Introduction

„ Fundamental principle of analysis is that internal and

Column Buckling -1 external forces are in equilibrium
„ If the system of forces undergoes deformation or
displacement the type of equilibrium may change
from stable to unstable
„ For compression members – columns or struts- the
loading causes the member to displace laterally
„ If the member is slender the lateral deflection may
Mechanics of Materials result in excessive buckling and cause failure of the
Lecturer: Dr Djwantoro Hardjito structure in a catastrophic, sudden manner
Civil Engineering Department „ Important to consider buckling of columns so that
they can safely support their intended loads
Petra Christian University, Surabaya determined from structural analysis

Introduction References – generally better in Materials and Mechanics

text books, references numbered for scanned material in notes
1) “Mechanics of Materials SI Second Edition” R C
„ Instability of compression members is an Hibbeler, Prentice Hall, 2005, ISBN 0-13-186-638-9
important failure mode to be investigated for 2) “Steel Designers Handbook 6th Edition” B Gorenc, R
Tinyou & A Syam, UNSW Press, 1996, ISBN 0 86840
design 366 0
„ Material strengths have increased 3) “Mechanics
Mechanics of Solids and Structures
Structures” P P Benham & F
‰ Steel typically 250 MPa to 450 MPa V Warnock, Pitman Publishing Ltd., 1976, ISBN 0 273
36191 0
‰ Concrete 25 MPa to 60+ MPa 4) “Engineering Mechanics Statics Third Edition” R C
‰ resulting in less material required for strength Hibbeler, Prentice Hall, 2004, ISBN 013 124 844 8
criteria and therefore members have become 5) Elements of Strength of Materials 5th Edition”
more slender and “buckle prone” Timoshenko and Young, Van Nostrand Company,
1968, ISBN 0 442 08547 8

Equilibrium and Stability Equilibrium and Stability

„ Stable Equilibrium „ Unstable Equilibrium
‰ Given a small displacement ‰ Given a small
the system of forces will displacement the system
return to its original position of forces will accelerate
‰ Consider a bar subject to a further awayy from its
tension force; if there is a original state due to
displacement from the displacing forces
vertical, the force will tend to
‰ The potential energy of
restore the bar to its original
the system at C is at the
position
maximum
‰ The potential energy of the
system is at a minimum at A

Scan (lower) from reference [4] and (upper) from [3] Scan (lower) from reference [4] and (upper) from [3]

1
Equilibrium and Stability Neutral Equilibrium – Critical Load

„ Neutral Equilibrium „ Consider a bar assisted

‰ Given a small in remaining vertical by
displacement the system horizontal springs
remains in equilibrium in
the displaced
p p
position
„ When the bar is
‰ The potential energy of
di l
displaceddbby x th
there iis
the system is constant a displacing moment Px L
and a restoring moment
2KxL, where K is the
stiffness of the spring

Scan from reference [4] Scan from [3]

Neutral Equilibrium – Critical Load Critical Load

„ When Px < 2KxL „ Pcr is independent of the displacement x

STABLE „ At the critical load any small disturbance or
„ When Px > 2KxL displacement will not cause the system to move
UNSTABLE further out of equilibrium nor restore it to its original
„ Critical condition when position,
iti it will
ill remain
i iin itits d
deflected
fl t d position
iti
Px = 2KxL or
L „ Pcr is the load at which the mechanism is on the
„ Pcr = 2KL
verge of buckling, called the bifurcation point, the
„ Pcr is the critical load, borderline between stable and unstable equilibrium
the borderline between
stable and unstable „ It may not be the maximum load the mechanism can
equilibrium support

Scan from [3]

Critical Load Buckling versus Bending

„ Buckling is defined as M = Pδ
„ For engineering design we are interested in the displacement transverse P δ
largest load columns can support before the material to the load applied P
stresses are exceeded, that is, the strength of „ Both buckling and
columns, however bending involve bending
„ The largest load the column can support without moments
M = Px
excessive deflection is the critical load which „ Buckling – moments and
depends upon geometry of the column not strength deflections
of the material interdependent P
V
„ Design limits may therefore be restricted by „ Bending – moments
instability due to excessive deflections rather than largely independent of x
strength resulting deflection

