Chapter 7
Chapter 7
C
(Sami J.)
CHAPTER SEVEN
7. Buckling Instability
7.1 Introduction
Columns are the structural members that take axial compressive load and bending moments.
The bending effects may be due to:
In such cases the failure mode is normally buckling (i.e. lateral movement), of which there are
three main types:
The design of most compressive members is governed by their overall buckling capacity, i.e. the
maximum compressive load which can be carried before failure occurs by excessive deflection in
the plane of greatest slenderness. Typically this occurs in columns in building frames and in
trussed frameworks as shown in Figure 7.1.
Reinforced concrete columns are classified in EBCS 2, as un-braced (sway) or braced (non-
sway), based on how the horizontal loads are transmitted by the super structure to the foundation.
Un-braced Columns (sway frames): An un-braced structure is one in which frame action is
used to resist horizontal loads (lateral loads due to wind or earthquake). In such structure, beam
and column members may be designed to act together as a rigid frame in transmitting the lateral
Braced columns (in non-sway frames): If the lateral loads in a frame are transmitted to the
foundation through a system of bracing or shear walls, the column member in such a frame is
said to be braced column and consequently carry only vertical loads. In such a case, second
order effect will be negligible.
On the basis of the slenderness ratio columns may be classified as short or long (slender).
Le
i
Generally, the slenderness ratio of concrete columns shall not exceed 140.
Second-order effects in compressive members need not be taken into account in the following
cases:
Where M1 and M2 are the first-order (calculated) moments at the ends, M2 being always positive
and greater in magnitude than M1, and M1 being positive if member is bent in single curvature
and negative if bent in double curvature. d N sd
f cd Ac
N sd design axial load
The effective height (length) of a column is the distance between the two consecutive points of
contra flexure or zero bending moments. The figure shown below may serve this purpose.
L
0.5L
e 0.65L
e L e 0.8L e 1.2L e 1.5L
e 0.8L
In accordance with EBCS-2, 1995, the effective length Le for an RC Column is given as,
Le m 0.4
a. Non-sway mode 0.7
L m 0.8
Le 7.5 41 2 1.61 2
b. Sway mode 1.15
L 7.5 1 2
K1 K c
1
K 11 K 12 Lc2 Ic2
K2 Kc
2 Ib22 Ib21
K 21 K 22 Ic
Lc
1 2 Ib12 Ib11
m
2 Lc1 Ic1
Where K1 and K2 are column stiffness coefficients (EI/L) for the lower and the upper column
respectively. Kc is the stiffness coefficient (EI/L) of the column being designed.
N sd
For a non – sway frame 0.1
N cr
2 EI e
N cr
L2e
M bal
EIe = 0.2EcIc + EsIs (or EIe = 0.4 Ec I c )
1 rbal
Ec 1100 f cd Curvature 1
rbal
d 10
5 3
Ic = Moment of inertia of the concrete sections of the substitute column w.r.to center
short elements,
slender elements and
intermediate elements
Provided that the slenderness of an element is low, e.g. the length is not greater than (10×the
least horizontal length), the element will fail by crushing of the material induced by
predominantly axial compressive stresses as indicated in Figure 7.2(a). Failure occurs when the
stress over the cross-section reaches a yield or crushing value for the material. The failures of
such a column can be represented on a stress-slenderness curve as shown in Figure 7.2(b).
When the slenderness of an element is high, the element fails by excessive lateral deflection (i.e.
buckling) at a value of stress considerably less than the yield or crushing values as shown in
Figures 7.3(a) and (b).
The failure of an element which is neither short nor slender occurs by a combination of buckling
and yielding/crushing as shown in Figures 7.4(a)
Figure 7.4(a)
Consider a slender column subjected only to equal and opposite end moment, M, as shown in
figure. The column is bent into a single curvature with a maximum deflection δ at the mid height
as shown. If the axial compression is applied at the ends of the column now, additional bending
moment is caused due to the axial load acting on the deformed shape. This additional bending
Secondary Stresses
As mentioned in Section 7.1, buckling is due to small imperfections within materials, application
of load etc., which induce secondary bending stresses which may or may not be significant
depending on the type of compression element. Consider a typical column as shown in Figure
7.5, in which there is an actual centre-line, reflecting the variations within the element, and an
assumed centre-line along which acts an applied compressive load, assumed to be concentric.
Figure 7.5
At any given cross-section the point of application of the load P will be eccentric to the actual
centre-line of the cross-section at that point, as shown in Figure 7.6.
Figure 7.6
Figure 7.7
Where: σ is the combined stress, P is the applied load, e is the eccentricity from the assumed
centre-line, A is the cross-sectional area of the section, and Z is the elastic section modulus about
the axis of bending.
In short elements the value of the bending stress in the equation is insignificant when compared
to the axial stress i.e. and consequently the lateral movement and buckling
effects can be ignored.
Most practical columns are considered to be in the intermediate group and consequently both the
axial and bending effects are significant in the column behavior, i.e. both terms in the equation
are important.
