Adam Paweł Zaborski

7 Stability and Buckling

Introduction
Definitions
stability – a state of a secular equilibrium of a structural member
buckling – a law of a structure movement
There are three types of equilibrium state: secular (stable), neutral and unstable, Fig. 7.1.

Fig. 7.1 Three types of equilibrium

Following Lyapunov’s stability definition, a main criterion of a system stability is its response after an
infinitesimal stimulus’ action:
 in the stable state the system returns to its original position
 in the neutral equilibrium state the system doesn’t return to its original position from a neighborhood
 in the unstable state the system buckles significantly and doesn’t return to its original position
The system is in a stable state if and only if its potential energy attains minimum.

Critical load
When a compression force, applied to a pole, increases constantly, the pole remains stable up to some value
of the force, Fig. 7.2. When the critical value of the force is reached, we observe a bifurcation point and the
pole exits from the stable state. The displacements of the pole become undetermined.

P/Pkr

1 bifurcation
point
w

Fig. 7.2 Critical force and bifurcation point

Above the bifurcation point the rectilinear form of the pole equilibrium is not possible.
The loss of stability is very dangerous for three reasons:
 the important deformations of the system usually mean its collapse,
 the system’s collapse is instantaneous, not leaving time for any rescue action,
 there are no signs before the catastrophe.

Euler’s formula
In the linearly elastic state of the structure, we use the Hooke’s law and resign from the solidification
principle. In the actual configuration, the deflections of the bar become:
M ( x )  Pw( x)  M b ( x)
where M b is a part of the bending moment resulting from the boundary conditions. Substituting:
 Adam Paweł Zaborski

P
EJw' ' ( x)  Pw( x)   M b ( x)  k2 
EJ
we get Euler’s equation:
M b ( x)
w' ' ( x)  k 2 w( x)  
EJ
The complementary function is:
w0 ( x)  A sin kx  B cos kx
and the form of the particular integral depends on the form of the moment M b .
The integral constants as well as the right hand side of the Euler’s equation should be determined taking
into account the boundary conditions, Fig. 7.3.
a) P b) P c) P d) P e) P
R R
x x x
x Mo x Mo

Fig. 7.3 Different boundary conditions

M b ( x)  0; w(0)  w(l )  0
a) B  0, sin kl  0  kl  n
n 2  2 EJ  2 EJ
Pkr  2

l l2
M b ( x)  0; w(0)  w' (l )  0
 
b) B  0, cos kl  0  kl   n 
2 2
 2 EJ
Pkr 
4l 2
R
M b ( x)  Rx; ws ( x)   x, w(0)  w(l )  w' (l )  0
P
c) B  0, R  APk cos kl, tan kl  kl  kl  4.493
20.19 2 EJ  2 EJ
Pkr  
l2 (0.699l ) 2
R M
M b ( x)  Rx  M 0 ; ws ( x)   x  0 , w(0)  w(l )  w' (0)  w' (l )  0
P P
sin kl
d) M 0   Bk 2 , R  APk, B A, 1  cos kl  12 kl sin kl  kl  2
cos kl  k
4 2 EJ  2 EJ
Pkr  
l2 (0.5l ) 2
M0
M b ( x)  M 0 ; w s ( x)   , w' (0)  w(l )  w' (l )  0
P
e) A  0, M 0  BP cos kl, Bk sin kl  0  sin kl  0  kl  
 2 EJ
Pkr 
l2
We introduce the definitions of an effective length and the slenderness ratio:
l eff
l eff  l ,  .
i min
 Adam Paweł Zaborski

The effective length is the buckling half-wave length.

The slenderness ratio is the ratio of the effective length to the minimal inertia radius of the cross-section.
The effective length depends on the static scheme (boundary conditions). The coefficient  for the
schemes from a) to e) is 1, 2.0, 0.699, 0.5 and 1, respectively.
The slenderness ratio depends on the static scheme as well as on the cross-section geometry.
Now, we can write the Euler’s formula for the critical force in a general form:
 2 EJ  2 EA
PE  
l eff 2 2
The formula is valid if the normal stresses don’t exceed the proportionality limit, RH.
PE  2 E 2 E
 cr   2  RH  RH  ,
A   lim 2
E
where  lim   .
RH
The elastic range is valid for the slenderness ratio greater than its limit value.