2
Stocky versus Slender
Short compression member „ Short timber column in
compression may fail by
„ Stocky columns tend to follow shearing along a jagged
the linear elastic load – ductile material plane approximately
deflection curve until the yield
stress of the material is inclined at 45o to the axis of
reached the post
„ σmax=P/A brittle material „ Still specify the value σcr of
„ For compression
p loading
g
known as squash load P/A that failure occurs as
„ Followed by period in which the ultimate strength of the
material in column flows timber in compression but
plastically (yields) for ductile the failure is not a true
materials which tends to
increase the cross sectional compression failure of the
area (barrelling) and material
apparently increase the
stiffness

Scan from [5]

Stocky versus Slender Critical Load

„ When compression members
become longer the role of
„ Derivation of the
geometry and stiffness
becomes more importantly
column buckling load is
attributed to the Swiss
„ Slender columns buckle before
mathematician Leonard
the normal stress reaches the
Euler, (1707-1783) who
material strength – elastic
buckling
originally solved the
problem of critical
„ Intermediate length
buckling loads in 1757
compression members can
experience kneeling (inelastic „ The Critical Load or
buckling) when some areas Buckling load is known
yield before buckling as the Euler load

http://www-history.mcs.st-andrews.ac.uk/history/PictDisplay/Euler.html

Idealised Pin Ended Column „ Internal moment related

to deflected shape by:
d 2v
EI 2 = M
„ Ideal column: „ Stable or unstable? dx
‰ Perfectly straight before ‰ Will depend upon its „ Internal moment can be
loading ability to restore itself, determined by method
‰ Homogeneous material based on its resistance to
bending g
of sections:
‰ Uniform cross section
‰ Load applied through ‰ To determine critical load M = − Pv
column centroid and buckled shape of
column apply bending
‰ Linear-elasticity hold theory „ summing the moments:
‰ Column buckles or bends
in single plane d 2v
EI = − Pv
‰ Lateral deflection small dx 2
Scan from [1]

3
 d 2v P
+( )v = 0 sin kL = 0
dx 2 EI
P satisfied when
let k 2 =
EI kL = n ∏ where n = 0,1, 2,3 ...
differenti al equations or direct substituti on show
hence
general solution
EI
v = c1 sin kx + c 2 sin kx P = k 2 EI = n 2 ∏ 2
boundary conditions L2
v = 0 at x = 0, then c 2 = 0 n = 1, 2,3,...
and v = 0 at x = L then
c1 sin kL = 0
c1 = 0 (Trivial solution )or sin kL = 0
Trivial solution: required the column always to be straight

The value n represents the

lowest non − trivial load is critical load „
number of waves in the
when n = 1 deflected shape of the
column
EI
Pcr = ∏ 2 „ For example when n= 2,
L2 two waves appear in the
correspond ing buckled shape column buckled shape and
the column will support a
n∏ x
v = c1 sin load that is 4Pcr jjust p
prior to
L buckling
where c1 = max deflection „ Since this value is four
times the critical value and
at midheight of column the deflected shape is
critical case n = 1 unstable it will not occur
practically speaking

Euler Bucking Load Summary

EI
Pcr = ∏ 2
L2
„ Pcr critical buckling load on column before it buckles
‰ This load must not cause the stress in the column to exceed
th proportional
the ti l lilimit,
it th
thatt iis, th
the yield
i ld stress
t
„ E modulus of elasticity of material
„ Ι least moment of inertia for the column’s cross section
‰ Columns will buckle about the principle axis of the cross
section with the least moment of inertia (the weakest axis)
‰ Generally have Ix= Iy and section shapes with high inertia per
unit mass – tubes CHS, RHS
„ L unsupported length of the pin ended column

Scan from [2]

4
 ∏ 2 EI
Pcr =
L2
Critical Stress Euler Hyperbola
P ∏ EI
2
( ) cr = σ cr = Plotting the critical stress as a
A AL2 „
function of slenderness ratio
I gives the Euler hyperbola
r , radius of gyration =
A „ The assumption that the material
behaves elastically means the
∏2 E equation is only valid if σcr is less
σ cr =
L that the proportional limit σpl of
( )2 the material
r
„ Point B is the limiting value
L
where ( ) = slendernes s ratio below which Euler’s formula
r does not apply:
σ cr is average stress in column before buckling , „ boundary between short and
long columns
it is an elastic stress σ cr < σ y
Scan from [5]