The critical load Pc (i.e. critical stress× cross-sectional area) must be estimated for design
purposes. Since the critical stress depends on the slenderness it is convenient to quantify
Short columns fail by yielding/crushing of the material and σcritical = Py, the yield stress of the
material. If, as stated before, columns can be assumed short when the length is not greater than
(10×the least horizontal length) then for a typical rectangular column of examples in structural
analysis cross-section (b×d) and length L≈10b, a limit of slenderness can be determined as
follows:
From this we can consider that short columns correspond with a value of slenderness less than or
equal to approximately 30 to 35.
Slender columns fail by buckling and the applied compressive stress σcritical << Py. The critical
load in this case is governed by the bending effects induced by the lateral deformation.
Where approximates to the curvature of the deformed column. Since this expression for
bending moments only applies to linearly elastic materials, it is only valid for stress levels
equal to and below the elastic limit of proportionality. This therefore defines an upper limit of
stress for which the Euler analysis is applicable. Consider the deformed shape of the assumed
center-line of a column in equilibrium under the action of its critical load Pc as shown in Figure
7.8.
Figure 7.8
The bending moment at position x along the column is equal to and hence
Differential Equation of the form: The solution of this equation can be shown to
be: where: n is 0, 1, 2, 3…etc. This expression for PE defines the Euler Critical Load
(PE) for a pin-ended column. The value of n = 0 is meaningless since it corresponds to a value of
PE = 0. All other values of n correspond to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd…etc. harmonics (i.e. buckling mode
shapes) for the sinusoidal curve represented by the differential equation. The first three
harmonics are indicated in Figure 7.9.
The higher level harmonics are only possible if columns are restrained at the appropriate levels,
e.g. mid-height point in the case of the 2nd harmonic and the third-height points in the case of the
3rd harmonic.
The fundamental critical load (i.e. n = 1) for a pin-ended column is therefore given by:
7.3.2.2
The Euler stress corresponding to the Euler Buckling Load for a pin-ended column is given by:
Note: In practical design it is very difficult to achieve full fixity as assumed for the end
conditions. This is allowed for by modifying the effective length coefficients e.g. increasing the
value of 0.5L to 0.7L and 0.7L to 0.85L.
A lower limit to the slenderness for which the Euler Equation is applicable can be found by
substituting the stress at the proportional limit σe for σ
In this case the Euler load is only applicable for values of slenderness ≥ ≈ 100 and can be
represented on a stress/slenderness curve in addition to that determined in Section 7.3.1 for short
columns as shown in Figure 7.11.
The Euler Buckling Load has very limited direct application in terms of practical design because
of the following assumptions and limiting conditions:
Figure 7.11
Figure 7.12
Since the Euler Curve is unsuitable for values of stress greater than the elastic limit it is
necessary to develop an analysis which overcomes the limitations outlined above and which can
be applied between the previously established slenderness limits (see Figure 7.11) as shown in
Figure 7.12.
Early attempts to develop a relationship for intermediate columns included the Tangent Modulus
Theorem. Using this method a modified version of the Euler Equation is adopted to determine
the stress/slenderness relationship in which the value of the modulus of elasticity at any given
level of stress is obtained from the stress/strain curve for the material and used to evaluate the
corresponding slenderness. Consider a column manufactured from a material which has a
stress/strain curve as shown in Figure 7.13 (a)
The slope of the tangent to the stress/strain curve at a value of stress equal to σ is equal to the
value of the tangent modulus of elasticity Et (Note: this is different from the value of Examples
in structural analysis Et at the elastic limit). The value of Et can be used in the Euler Equation to
obtain a modified slenderness corresponding to the value of stress σ as shown at position ‘x’ in
Figure 7.13(b):
If successive values of λ for values of stress between σe and σy are calculated and plotted as
shown, then a curve representing the intermediate elements can be developed. This solution still
has many of the deficiencies of the original Euler equation.
The Perry-Robertson Formula was developed to take into account the deficiencies of the Euler
equation and other techniques such as the Tangent Modulus Method. This formula evolved from
the assumption that all practical imperfections could be represented by a hypothetical initial
curvature of the column.
As with the Euler analysis a 2nd Order Differential Equation is established and solved using
known boundary conditions, and the extreme fiber stress in the cross-section at mid-height (the
assumed critical location) is evaluated. The extreme fiber stress, which includes both axial and
bending effects, is then equated to the yield value. Clearly the final result is dependent on the
initial hypothetical curvature.
Consider the deformed shape of the assumed centre-line of a column in equilibrium under the
action of its critical load Pc and an assumed initial curvature as shown in Figure 7.14.
Figure 7.14
Where a is the amplitude of the initial displacement and the equation becomes:
The constants A and B are determined by considering the boundary values at the pinned ends,
i.e. when x = 0, y = 0 and when x = L, y = 0.
The value of the stress at mid-height is the critical value since the maximum eccentricity of the
load (and hence maximum bending moment) occurs at this position;
Where c is the distance from the neutral axis of the cross-section to the extreme fiber. The
maximum stress is equal to the yield value, i.e. σmaximum = σy
The average stress over the cross-section is the load divided by the area, i.e. (Pc/A)
The (ac/r2) term is dependent upon the assumed initial curvature and is normally given the
symbol η.
