (6), we find
EI
P n 2 2 EI
l  n or P ... (7)
EI l2
The smallest value of this load evidently occurs when n=1 . Then we have the
so-called first mode of buckling where the critical load is given by

 2 EI
Pcr  2
... (8)
l
This is Euler’s buckling load for pin-ended column. The deflection shape
corresponding to this load is
 P 
y ( x)  C sin  x  ... (9)
 EI 

Substituting eqn (8) into (9), we obtain

x Note that the deflected
y( x)  C sin ... (10)
l shape is a Sine function
17:47 MEC 3351 10
Eqn (8) may be modified to the form
 2 EI
Pcr  ... (11)
Kl 2

Where Kl – an effective length of the column,

defined to be a portion of the
deflected bar between points
corresponding to zero curvature.
As such, P P P
P

K=1 K=0.5 K=2 K=0.7

(a) Pinned (b) Clamped (c) One end (d) Clamped end,
ends ends free pinned end
17:47 MEC 3351 11
Eccentrically loaded Columns
Assume an initially straight, pin-ended column subjected to an axial
compressive force applied with know eccentricity e.
y
C

P e A B P x
l
The differential equation of a bar in its deflected configuration if
d2y
EI 2   Pe ... (11)
dx
Which has a standard solution
 P   P 
y  C1 sin  x   C2 cos x  ... (12)
 EI   EI 

17:47 MEC 3351 12

Since y = e at each ends, x=-l/2 and x=l/2 , the value of the two constants of
integration are readily found to be
e
C1  0 C2  ... (13)
 P l
cos 

 EI 2 

Therefore , the deflection curve of the bent bar is

e  P 
y cos x  ... (14)
 P l  EI 
cos 
 EI 2 
The max value of deflection occurs at x = 0

 P l
ymax  e sec 
 ... (15)
 EI 2 

17:47 MEC 3351 13

Introducing the value of the critical load Pcr as given by eqn (8)
 P 
ymax  e sec 
 ... (16)
2 Pcr 
The max compressive stress occurs on the concave side of the bar at C and its
given by
P M max yc P Pe yc  P 
 max     sec  ... (17)

A I A I 2 Pcr 
yc – distance from neutral axis to outer fibre of bar.

If we introduce the radius of gyration r of the cross-section, this becomes:

P M max yc P  e yc  l P 
 max    1  2 sec  ... (18)

A I A  r  2r AE 

17:47 MEC 3351 14

Struts with transverse loading also
a) Point load at mid span
Let the strut AB of length l, hinged at ends, carry transverse load W at mid
span and a thrust at ends. Let this strut so deflect that at x from support A the
deflection is y.
W
x
P P
y

 W 
B.M at distance x from A is   Py  x
 2 
d2y  W 
 EI 2   Py  x 
dx  2 
d2y P W
or 2
 y x0
dx EI 2 EI

17:47 MEC 3351 15

Solution to above differential equation is:
 P   P  Wx

y  C1 cos x   C2 sin 
 x  
 EI   EI  2 P
To determine constants C1 and C2 apply end condition at A where
y = 0 when x = 0, therefore C1 = 0
 P  Wx
Thus y  C2 sin  x  
 EI  2 P

dy P  P  W
  C2 cos x  
dx EI  EI  2 P
At mid span where
l dy
x ; is zero
2 dx

17:47 MEC 3351 16

 P l P W
 0  C2 cos 
EI 2 EI 2P

W EI l P
 C2  sec
2P P 2 EI

W EI l P P Wx
Thus y sec sin x  ... (a)
2P P 2 EI EI 2P
B.M at distance x from A is
Wx
M x  Py 
2
W EI l P P Wx Wx
 sec sin x  
2 P 2 EI EI 2 P 2
W EI l P P
 sec sin x ... (b)
2 P 2 EI EI
17:47 MEC 3351 17
The B.M. shall be max at mid span where x = l/2

W EI l P l P
Mx  sec sin
2 P 2 EI 2 EI
W EI l P
 tan ... (c)
2 P 2 EI

The direct stress is

P
d 
A
The max bending stress is
M max yc
b  yc – Dist from N.A to
max
I extreme end of column
W EI l EI
 yc tan ... (d)
2I P 2 P
17:47 MEC 3351 18
Therefore, max bending stress is:
 max   d   b
max

P W EI l P
  yc tan
A 2I P 2 EI
1 Wy c EI l P 

 P 2 tan  ... (d)
A 2r P 2 EI 

( I  Ar 2 )
(r  Radius of Gyration)

17:47 MEC 3351 19

 x

P P
y

Consider a strut AB of length l hinged at both ends carrying a u.d.l of w/unit

length. Let the deflection at a distance x from A be y.
B.M. at the section is 2
wl wx
M x  Py  x
2 2
Therefore d2y wlx wx 2
EI 2   Py  
dx 2 2

or d2y P wlx wx 2
2
 y 
dx EI 2 EI 2 EI

17:47 MEC 3351 20

Solution to the differential equation is:
P P wlx wEI wx 2
y  C1 cos x  C2 sin x  2 
EI EI 2P P 2P

To determine C1 apply end condition at A where y = 0 when x = 0.

Therefore
wEI wEI
0  C1  2 or C1  2
P P
Thus
wEI P P wlx wEI wx 2
y  2 cos x  C2 sin x  2 
P EI EI 2P P 2P
Therefore
dy wEI P P P P wl wx
 2 sin x  C2 cos x 
dx P EI EI EI EI 2P P
At mid span where x = l/2 ; dy/dx = 0
wEI P l P P l P wl wl
0 sin  C2 cos  
P2 EI 2 EI EI 2 EI 2P 2P
17:47 MEC 3351 21
Therefore,
wEI l P 
C2  2 tan 

P  2 EI 
Thus
wEI P wEI l P  P wlx wEI wx 2
y  2 cos x  2 tan  sin
 x  2  ... (e)
P EI P  2 EI  EI 2P P 2P
Deflection is max at mid span when x = l/2
Therefore,
wEI  l P   l P  wEI l P  l P 
ymax  2   cos
 
  2 tan 
 
 sin 
 


P  2 EI   2 EI  P  2 EI   2 EI 
wl 2 wEI wl 2
 2  2 
P P 8P

2 l P 
sin  
wEI  l P  wEI  2 EI  wl 2 wEI
 2 cos  2
   2
P  2 EI  P cos l P  8P P
 2 EI 
 
17:47 MEC 3351 22
 wEI  l P  wl 2 wEI
ymax  2 sec 
  2
P  2 EI  8P P

wEI   l P   wl 2
 2 sec   1  ... (f)
P   2 EI   8P
Max B.M is at mid span at x = l/2
Therefore,
2
wl  l  w  l  wl 2
M max  Py max        Py max 
2 2 2 2 8

wEI   l P   wl 2 wl 2
 sec   1 
 
P   2 EI   8 8

wEI   l P  
 sec   1 ... (g)
P   2 EI  

17:47 MEC 3351 23

Direct stress is
P
d 
A
and max bending stress is
M max yc wE   l P 
b   sec  1 yc ... (h)
max
I P   2 EI 
Max compressive stress is

 max   d   b max

P wE   l P 
  yc sec  1 ... (i)
A P   2 EI 

17:47 MEC 3351 24