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Experiment No: - 05 Name of Experiment: - Comparing Buckling Loads With End Conditions Objectives

1. The document describes an experiment to test how the buckling load of struts is affected by their end conditions. 2. It outlines Euler's equation that predicts the critical buckling load based on the strut's effective length, which depends on its end conditions. 3. The experiment involves testing struts with different end conditions and comparing their average peak buckling loads to validate the relationships predicted by Euler's equation.

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Newton Shikder
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356 views4 pages

Experiment No: - 05 Name of Experiment: - Comparing Buckling Loads With End Conditions Objectives

1. The document describes an experiment to test how the buckling load of struts is affected by their end conditions. 2. It outlines Euler's equation that predicts the critical buckling load based on the strut's effective length, which depends on its end conditions. 3. The experiment involves testing struts with different end conditions and comparing their average peak buckling loads to validate the relationships predicted by Euler's equation.

Uploaded by

Newton Shikder
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Experiment No: - 05

Name of Experiment: - Comparing Buckling loads with End Conditions

Objectives: -
1. To test a strut fixed with all three end conditions and prove the relationship between the
buckling load and the end conditions.
2. To help show the ‘effective length’ principle.

Apparatus:
1. Weight Hanger and Weights.
2. Standard set of struts (supplied).
3. Deflection indicator
4. Load Meter
5. Cord and Knife Edge Weight Hanger
6. Weights

Fig 1: Loading and Buckling of Struts Experiment.


Theory:

ASwissmathematician-LeonhardEuler,createdaformulathatpredictsthemaximum(critical)axial buckling
load (Pcr) of astrut.
Where K is an ‘effective length factor’ - determined by how you fix the ends of the strut. It is the ratio
of the ‘effective length’ (l) between two points, to the overall length (L) of the strut.

The equation again shows that the Young’s Modulus and cross-sectional dimensions (second moment
of area) affect the maximum buckling load. It also shows that the buckling load varies linearly with
these quantities. This allows you to see that, for example, a steel strut with an E value of 200 GPa
should buckle at twenty times the load of an equivalent wooden strut, if the wood has an E value of
only
10 GPa.

Figure: Length Squared Against Buckling Load.

The equation also shows that buckling load is inversely proportional to the square of a column’s
length. A chart of 1/L2 against buckling load will be linear (see Figure). This proves that longer
columns have lower buckling loads, but also shows that buckling load is sensitive to column length
(doubling the length will quarter the buckling load).

Figure below shows that the way you fix a strut decides its effective length. A strut with one fixed end
has an effective length of 0.7 of its total length. A strut with two fixed ends has an effective length of
0.5 of its total length. This assumes that you fix the ends firmly - any movement in the ends will affect
your calculations.
Figure: Euler’s Equations for Different Strut End Conditions.

Procedure:
1. Create a blank results table, similar to Table1.
2. Connect and switch on the Load Display. Allow a few minutes for the display and the load cell
of the measuring end to warm up. Tap the load measuring end to remove any effects of friction,
then zero the display.
3. Find the 600-mm steel strut (number 5). Measure its dimensions accurately and find its
second moment of area. Fit it in the pinned ends condition as described in Experiment 3 - The
Deflected Shape of a Strut, but remove the deflection indicator.
4. Use the large hand wheel to load the strut slowly. As you turn the hand wheel, watch the load
reading and the deflection of the strut. When you see that the load does not increase, but the
strut is still deflecting, the strut has buckled. Record the ‘peak load’, shown in the Load Display.
Release the load.
5. Apply a light load, and gently push the strut to make it buckle the opposite way to your last
test. Increase the load until the strut buckles, and record the peak load.
6. Release the load and remove the strut.
7. Now find and fit strut number 4 in the fixed - pinned condition. Use the loading end as the fixed
end. This strut is 25 mm longer than strut number 3, to allow for the length lost in one fixing.
This gives a constant test length for correct comparisons.
8. Repeat the test and record the loads
9. Repeat the test for strut number 3 in the fixed-fixed end condition. Again, the length of this
strut allows for the length lost in the fixings, to give a fair comparison.

Second Moment of Area for the Strut:

Peak Peak Average Peak


Fixing (Buckling) (Buckling) (Buckling)
Condition Strut Load 1 Load 2 Load

Pinned - Pinned 5

Pinned - Fixed 4

Fixed - Fixed 3

Table 1: Blank Result Table

Results Analysis:
For each strut, calculate the average peak buckling load. Do the loads for each fixing condition follow
the theory (fixed-fixed buckles at four times the load of pinned-pinned, and fixed-pinned buckles at
twice the load of pinned-pinned).

Your results for the fixed-fixed condition may be lower than you expect. Can you explain why? Think
about the load on the fixings (chucks) as it buckles, and the effect it has on the end conditions.

Add your results from this experiment to those of the last experiment (if you have done it). What do
you think about the effective length idea?

Typical Result:

Peak Peak Average Peak


Fixing
(Buckling) (Buckling) (Buckling)
Condition Strut Ratio
Load 1 Load 2 Load

Pinned - Pinned 5 248 261 254.5 1

Pinned - Fixed 4 505 515 510 2

Fixed - Fixed 3 943 988 965.5 3.8

Table: Typical Results for Experiment 5

Your results should show the pinned - fixed buckling load to be twice that of the pinned - pinned
buckling load. The fixed - fixed buckling load should be four times that of the pinned-pinned buckling
load. However, the end fixings are not perfect, as they only use a simple mechanical clamp, so the ends
of the strut might move slightly in the fixed-fixed condition (you would need to weld the fixings to the
strut for a better fixing method). This will give a slightly lower than expected buckling load for the
fixed- fixed ends condition.

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