Range not linearly elastic

The range is limited from both sides by:
 yielding limit for   0 ,
 proportionality limit for    lim .
The simplest linear approximation was proposed by Tetmeyer and Jasiński, Fig. 7.4:

J-O
Re
T-J
RH non- elastic range
linear
range

gr 
Fig. 7.4 Elastic and nonlinear ranges
Re  R H
 T  J  a  b,  T  J (0)  Re ,  T  J ( lim )  R H  a  Re , b 
 lim

PT  J  A T  J  ARe  A( Re  R H )
 lim
Another approximation was proposed by Johnson and Ostenfeld:
Re  R H
 J O  C  B2 ,  J O (0)  Re ,  J O ( gr )  R H  C  Re , B
2lim
2
  
PJ O  A J O  ARe  A( Re  R H )  .
  lim 

Examples
In the consideration of straight bar stability there are two types of problems:
 the determination of allowable loading for the given bar geometry; the range is known a priori; the
allowable loading value should be much smaller than the critical value (the safety factors are
considerable, from 1.5 to 7),
 Adam Paweł Zaborski

 the determination of the cross-section geometry for the given loading; the range of the solution is not
known a priori and prior assumption should be checked at the end of calculations.

Example 7.1
Determine the dimension of the square cross-section of the cantilever loaded by a force P = 1 MN, if Re =
240 MPa, RH = 180 MPa, E = 210 GPa, l = 1 m, n = 2 (safety factor).
Solution
d  2 EJ
We assume the elastic range of solution, leff = 2 m, A = d2, J = d4/12, i  , Pn  2
, hence:
12 lw
96  10 6
d 4  0.0825 m
 2 210  10 9
l eff 2 12
We check the range of the solution: lim  107,     83.98  lim (the range is not correct),
i d
we change the range for T-J formula:
Pn  (a  b )d 2 , (240 10 6  0.56 10 6 2 12
d
)d 2  2 10 6 , 240d 2  3.88d  2  0 , d  0.084 m
We assume d = 8.5 cm.

Example 7.2
Knowing that leff = 4 m, lim  107 , P = 100 kN, n = 2.12 (safety factor), determine the geometry of the
cross-section composed of two channel profiles, Fig. 7.5.
z

Fig. 7.5 Two channel profiles

Solution
From the profiles’ tables we have:
[ 80, A = 11 cm2, e = 1.45 cm, Jy = 106 cm4, iy = 3.1 cm, Jz = 19.4 cm4
for the stability in the plane x-y:
400  2 210  109  2  106  108
  129   lim , PE   275  Pn .
3.1 16
To obtain the same bearing capacity, an equality of the inertia moments should be fulfilled Jz = Jy = 212
cm4, which means:
J z  2( J z 0  Fd 2 )
hence d = 0.028 m and minimal distance of the channel profiles would be:
45 - 14.5 = 30.5 mm = 0.0305 cm, J z  2435 cm4, iz = 0.033 m,  = 120.2 > lim.
The range verification is not necessary because of the critical force from the Euler’s formula is greater than
from the T-J formula.

Example 7.3
Determine the allowable force that may be applied to the bar presented in Fig. 7.6, if d = 8 cm, l = 200 cm,
steel St3S: E = 210 GPa, RH = 180 MPa, Re = 240 Mpa, lim = 107.
 Adam Paweł Zaborski

x
z
y
Fig. 7.6 Bar with different boundary conditions in planes
Solution
the plane x-z:
 = 2, leff = 4 m,  = 200 > lim (elastic range),
PE  2 EA 260
Pall    kN
n n 2 n
the plane x-y:
 = 0.5, leff = 1 m,  = 50 < lim (non-elastic range)
 T  J A (a  b) A 1.065
Pall    MN
n n n
Finally we have Pall = 260/n kN (n – the safety factor, not stated but indispensable).

Review problems
Problem 7.1
Using allowable stress design, determine the allowable centric load for a column of 6-m effective length
that is made from the following rolled-steel shape: a) HEA 220 and b) HEA 260. Use RH = 180 MPa, Re =
300 MPa, E = 210 GPa. Assume the safety factor equal to 2.
Ans.: a) 563 kN, b) 854 kN

Problem 7.2
A simple compression member of 8-m effective length is obtained by connecting two C200 steel channels
with lacing bars as shown in Fig. 7.7. Knowing that the factor of safety is 1.85, determine the allowable
centric load for the member. Use RH = 180 MPa, Re = 300 MPa, E = 210 GPa and d = 100 mm.

