Elastic Stability

ELASTIC STABILITY AND BUCKLING OF STRUTS-

Axially-Loaded Struts
Euler Formula
The Euler theory is based on the following assumptions:
a) the strut is initially perfectly straight,
b) the load is applied axially,
c) the strut is very long in comparison with its cross-
sectional dimensions,
d) the assumptions made in the theory of bending hold good,
i.e. the strut is uniform throughout and the limit of
proportionality is not exceeded.
Elastic Stability
P P
x
y
L
Uniform EI

Elastic Stability

Consider a pin-ended (or pin-jointed)
strut AB length L, subjected to an
end compressive load P.

Suppose that, for an unspecified
reason, the strut bows so that at a
section XX, distance x from A,
the deflection is y, as shown.

The bending moment at this section
is Py

P P
x
y
L
Uniform EI

Elastic Stability

) ( 0 = y +
dx
y
d
:
EI
P
= ing substitut or,
0 = y
EI
P
+
dx
y
d
: or Py =
M
=
dx
y
d
EI
I
2
2
2
2
x
2
2
o
o
2
2

and, substituting in the differential equation of flexure:
Elastic Stability
The solution of (Eq. I) is:


where A and B are constants determined by boundary conditions.

But y = 0 when x = 0, whence A = 0
So:



Also y = 0 when x = L, thus B sinL = 0.
x B x A y o o sin cos + =
x B y o sin =
Elastic Stability
This means that either B = 0, which is not valid, since there is
then no deflection at all,
or sinL = 0, in which case:
L = 0, , 2, 3,.....etc

The least value which satisfies all the conditions of the problem
is, therefore:
L = , or
2
=
2
/ L
2
.

Hence, for a pin-ended strut:



Elastic Stability
But
2
was a substitution for P/ EI Thus the least value of P which satisfies all
the conditions is
2
EI/ L
2
.

This critical load is called the Euler Buckling Load, and is usually denoted by P
E
.
L
EI
= P
2
2
E
t
Elastic Stability
P P
x
y
L
Uniform EI

Now consider the case where both ends are fixed.
M1 M2
Elastic Stability
By symmetry, M1 = M2 and R1 = R2 = 0
Thus at section XX:



The solution to this differential equation is
y = A cos x + B sin x + M1/ P where
2
= P/ EI as before.
At position x = 0, y = 0 from which: M1/ P = -A.
Thus: y = A cos x + B sin x - A
and thus, by differentiation,
dy/ dx = - A sin x + B cos x
Also, at position x = 0. dy/ dx = 0 (clamped ends) and thus: B = 0
Hence the deflection equation becomes
y = A( cos x - 1)
At position x = L, y = 0 and either A = 0 (in which there is no deflection at all) or:
cos L = 1 for which the solutions are:
L = 0, 2, 4, 6 , ....

M Py = M =
dx
y
d
EI
x
2
2
1
+
Elastic Stability
The first value is rejected because it again leads to zero deflection
throughout. The least value satisfying all the conditions of the
problem is therefore:
L = 2 or
2
=4
2
/ L
2
Thus, remembering that
2
is a substitution for P/ EI, the
buckling load for a strut with clamped ends is given by:
Elastic Stability
For fixed ends
L
EI 4
=
P
2
2
E
t
Elastic Stability
It is very common in design codes to refer to the
'equivalent' length of a strut. The equivalent length of
a strut is the length of a pin-ended strut which would
have the same buckling load as the one in question. A
pin-ended strut of length L would buckle at a load of
only
2
EI/ L
2
, but it can be seen that a pin-ended
strut of length L/2 would buckle at a load of 4
2
EI/
L
2
.
Hence the equivalent length of a strut which is clamped
at both ends is L/2.
Thus an alternative way of presenting the buckling load
for a strut with clamped ends is:
Elastic Stability
L
EI
2
L
EI
=
P
2
2
2
2
E
t t 4
=
|
|
.
|

\
|
For fixed-ended strut:
Elastic Stability
P P
x
y
L
Uniform EI

Elastic Stability
Strut with one end clamped, one end pinned:
There is a fixing moment at the clamped end only and, due to lack of symmetry, there are unequal
reactions R1 and R2 at the supports.
Taking the origin at the hinged end as shown in the figure, the differential equation of flexure
becomes:
EI d
2
y/ dx
2
= - Mx = - P y - R1 x
for which the solution is:
y = A cos x +B sin x - R1 x/ P (where
2
= P/ EI )
and, by differentiation,
dy/ dx = B cos x - R1/ P
At the clamped end, x = L, y = 0 and dy/ dx = 0. thus, from the preceding two equations:
B sin L = R1L/ P and B cos L = R1/ P
whence, by dividing, tan L = L
Once again, we reject the solution L = 0 on the grounds that it leads to no deflection whatever,
and the lowest value satisfying the problem is found to be
L = 4.494 rad (257.5
o
)

and therefore
2
L
2
= 4.494
2
= 20.2
Elastic Stability
But
2
L
2
= PL
2
/ EI, from which the critical, or buckling, load is given
by:


This expression does not include p, which makes comparison with the
preceding results less obvious.

However, noting that
2
has the value 9.87, the expression may be re-written
as:


Another alternative is to write the expression in terms of the 'equivalent length'
of this strut, in which case it becomes:
L
20.2EI
=
P

2
E
L

EI
=
P
2
2
E
t
05 . 2
2
) 7 . 0 ( L
EI
=
P
2
E
t
L
EI
=
P
2
2
E
t
Elastic Stability Summary: Euler Critical Loads

For a pin-ended strut
For a fixed-ended strut
For a strut with one end
pinned and one end fixed:
L
EI
=
P
2
2
E
t 4
L
EI
=
P
2
2
E
t 2
Elastic Stability
Other issues:
Buckling Stress, Slenderness Ratio:
Perry Robertson, Rankine Gordon, AISC
Eccentrically Loaded Struts

2
2 2
|
.
|

\
|
= =
= =
=
r
l
E
L
Er
gyration of radius r
A
I
but
AL
EI
=
A
P
L
EI
=
P
2
2
E
2
2
E
E
2
2
E
t
t
o
t
o
t