Buckling of Columns

CRITICAL LOAD
IDEAL COLUMNS WITH PIN SUPPORTS
COLUMNS WITH VARIOUS TYPE OF SUPPORTS
General Idea of Buckling
If a small displacement Δ is
applied at pin A and the
restoring force from the spring
is equal to the disturbing force
from the axial load P,

𝐿
2𝑃 tan θ = 𝑘 sin θ
2
For very small angles,
tan θ = sin θ = θ
Therefore,
𝐿
2𝑃θ = 𝑘 θ
2
and
𝑘𝐿
𝑃= ; neutral equilibrium
4
 𝑘𝐿
What happens if P ≠ ?
4
 Disturbing force < Restoring force
With any disturbance Δ,
𝑘𝐿 the system will return to
P< ; Stable Equilibrium vertical position to
4
achieve equilibrium

𝑘𝐿 The system will move to

P> ; Unstable Equilibrium the deflected position Δ,
4
to achieve equilibrium
Buckling of Pin- Pin Columns
𝑑2 𝑦
𝐸𝐼 2 = M = −Pv
𝑑𝑥
𝑑 2 𝑦 𝑃𝑣
+ =0
𝑑𝑥 2 𝐸𝐼

𝑃
λ2 + =0
𝐸𝐼
𝑃
IDEAL COLUMN: λ= 𝑖
𝐸𝐼
 Perfectly Straight
Solution:
 Homogeneous
 Loaded through the
centroid
Constants of integration from boundary conditions:
ELASTIC BUCKLING: v= 0 at x= 0 ; C2=0
 Behavior is linear elastic v= 0 at x= L then,
only
 Column buckles in a single
plane/ about a single axis
Buckling of Pin- Pin Columns
C1 = 0 ; TRIVIAL SOLUTION

𝑃
sin 𝐿 =0
𝐸𝐼
EQUATION OF 𝑃
DEFLECTED 𝐿 = nπ
SHAPE 𝐸𝐼
𝑛2 π2 𝐸𝐼
𝑃=
𝐿2
* Critical Load is independent of the
Smallest value of P is obtained when,
strength of material, only depends on
n=1, therefore,
modulus of elasticity and moment of
inertia that is why high grade steel does
not differ much with low grade and EULER’S
hollow tubes are more economical than FORMULA
solid ones.
 Buckling of Pin- Pin Columns
About which neutral axis
the column will fail?
𝐼
r= radius of gyration =
𝐴
Pcr = critical load before
column begins to buckle
E = modulus of elasticity
I = moment of inertia about
the neutral axis
L= length between pins

𝐿
= 𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜
𝑟
- A measure of the column’s flexibility
- Can be used to classify columns as short,
intermediate, and slender
Buckling of Columns with Other Supports
 To use Euler’s formula with other supports, use effective length, Le =
kL.
 Le, is the unsupported length between points of zero moment

𝑘𝐿
= 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒
𝑟
𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜
Example 1.
Example 2.