Fig. 7.7 Two channel profiles

Ans.: 606 kN

Problem 7.3
A column of effective length L can be made by gluing together identical planks in either of the
arrangements shown in Fig. 7.8. Determine the ratio of the critical load using the arrangement a) to the
critical load using the arrangement b).
 Adam Paweł Zaborski

Fig. 7.8 Two arrangements of planks

Ans.: 1.421

Problem 7.4
Determine the critical load of an aluminum tube that is 1.5 m long and has 16-mm outer diameter and a
1.25-mm wall thickness. Use E = 70 GPa.
Ans.: 487 N

Problem 7.5
A 2-m long pin-ended column of square cross-section is to be made of wood. Assuming E = 13 GPa, RH =
12 MPa, and using a factor of safety of 2.5 in computing Euler’s critical load, determine the size of the
cross-section if the column is to support (a) a 10-kN load, (b) a 20-kN load safely.
Ans.: a) 5.53 cm, b) 6.58 cm

Addendum
Design of steel structures
The bearing capacity of the bar cross-section is calculated from a formula of the type:
N all  Af d ,
where  is a reduction coefficient of the bearing capacity which depends on relative slenderness ratio
(defined in the standard), fd – steel strength, A – cross-section area gross.

Energy method
The elastic energy is a sum of the potential energy and the work of external forces: E = U - L. The balance
condition in the critical state is zero of functional variation of elastic energy:
E  0  U  L  U  L ,
M2
l l
U   dx  12  EJ ( w' ' ) 2 dx
0 2 EJ 0
L  Pv , v – vertical displacement,
l
L  12 P  ( w' ) 2 dx,
0
hence, finally:
l
 EJ ( w' ' ( x)) dx
2

Pcr  0
l
 ( w' ( x)) dx
2

0
 Adam Paweł Zaborski

The energy method solution is to safety disadvantage. Its accuracy depends on the quality of the deflection
approximation. For this reason an approximation function should fulfill the kinematic and sometimes static
boundary conditions.

Example
The calculation of the Euler’s critical force for a two-storey column, Fig. 7.9: l1 = 4 m, l2 = 2 m.

N N
R1
l1 x1

R1  R2
l2 x2
x R2

Fig. 7.9 Two-storey column

Solution
Energy method
1st approximation
w(x) = a (x3 + bx2 + cx + d)
kinematic boundary conditions: w(0) = w(l1) = w(l1 + l2) = 0
w(x) = a (x3 - 10x2 + 24x), Pcr = 1.458 EJ
nd
2 approximation
w(x) = a (x5 + bx4 + cx3 + dx2 + ex + f)
kinematic boundary cond.: w(0) = w(l1) = w(l1 + l2) = 0
static boundary cond.: w’’(0) = w’’(l1 + l2) = 0, Pcr = 0.952 EJ
Exact solution
R N
for 0  x1  l1 ,w1 ' 'k12 w1   1 x1 , substituting k 2 
EJ EJ
we have (comp. f. + part. int.):
R
w1 ( x)  A sin k1 x1  B1 cosk1 x1  1 x1
N
with the boundary conditions:
R1l1 R
w1 (0)  w1 (l1 )  0  w1 ( x1 )  sin k1 x1  1 x1 ,
N sin k1l1 N
(the same for 0 < x2 < l2). The compatibility conditions are: w1 ' (l1 )   w2 ' (l 2 ) , M 1 (l1 )  M 2 (l 2 ).
Comparing the second derivatives we get k1  k 2  k , and from the first derivatives’ condition we get
(after rearrangements):
 cos kl1 cos kl2  l1  l 2
k      k  0.9642  N  k 2 EJ  0.930 EJ .
 sin kl1 sin kl2  l1l 2

Glossary
stability – stateczność
secular (not relating to religion) – świecki
secular (continuing throughout the ages) – trwały, wiekowy
secular/neutral/unstable equilibrium – równowaga trwała/obojętna/nietrwała
 Adam Paweł Zaborski

buckling – wyboczenie
stimulus – bodziec
bifurcation point – punkt bifurkacji (rozdwojenia)
complementary function – całka ogólna
effective length – długość wyboczeniowa
area gross – przekrój brutto