This equation can be rewritten as a quadratic equation in terms of the average stress:
This equation represents the average value of stress in the cross-section which will induce the
yield stress at mid-height of the column for any given value of η. Experimental evidence
obtained by Perry and Robertson indicated that the hypothetical initial curvature of the column
Whilst the Perry-Robertson formula does take into account many of the deficiencies of the Euler
and Tangent Modulus approaches, it does not consider all of the factors which influence the
failure of columns subjected to compressive stress. In the case of steel columns for example, the
effects of residual stresses induced during fabrication, the type of section being considered (i.e.
the cross-section shape), the material thickness, the axis of buckling, the method of fabrication
(i.e. rolled or welded), etc. are not allowed for.
A more realistic formula of the critical load capacity of columns has been established following
extensive full-scale testing both in the UK and in other European countries. The Perry-Robertson
formula has in effect been modified and is referred to in design codes as the Perry strut formula
λ is the slenderness
The Perry factor ηfor flexural buckling under axial force should be taken as:
λ0 is the limiting slenderness below which it can be assumed that buckling will not occur. The
European Column curves are indicated in graphical form in Figure 7.16.
The Robertson constant a should be taken as 2.0, 3.5, 5.5 or 8.0 as indicated in design codes
depending on the cross-section, thickness of material, axis of buckling and method of fabrication.
Figure 7.16
The frame shown in figure below is composed of members with rectangular cross sections. All
members are constructed of the same strength concrete (E is the same for both beams and
columns). Considering bending in the plane of the frame only, classify column EF as long or
short if the frame is braced. All girders are 300 x 600 mm.
600
F 525 KN
C I
350 F
3.80 m 300 300 x 350 300 M1 = 30 KNm
600
B
H
E
400
3.80 m
300 x 400
A 9m D 7.5 m G M2 = 45 KNm
E
Solution:
E 16 x108 4.21 x105 E
K DE
Columns: K c EI c 3.8 x103
Lc
K EF
E 10.71875 108 2.82 x105 E
3.8 x103
2.82 x105
Joint F: F 0.21
6 x105 7.2 x105
E F 0.53 0.21
m 0.37
2 2
Le Le 2660
The slenderness ratio:
I I A 10.71875 x10 300 x 350
8
26.327.
30
50 25 66.66 ok!
45
The colum is short.
Axial compression
Ast
Where, ρ = or Ast = ρ Ag
Ag
Le
12; Where Le = Effective height; b = least lateral dimension
b
For such columns a load reduction factor Cr is introduced in such a way that the concrete
concentric design axial load capacity can be given by
Pduc = Cr Pdult
E.g.: A column resting on an independent footing supports a flat slab. The super imposed
factored load transferred from the slab is 1000 KN. Design the column assuming a gross steel
ratio of (a) 0.01 (b) 0.02. Use concrete C30, steel S300 and class I works. Assume column
height h = 4 m.
Solution:
Pd
(a) For ρ = 0.01, Ag
[ f cd (1 ) f yd ]
1000 *103
S2 = S = 249 mm
13.6(1 0.01) 0.01(260.87)
≤ 300 mm
Pd
(b) For ρ = 0.02, Ag
[ f cd (1 ) f yd ]
1000 *103
S2 = S = 232 mm
13.6(1 0.02) 0.02(260.87)
≤ 300 mm
Interaction diagram: It is a plot of axial load capacity of a column against the bending moment it
sustains. To illustrate conceptually the interaction between axial load and moment in a column,
an idealized, homogeneous and linearly elastic column with compressive strength fcu equal to its
tensile strength ftu is considered. This type of column fails in compression when
σmax = fcu.
P My P My
f cu ; or 1 -------------------------(1)
A I f cu A f cu I
f cu I
But Pmax = fcu A & Mmax =
y
P M
Equation (1) becomes, 1; This equation is called interaction equation.
Pmax M max
fcu = ftu
Reinforced concrete is not elastic, and it has ft << fc. Tensile strength, of course, is developed by
rebars, on the tensile zone of the member. Therefore, calculation of interaction in concrete
member is complicated. However the general shape of the diagram resembles the figure given
below.
Axial load
Moment
Total eccentricity
etot = ee + ea + e2
Where ee = equivalent constant first-order eccentricity of the design axial load.
ee = eo, for eo equal at both ends of a column
For first order moments varying linearly along the length, the equivalent eccentricity is the
higher of the following two values.
ee = 0.6 eo2 + 0.4eo1
ee = 0.4 eo2
Where eo1 and eo2 are first order eccentricities at the ends with eo2 being positive and greater in
magnitude than eo1.
For different eccentricities at the ends, the critical end section shall be checked for first order
moments.
etot = e02 + ea
ea = additional eccentricity in account of geometric imperfections.
K2 = M d
M bal
Ac f cd
As
f yd
In using these charts for design, the following procedure may be adopted.
Given: axial load and bending moment, (BM = axial load × total eccentricity)
* Calculate ν and μ,