BUCKLING OF STRUTS

OBJECTIVE
1. To examine how shear force varies with an increasing point load
2. To examine how shear force varies at the cut position of the beam for
various loading condition
LEARNING OUTCOME
1. The application the engineering knowledge in practical application
2. To enhance technical competency in structural engineering through
aboratory application.
3. To communicate effectively in group
4. To identify problem, solving and finding out appropriate solution
through
laboratory application
INTRODUCTION
A compresive member can fail in two ways. The first is via rupture due
to
o the direct stress and the second is by an elastic mode of failure
called
o buckling. Short wide compressive member tends to fail by
material
o crushing.
When buckling occurs the strut will no longer carry any more load and
it
o will simply continue to buckle i.e its stiffness then becomes zero
and it is
o useless as a structural member

THEORY
To predict the buckling load Euler buckling formula is used. The crictical
value in Euler Formula is the slenderness ratio, which is the ratio of the
length of the strut to its radius of gyration (L/K).
The Euler formula become inaccurate for struts with L/K ratio of less
than
1.125 and this should be taken into account in any design work.
Euler buckling formula for pin struts :

Where;
Pe = Euler buckling load (N)
E = Youngs Modulus (Nm-2)
I = Second moment of area (m4)
L = length of strut (m)

PROCEDURE
Part 1
1. Fit the bottom chuck to the machine and remove the top chuck (to
give two pinned ends). Select the shortest strut, number 1, and
measured the cross section using the vernier provided and
calculated
the second moment of area, I,for the strut. (bd3/12)
2. Adjust the position of the sliding crosshead to accept the strut using
the thumbnut to lock off the slider. Ensure that there is the
maximum
amaount of travel available on the handwheel threat to compress
the
strut. Finally tighten the locking screw.
3. Carefully back- off the handwheel so that the strut is resting in the
notch but not tranmitting any load. Rezero the forcemeter using the
front panel control.

4. Carefully start to load the strut. If the strut begin to buckle to the
left,
flick the strut to the right and vice versa (this reduces any error
associated wih the straightness of strut). Turn the handwheel until
there is no further increase in load (the load may peak and then
drop
as it settles in the notches).
5. Record the final load in Table 1. Repeat with strut numbers 2, 3, 4
and 5 adjusting the crosshead as required to fit the strut.

THE BUCKLING OF STRUTS APPARATUS

THE STRUT START TO BUCKLING

Part 2
1. To study the effect of end conditions, follow the same basic
procedure as in part 1, but this time remove the bottom chuck and
clamp the specimen using the cap head screw and plate to make a
pinned-fixed end condition.
2. Record your result in Table 2 and calculate the values of 1/ L2 for the
struts.
3. Fit the top chuck with the two cap head screws and clamp both ends
of the specimen to make a pinned pinned end condition. Calculate
the new values of 1/L2.
4. Enter the result into Table 3

RESULT
STRUT
NUMBER

LENGTH
(mm)

Buckling Load
Experiment (N)

Buckling Load
Theory (N)

1/L^2
(m^-2)

Buckling Load
Theory (N)

1/L^2
(m^-2)

1
2
3
4
5

TABLE

STRUT
NUMBER

LENGTH
(mm)

Buckling Load
Experiment (N)

1
2
3
4
5
TABLE

STRUT
NUMBER

LENGTH
(mm)

Buckling Load
Experiment (N)

Buckling Load
Theory (N)

1/L^2
(m^-2)

1
2
3
4
5
TABLE

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Part 1:
1. Examine the Euler buckling equation and select an appropriate
parameter to establish a linear relationship between the buckling
load
and the length of the strut. Write the relationship below.
2. Calculate the value and enter them in Table 1 with an appropriate
title.
3. Plot a graph to prove the relationship is linear. Compare your
experimental value to those calculated from Euler formula by
entering
a theoretical line onto the graph. Comment on the result.
4. Explain that the Euler Formula can predict the buckling load or not.

Part 2:
1. Plot separate graphs of buckling load versus 1/ L2 and calculate the
gradient of each line.
2. Fill the table below showing the comparison between experimental
and theoretical ratio by end condition

Notes:
1. *Use the experimental gradient fom Part 1
2. Experimental ratio = Exp. Gradient / gradient of pinned-pinned.
3. Theoretical ratio can be obtained from Euler Formula for pinned fixed
and fixed-fixed.
4.Comment on the experimental and theoretical ratio.
5. What conclusion can you made from the experiments.