Euler Hyperbola and Stress-Strain Euler Hyperbola Structural steel and aluminium
alloy curves are shown.
Relationship Valid only until the materials’ yield
point is reached.
σ Substituting σcr = σy gives the
smallest acceptable slenderness
ratio for the columns i.e. for grade
250 MPa steel Euler’s formula
Liner elastic limit can be
b used d tto d
determine
t i
buckling load if L/r ≥ 89

Scan from [5] Scan from [1]

∏ 2 EI ∏r4
Examples from Hibbeler, Mechanics of Materials solution Pcr =
L 2
where I circular area =
4
∏ ∏
∏ 2 200(10 6 )kN / m 2 ( 75 4 − 70 4 )10 −12 m 4
„ A 7.2 m long tube is to be Pcr = 4 4
used as pin ended column, 7.2 2 m 2
determine the maximum Pcr = 228 kN
allowable axial load the this is the max load so that it does not buckle
column can support so that Pcr This is the average compressive stress in
it does not buckle use σ cr =
A the column at the critical load
elastic modulus value of
228.10 3 N
steel E = 200 GPa. σ cr =
(∏ 75 2 − ∏ 70 2 )mm 2
σ cr = 100 N / mm 2
σ cr < σ y = 250 MPa so Euler equation is applicable

5
Examples modified from Hibbeler, Mechanics of Materials solution Buckling will occur about the axis
of least inertia, the weak axis or y axis:

∏ 2 EI
„ Determine the largest Pcr = where I y = 15.3 x10 6 mm 4
L2
axial load the pin ended
column 200 UC 46.2 ∏ 2 200(10 6 )kN / m 2 (15.3 x10 6 )10 −12 m 4
Pcr =
can support before it 42 m2
buckles The properties
buckles. Pcr = 1887 kN
of the section are :
this is the max load so that it does not buckle
„ Ix = 45.9 x 10 6 mm 4,
„ Iy = 15.3 x 106 mm4
„ A = 5900 mm2

solution When fully loaded the average

compressive stress in the column is :
Variation in End Conditions
P
σ cr = cr
A
1187.10 3 N
σ cr =
(5900)mm 2
σ cr = 320 N / mm 2
σ cr > σ y = 250 MPa
so Euler equation is not applicable
Pmax = Aσ cr = Aσ y
Pmax = 5900 mm 2 x 250 N / mm 2 pinned fixed-free fixed-fixed fixed-pinned
Pmax =1475 kN
Scan from [3]

Variation in End Conditions Derivation of Euler Buckling Load for

Fixed-Free column
„ Column end conditions vary from pinned
„ The Euler Buckling load may be derived for
different end conditions by developing the
equilibrium equations and substituting
appropriate end conditions or
„ Using “equivalent length” of a pinned ended
column and substituting into the standard
Euler formula

Scan from [3] Scan from [1]

6
derivation M = P(δ − v) derivation dv
at x = 0,= 0 so that c1 = 0
d 2v dx
EI = P (δ − v) Deflection curve: v = δ [1 − cos kx]
dx 2
2 at top of column v = δ at x = L so
d v P P
+v = δ δ cos kL = 0
dx 2 EI EI
trivial solution δ = 0 no buckling
v = c1 sin kx + c2 cos kx + δ n∏
cos kL = 0 or kL =
d conditions
bboundary di i 2
x = 0, v = 0 so that c2 = −δ smallest critical load n = 1
also ∏ 2 EI
Pcr =
4 L2
dv
= c1k cos kx − c2 k sin kx fixed − free column carries one fourth
dx
the critical load of a pin ended column

Derivation for Fixed-pin ended column

„ Two deflection curves „ For a fix-pinned column the

shown for n = 3 and for moment there are further
n= 5 considerations
„ Theoretically possible „ Full derivation may be found in
b t column
but l will
ill always
l Ti
Timoshenko
h k and dYYoung
buckle in the first mode M x = Q (l − x) − Py
as soon as P reaches
d2y
the first critical value EI = − Py + Q (l − x )
dx 2
EI
Pcr ≅ ∏ 2
(0.7l ) 2
Scan from [5] Scan from [5]

