Experiment No.

3
To Determine the Euler Critical Buckling load of a model column using various end
conditions.

Objective:

To verify Eulers theory of buckling

To determined critical buckling load for columns with various end conditions.

Apparatus:

1. Weighing balance
2. Vernier Caliper
3. Measuring Tape
4. Column Buckling Apparatus

Related theory:

Column:

Long slender members subjected to an axial compressive force are called columns. Structural
members are generally stable when subjected to tensile loading and fail when the stress in the
cross section exceeds the ultimate strength of material.
In case of elements (i.e., column) subjected to the compressive loading, secondary bending
effect e.g., imperfections within material and/or fabrication process, inaccurate positioning of
loads or asymmetry of cross section can induce premature failure either in part of cross
section or of the whole element. In such case failure mode is normally the Buckling.

Buckling:

Lateral deflection that occurs when a column is subjected to axial compressive force is called
buckling.

Buckling is categorized into the following categories;

1. Overall buckling
2. Local buckling
3. Lateral Torsional buckling

The design of the most of the compressive members is governed by over-all buckling
capacity. i.e., the maximum compressive load which can be carried before the failure occurs
due to the excessive deflection in the plane of greatest slenderness ratio. Typical overall
buckling occurs in columns of frame structure and in compression members of trusses.

Figure 1: Buckling of a Column

Types of column on the bases of type of loading

I. Concentrically Loaded Column:

If the load acting on the column coincides with the longitudinal axis of the column
then the column is known as concentric loaded column.

II. Eccentrically Loaded Column:

If the load acting on the column does not coincide with the longitudinal axis of the
column then the column is known as eccentric loaded column.

Figure 2: Concentrically loaded and eccentrically loaded columns

Column Theory:

Consider the long, slender compression member shown in Figure 3. If the axial load P is
slowly increased, it will ultimately become large enough to cause the member to become
unstable and assume the shape indicated by the dashed line.

Figure 3: Buckling of slender column

The member is said to have buckled, and the corresponding load is called the critical buckling
load.

Euler/critical buckling load:

The maximum axial load that a column can support when it is on the verge of buckling is
called the critical load. It is represented by Pcr. If the member is so slender that the stress just
before buckling is below the proportional limit—that is, the member is still elastic—the
critical buckling load is given by;

(i)

where E is the modulus of elasticity of the material, I is the moment of inertia of the cross-
sectional area with respect to the minor principal axis, and L is the length of the member
between points of support. Equation (i) can be rewritten as;

where A is the cross-sectional area and r is the radius of gyration with respect to the axis of
buckling. The ratio L/r is the slenderness ratio and is the measure of a member’s slenderness,
with large values corresponding to slender members.
Slenderness Ratio:

The ratio of effective length between supports to the min radius of gyration is known as
slenderness ratio.

L
Slenderness Ration=
r min

Ideal Column:

An ideal column has the following properties.

1. It is prismatic (having the constant cross section throughout the length).

2. Material is homogeneous.
3. Loading is perfectly axial.
4. Pin ended condition (simply supported) is frictionless

Real Column:

1. Imperfection are present (i.e., structural and geometric)

2. It’s not perfectly prismatic
3. Centroid may not lie on line joining the centroid of the end section.
4. Load is not acting along the centroidal axis.

Effective Length Factor:

Both the Euler and tangent modulus equations are based on the following assumptions:

1. The column is perfectly straight, with no initial crookedness.

2. The load is axial, with no eccentricity.
3. The column is pinned at both ends.

The first two conditions mean that there is no bending moment in the member before
buckling

The requirement for pinned ends, however, is a serious limitation, and provisions must be
made for other support conditions. Constructing a frictionless pin connection is difficult.
Other end conditions can be accounted for in the derivation of Euler Equation.

For example, consider a compression member pinned at one end and fixed against rotation
and translation at the other, as shown in figure 4.

The Euler equation for this case, derived in the same manner as Equation (i) is;
 Figure 4: Column with one end fixed and other hinged
Similar expressions can be found for columns with other end conditions.

For convenience, the equations for critical buckling load will be written as;

where KL is the effective length, and K is the effective length factor. It depends on support
conditions of column ends. The effective length factor for the fixed-pinned compression
member is 0.70. Effective length factors for various end conditions are given in table below.
 Table 1: Effective Length Factors

Procedure:

1. Measure the dimensions of the column and check the end conditions.
2. Set the apparatus and apply the load at the cap gradually apparatus shown in figure 5.
3. Check that load at where the column shows significant side way deflection
(buckling).
4. Note that load, this will be Pexp.
5. Calculate theoretical values of Pcr using Euler’s formula and compare both values.
 Figure 5: Column buckling apparatus

Observations & Calculations:

End b t L KL I Pexp Pth %

K
Conditions (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm4) (N) (N) Difference
Both Ends
Hinged
Both Ends
Fixed
One Fixed
other
hinged

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