5.

0 Results & Discussions

Length = 650 mm
Width = 25 mm
Thickness = 3.4 mm
Modulus of Elasticity of Stainless Steel, E = 193 GPa
3
bd
Second moment of area, Ix =
12
(25)(3.4)3
=
12
4913
= mm4
60
= 81.88 mm4

5.1 Pinned-end Strut

Table 1: Results of Pinned-end Strut

Strut Number Buckling Load (N) Deflection (mm) Deflection/Load (mm/N)
1 29 13.6 0.469
2 58 40.9 0.705
3 70 70.1 1.001
4 89 90.1 1.012
5 100 104.8 1.048
6 119 144.5 1.214
7 129 181.1 1.404
8 142 204.7 1.442
9 148 247.4 1.672
10 160 280.5 1.753

Graph of Deflection Vs Deflection/Load

300

250 f(x) = 214.897950999044 x − 114.098643210262

R² = 0.966881580150636
Deflection (mm)

200

150 experimental data points

Linear (experimental data points)
100

50

0
0.4000.6000.8001.0001.2001.4001.6001.8002.000
Deflection/Load (mm/N)

Figure 5.1: Graph of Deflection Vs Deflection/Load of Pinned-end Strut

Based on figure 5.1, the slope of the trendline through the experiment data points is 214.9.
Hence,

Experimental buckling load, Pcr, experimental = 214.9 N

2
π EI
Theoretical buckling load, Pcr, theoretical = , where I = Ix and K = 1 (for pinned-end strut)
( KL)2
π 2(193 × 109)( 81.88× 10−12)
= 2
(0.65)
= 369.17 N

|Theoretical buckling loa d−Experimental buckling load|

Percentage of error = ×100
Theoretical buckling load
369.17−214.9
= ×100
369.17
154.27
= ×100
369.17
= 41.79%
Discussion:
The result in the table 1 shows 10 strut numbers with different buckling loads in
between 29 N to 160 N. The deflection values in strut 1 and strut 2 are less than the buckling
load values where are 29 N buckling load results with 13.6 mm deflection and 58 N buckling
load results with 40.0 mm deflection. Strut 3 has the similar value in between the buckling
load and the deflection which are 70 N and 70.1 mm respectively. Starting from the strut 4
onward, the deflection values are getting higher than the buckling load values.
The deflection in the experiment 1, the force of deflection is happening at the centroid
of the strut as its both ends are pinned-end. The deflection is greater than the fixed-end strut
as the pinned-end strut can be bent into certain angles from its pinned joints symmetrically to
the centre of the strut.
In the scatter plot of the Deflection versus Deflection/Load graph figure 5.1 shows all
the points are close to the trend line. Therefore the relationship in between the deflection and
deflection/load is strong and linear for a pinned-end strut.

5.2 Pin-fixed Strut

Table 2: Results of Pin-fixed Strut

Strut Number Buckling Load (N) Deflection (mm) Deflection/Load (mm/N)
1 29 39.50 1.362
 2 57 72.50 1.272
3 87 119.4 1.372
4 108 177.0 1.639
5 130 218.2 1.678
6 150 277.3 1.849
7 168 299.0 1.780
8 196 343.8 1.754
9 226 390.9 1.730
10 257 543.0 2.113

Graph of Deflection Vs Deflection/Load

600.00

500.00
f(x) = 562.06998873297 x − 682.096117769608
R² = 0.861553137695266
Deflection (mm)

400.00

300.00 experimental data points

Linear (experimental data points )
200.00

100.00

0.00
1.200 1.400 1.600 1.800 2.000 2.200
Deflection/Load (mm/N)

Figure 5.2: Graph of Deflection Vs Deflection/Load of Pin-fixed Strut

Based on figure 5.2, the slope of the trendline through the experiment data points is 562.07.

Hence,

Experimental buckling load, Pcr, experimental = 562.07 N

π 2 EI
Theoretical buckling load, Pcr, theoretical = 2 , where I = Ix and K = 0.7 (for pin-fixed strut)
( KL)
2 9 −12
π (193 × 10 )( 81.88× 10 )
=
(0.7 × 0.65)2
= 753.41 N