Euler Load by Substitution using Effective Euler Load by Substitution- pin ends
Length
„ In the Euler equation, L, is the unsupported EI
distance between points of zero moment Pcr = ∏ 2
Le 2
„ If the column is supported in other ways Euler
formula can be used provided “L” is the EI
Pcr = ∏ 2
distance between zero moment points (1.0 L) 2
„ This is the effective length Le 2 EI
‰ For a pin ended column Le= L Pcr = ∏
L2
‰ For a fixed-free column Le = 2L
‰ For a fixed-pin ended column Le = 0.7L
‰ For a fixed-fixed column Le=0.5L

7
Euler Load by Substitution- fixed ends Euler Load by Substitution
EI EI
Pcr = ∏ 2 2 Pcr = ∏ 2
Le Le 2
EI
Pcr = ∏ 2 Pcr = ∏ 2
EI
L
( )2 (2 L) 2
2
2 EI
Pcr = ∏ 2 4 EI Pcr = ∏
L2 4 L2
That is, the fixed-fixed ended column That is, the fixed-free ended column
carries four times the load of a similar carries one fourth the load of a similar
pin ended column before buckling pin ended column before buckling

Effective Length Factor

„ Design codes generally express effective length as

Le = KL or keL
„ Where K is the effective length factor (not to be
confused with the notation k2 = P/EI)
„ K is determined from tabulated data for simple end
conditions
diti or by
b calculating
l l ti th the relative
l ti stiffness
tiff off
the members connecting into a column
„ It may vary from the theoretical value - particularly
for fixed-pinned where for design we generally use
ke = 0.85 (theoretical 0.7)and both end fixed where
ke = 0.70 (theoretical 0.5) as full fixity rarely the case
in practice, difficult to achieve & effective length From [2]“Steel Designers Handbook”
increases from theoretical ideal. derived from A.S. 4100 steel design

From A.S. 3600 – concrete design code

8
Example modified from Hibbeler solution
„ A 150 UC 14.8 steel column is „ The buckling behaviour
8 m long and is fixed at its
ends as shown. Its load will be different about the
carrying capacity is increased x and y axes due to the
by bracing about the weak axis bracing
(y-y) using struts that are
assumed to be pin connected „ In the xx-xx axis the column
at mid height. Determine the is effectively fixed-fixed
load it can carry so the column
does not buckle nor the and the effective length is
material strength exceed yield, keL= 0.5x8=4m
take E = 200 GPa and σy=410
MPa. The column has Ix =
12.6x 106 mm4 and Iy = 3.98 x
106 mm4 and A = 2980 mm2

solution solution ( Pcr ) x =

∏ 2 EI
where I = I x
L2
∏ 2 200(10 6 ) kN / m 2 (12.6 x10 6 )10 −12 m 4
„ In the y-y axis the column Pcr =
is restrained by the 42 m2
bracing such that the Pcr =1554 kN
effective length of the
column is fixed-pinned
p at ∏ 2 EI
( Pcr ) y = where I = I y
mid height so that the L2
effective length is keL=
∏ 2 200(10 6 ) kN / m 2 (3.98 x10 6 )10 −12 m 4
0.7x4=2.8 m Pcr =
2.8 2 m 2
Pcr =1002 kN

solution σ cr =
Pcr Example to complete from Hibbeler
A
1002.10 3 N
σ cr = „ The aluminum column is
(2980)mm 2 fixed at its base and braced
σ cr = 336 N / mm 2 at the top to prevent
movement along the x axis.
σ cr < σ y = 410 MPa Determine the allowable
buckling will occur before yielding l d P th
load thatt can b
be applied
li d
taking a factor of safety of
Pcr = 1002 kN 3.0. Use E = 70 GPa, σy =
It can be seen that buckling will occur about the axis with the largest 215 MPa, A = 7.5x10-3 m2,
slenderness ratio: Ix=61.3x10-6 m4 and
Le x / rx = 4000 / 65.1 = 61.4
Iy=23.2x10-6m4
Le y / ry = 2800 / 36.3 = 76.5
„ Pallowable = 141 kN

9
 solution solution

Practice problems

di=25 mm

d = 35 mm P = 14.18 kN

10
No, AB will fail

11