01.01.

23
THE BUCKLING OF A COMPOSITE STRUT

1. NOTATION

E Young’s modulus N/m2 lbf/in2

I minimum moment of inertia of cross section of strut m4 in4
l length of constant section m in
P buckling end load of composite strut N lbf

Suffixes

1 refers to length AB (see Figures 1 to 6)

2 refers to length BC (see Figures 1 to 6)

2. NOTES

The ratio P ( l 1 + l2 )2 / ( E1I1 ) is plotted against the ratio l1 / ( l1 + l2 ) for various values of the ratio
E2 I2 / ( E 1 I1 ) and for six conditions of end support. These conditions of end support are the various
combinations of ends clamped, simply-supported or free.

The two parts of the strut are each of constant flexural rigidity and are rigidly attached end to end. The
centroids of all sections lie on the axis of loading. The axes of minimum inertia of the two parts are co-planar.
When this is not so the curves give conservative results.

The curves are drawn for E2I2 greater than E1I1 .

It can be seen by inspection that combinations of curves may be used for symmetrical three-bay composite
struts.

3. DERIVATION

1. CAPEY, E.C. Unpublished work, Royal Aircraft Establishment, Farnborough, June 1960.

For given values of l, I and E, buckling occurs at the lowest value of P ( l1 + l2 )2 / ( E 1I1 ) that satisfies the
appropriate transcendental equations in α , β and λ , where

2 2
α = P l 1 / ( E 1 I 1 ),
2 2
β = P l 2 / ( E 2 I 2 ),

λ = l 2 /l 1 .
Issued February 1962

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Both ends simply-supported

λα cos α sin β + β cos β sin α = 0 .

One end simply-supported, other end clamped

αλ
sin α cos β + ------- cos α sin β + β  1 + --- sin α sin β – α ( 1 + λ ) cos α cos β = 0 .
1
β  λ

One end clamped, other end simply-supported

β
cos α sin β + ------- sin α cos β + α ( 1 + λ ) sin α sin β – β  1 + --- cos α cos β = 0 .
1
αλ  λ

Both ends clamped

αλ β
2 +  ------- + ------- sin α sin β – 2 cos α cos β – α ( 1 + λ ) sin α cos β – β  1 + --- cos α sin β = 0 .
1
 β αλ  λ

One end clamped, other end free

β cos α cos β – αλ sin α sin β = 0 .

One end free, other end clamped

αλ cos α cos β – β sin α sin β = 0 .

4. EXAMPLE

To determine the load required to buckle a composite strut composed of two rigidly attached end-to-end
struts when the ends are simply-supported and

6 2
E 1 I 1 = 0.25 × 10 lbf in ,
6 2
E 2 I 2 = 0.5 × 10 lbf in ,

l 1 = 20 in,

l 2 = 40 in,

l 1 / ( l 1 + l 2 ) = 0.333,

E 2 I 2 / ( E 1 I 1 ) = 2,

From Figure 1

2
P ( l 1 + l 2 ) / ( E 1 I 1 ) = 16

so that P = 1110 lbf .

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200

A B C
P P
175 E2 I2 l1 l2
20  E1 I1

150

P(l1 + l2)2 125

E1 I1

100
10

75

6
50
4
3
25

2.5 2 1.5 1.2 1

0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
l1
l1 + l2

FIGURE 1 ENDS SIMPLY-SUPPORTED

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800
A B C

P P
700
l1 l2

600

P(l1 + l2)2 500 E2 I2

20 
E I E1 I1
1 1

400

300
10

200
6

4
100 3

2.5 2 1.5 1.2 1

0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
l1
l1 + l2

FIGURE 2 ENDS CLAMPED

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450
A B C

400 P P
l1 l2

350

300
E2I2
2
P(l1 + l2) 250 20  E1I1

E1I1

200

10
150

6
100
4
3
50

2.5 2 1.5 1.2 1

0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
l1
l1 + l2

FIGURE 3 ONE END SIMPLY-SUPPORTED, OTHER END CLAMPED

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400
A C
B

350 P P
l1 l2

300

E2I2
2
P(l1 + l2) 250 20 
E1I1
E1I1

200

150
10

100
6

4
50 3

2.5 2 1.5 1.2 1

0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7

l1
l1 + l2

FIGURE 4 ONE END CLAMPED, OTHER END SIMPLY-SUPPORTED

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50

A B C

P P
40
l1 l2

30

P(l1 + l2)2
E1 I1
E2 I2
E1 I1
20

20
10
6
4
3
10

2.5 2 1.5 1.2 1

0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
l1
l1 + l2

FIGURE 5 ONE END CLAMPED, OTHER END FREE

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50

A B C

P P
l1 l2

40

E2 I2
20  E1 I1

30

2
P(l1 + l2)
E1 I1

10
20

10 4
3

2.5 2 1.5 1.2 1

0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
l1
l1 + l2

FIGURE 6 ONE END FREE, OTHER END CLAMPED