|Theoretical buckling load −Experimental buckling load|

Percentage of error = ×100
Theoretical buckling load
753.41−562.07
= × 100
753.41
 191.34
= × 100
753.41
= 25.40%
Discussion:
The pin-fixed strut in table 2 shows that it has the highest deflection over load
(deflection/load) compared to pinned-end strut (table 1) and fixed-end strut (table 3). The
following result has been proven in the table 2 strut 1’s buckling load is 29 N same as table 1
strut 1 but its deflection is 39.50 mm while table 1 strut 1’s deflection is 13.6 mm. From the
strut 1 (29 N) to strut 3 (87 N) in table 2 the deflection over load result are less than 1.372
mm/N. From strut 4 to strut 9, the deflection over load is increasing slowly and maintain in
between 1.6 mm/N and 1.7 mm/N. There is an exception in strut 6 (150 N) has a deflection
over load of 1.849 mm/N. Meanwhile, the calculation of strut 10’s deflection over load is
2.113 mm/N has indicated that the deflection value (543.0 mm) is twice of the buckling load
value (257 N).
The deflection in the experiment 2 is the highest due to one of the end of the strut is
fixed-end that the angle remains perpendicular to the fixed-end point during deflection. While
the other end of the strut is pinned-end and it can be bent into a certain angle from the
pinned-end joint. The deflection occurs in a distance away from the fixed-end point which it
has a shorter length of deflection compared to the pinned-end strut with an asymmetrical
shape. Therefore, more forces are accumulated near the pinned-end strut generating high
deflection.
In the scatter plot of the Deflection versus Deflection/Load graph figure 5.2 shows
that is has the steepest trend line than the previous graph in figure 5.1. The points are
distanced in the centre of the trend line. Therefore the relationship in between the deflection
and deflection/load is weak and less linear for a pin-fixed strut.

5.3 Fixed-end Strut

Table 3: Results of Fixed-end Strut

Strut Number Buckling Load (N) Deflection (mm) Deflection/Load (mm/N)
1 61 9.6 0.157
2 134 34.3 0.256
3 192 47.5 0.247
4 246 67.0 0.272
5 307 96.5 0.314
6 344 115.3 0.335
7 406 157.7 0.388
 8 480 205.1 0.427
9 553 233.3 0.422
10 689 305.6 0.444

Graph of Deflection Vs Deflection/Load

350.0

300.0

250.0
f(x) = 965.367843513653 x − 187.881422991243
Deflection (mm)

200.0 R² = 0.889306597890826
experimental data points
150.0
Linear (experimental data points)
100.0

50.0

0.0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0. 0.
Deflection/Load (mm/N)

Figure 5.3: Graph of Deflection Vs Deflection/Load of Fixed-end Strut

Based on figure 5.3, the slope of the trend line through the experiment data points is 965.37.

Hence,

Experimental buckling load, Pcr, experimental = 965.37 N

π 2 EI
Theoretical buckling load, Pcr, theoretical = , where I = Ix and K = 0.5 (for pin-fixed strut)
( KL)2
2 9 −12
π (193 × 10 )( 81.88× 10 )
= 2
(0.5 × 0.65)
= 1476.68 N

|Theoretical buckling load −Experimental buckling load|

Percentage of error = ×100
Theoretical buckling load
1476.68−965.37
= ×100
1476.68
510.81
= ×100
1476.68
= 34.59%
Discussion:
 In the last part of the experiment of fixed-end strut has generated the lowest deflection
over load values not more than 0.5 mm/N compared to the pinned-end strut and the pin-fixed
strut. The range of the buckling loads in the experiment 3 is taken in between 61 N to 689 N.
The deflection values are less than the buckling load values shown in the table 3. From strut 1
(61 N) to strut 4 (246 N) producing a deflection range of 9.6 mm to 67.0 mm, these have
result with a range of deflection/load not less than 0.1 mm/N and not more than 0.3 mm/N.
Starting from 307 N (strut 5) to 406 N (strut 7), the deflection various from 96.5 mm to 157.7
mm and its range of deflection/load is in between 0.314 mm/N to 0.388 mm/N not more than
0.4 mm/N. The next strut onward from strut 8 (480 N) to strut 10 (689 N), the deflection
increasing from 205.1 mm to 305.6 mm with a range of deflection/load of 0.427 mm/N to
0.444 mm/N. At the strut 10, the value of the buckling load (689 N) is half of the value of the
deflection (305.6 mm).
The deflection of the fixed-end strut is the lowest due to the angle on both sides are
perpendicular to the fixed-end joints. Therefore the deflection occurs in the centroid of the
strut with a shorter deflection length along its axis compared to the pinned-end strut.
The final scatter plot graph of the experiment 3 as shown in the figure 5.3 has a trend
line that the points are closer in the center to the line but starting to get scattered afar as it
stretches toward both sides of the trend line. Hence, the relationship of the deflection and the
deflection/load is remaining strong and linear.
Based on the 3 experiments, the experimental buckling loads are obtained from each
experiment pinned-end strut, pin-fixed strut and fixed-end strut are 214.9 N, 562.07 N and
965.37 N respectively. The following values 369.17 N, 753.41 N, and 1476.68 N are the
theoretical buckling loads. The percentage errors of the difference between the experimental
and theoretical buckling loads of each experiment are 41.79%, 25.40% and 34.59%. The huge
percentage error can be caused by the continuous use of the same strut in the experiment and
it got fatigue with the critical loads. Human error is also involved in the experiment by
applying excessive body load such as hand on table and vibration to the table as the strut test
is on it to generate inaccurate or unstable readings. Random error can be one of the causes in
the experiment due to the environment such as the change of temperature in the room.
Replication will be one of the solutions to resolve the random error issues by retaking the
reading of each strut at least twice.