Columns and Beams

Buckling of columns in compression was covered in

• MECH2300:Structures and Materials.
It is very important for machine design, hence the need for a refresher.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

Buckling of a thin column

Buckling is the inability

of the structure to carry
loads even if the material
is still undamaged.

This thin plastic column

will buckle under a small
load.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

A column harder to buckle

A harder material
and a thicker
section.

This column is
harder to buckle.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

An example video that shows what buckling is

This is a video filmed on location at the

Structures Laboratory, Imperial College
London Department of Civil and
Environmental Engineering. It provides a
good visual example of how slender columns
buckle.

Its YouTube address is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=164_5jGpFNM

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

 Column properties that influence buckling
• Tendency to buckle dependent on:
– Shape and dimensions of its cross section
– Its length
– Manner of attachment to adjacent members or supports
• Important sectional properties:
– Cross-sectional area, A
– Moment of inertia, I, wrt the axis about which its value is minimum
– Minimum value of the radius of gyration, r.
• End fixity and effective length
– Pinned-end cannot sway from side to side; offers no resistance to rotation
– Fixed end is held against rotation (as the bottom end of a flagpole)
– Free end is free in all degrees of freedom (as at the top end of a flagpole)
– The effective length depends on the end conditions
• Slenderness Ratio:
– Ratio of the effective length of the column to its minimum radius of gyration
MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci
Sectional Properties
Note how the hollow parts are treated. If the section is
symmetric, the moment of inertia of the hollow section
is subtracted from the moment of inertia of the solid
envelope.

Using this principle, you can generate formulations for

other shapes. There will be an example in BB Test 3.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

Buckling analysis

• The method of analysis is different for LONG columns and

SHORT columns.
– Long columns Euler equation
– Short columns Johnson equation
Le
• Long or short depends on the slenderness ratio,
rmin
– Le is the effective length
– rmin is the minimum radius of gyration
Le
• A column is treated as long if > Cc
rmin

• A column is treated as short otherwise

2π 2 E Modulus of elasticity
• The transition slenderness ratio is Cc =
Sy
Yield strength

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

Effective Length – Depends on the end conditions

In this course, always use the practical values (higher values) unless otherwise specified.

Mott, p215. Machine Design MECH2100 (Custom Edition)

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

Euler equation (for long columns)
π 2 EA π 2 EA π 2 EAr 2
Euler formula for long columns: Pcr = = =
( KL )
2 2 2
 Le   KL 
 r   
   r 

Substituting the definition for the radius of gyration, r = I / A

π 2 EI
Pcr =
( KL )
2

The columns will buckle if the applied load exceeds this critical load. Note that the critical
load only depends on the geometry and stiffness. Specifically, it does not depends on the
material strength at all. However, note that the transition slenderness ratio, Cc, depends on the
yield strength (see Slide #7).

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

Johnson formula for short columns
 S KL
( ) 
2

Pcr = AS y 1 − r
y

4π E
2 
 

The critical load for a short column depends on the material strength as well as the geometry
and the stiffness.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

Summary of buckling analysis

When KL/r<Cc, use Johnson equation

When KL/r>Cc, use Euler equation The transition from a
long slender column
to a short stubby
column is determined
by comparing the
Pcr  S y ( KL / r )2  KL value of the Column
σ= = S y 1 −  Cc is equal to at this point Constant, Cc
A  4π 2 E  r
2π 2 E
Pcr π E2 Cc =
σ= = Sy
A ( KL / r )2
to the slenderness
ratio KL/r

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

 Column Analysis Flow Chart

Compute
• Effective Length, Le Short Column:
YES
• Radius of gyration, r KL/r<Cc ? Use Johnson formula
• Slenderness ratio, KL/rmin to calculate Pcr
• Cc

NO

Long Column:
Use Euler’s
Formula

• NOTE: The above is a summary of the flow chart given in Mott, Figure 6-4.
• If the critical buckling stress is higher than the yield strength for ductile materials (or the UCS)
for brittle materials, then the column is likely to fail by yielding (or brittle fracture).
• IMPORTANT: If a column is part of a building structure, special considerations apply and these
are explained in the relevant standards and codes. This is beyond the scope of this course.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

 Buckling is not the only column failure mode
Columns under compression loads may sometimes fail
through other mechanisms before they buckle:
• Ductile materials yield (when σ > S y )
• Brittle materials have a brittle fracture (when σ > UCS )
F
σ=
A
Sy = Yield Strength
UCS = Unconfined Compressive Strength

This a basic parameter

of strength for brittle
materials like rocks.
• You have to check against all forms of failure
• Appropriate factors of safety need to be added to the above equations. Note that in buckling
analysis, the practice is to apply the factor of safety (a.k.a. the design factor) on the load rather
than the strength. The allowable load is the failure load divided by the design factor.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

 Example #1
A column has a solid circular cross section, 32 mm in diameter. It has a length of 1.4 m and is
pinned at both ends. If it is made from SAE1020 cold-drawn steel, what would be a safe
column loading? Use a safety factor of 3.

Step 1: The effective length Pinned-pinned ends K=1 Le = L = 1400 mm

D
Step 2: Radius of gyration r= = 8 mm (for a solid circular section from Mott, Appendix 1)
4
KL 1 × 1400
Step 3: Compute the slenderness ratio = = 175
r 8
2π 2 E 2π 2 207000
Step 4: Column constant (a.k.a. transition slenderness ratio) Cc = = = 107
Sy 352

π 322
π 2 EA π 207000 ×
2

4
Step 5: KL/r > Cc Use Euler’s formula Pcr = 2
= 2
= 53650 N
 KL  175
 
 r 

Pcr 53650
Step 6: Safe (allowable) Load Pa = = = 17880 N
Fs 3
MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci
 Step 1: Le
Example #2 Fixed-pinned ends K=0.8 Le=224 mm
A SAE 1040 hot-rolled steel column has a
Step 2: r – for the axis that gives the minimum value
rectangular cross section, 12 x 18 mm2 and a 12
length of 280 mm. The lower end is welded into a r = = 3.46 mm
close-fitting socket. The upper end is pinned. 12
Compute the critical load. Step 3: KL/r 224 3.46 = 64.7

Step 4: Cc
2π 2 207000
Cc = = 119
290

64.7 < 110 Short Column

 (290 MPa)64.7 2 
Pcr = (12 × 18 mm )(290 MPa) 1 − 2
2

 4π 207000 MPa 
= 53300 N

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

 Using MDESIGN

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

 Column Design Example
A-A • L=280mm
• Fixed-Pinned K=0.80
• E=207000 MPa
• Sy=290 MPa
Unknown section • Factor of safety, N=3

A A

MDESIGN gives you the radius of gyration and the

diameter for a round column. If you want to use
other sections, you have to pick a section with the
MECH2100 – Lecture7 same radius of gyration as in the MDESIGN result. Hal Gurgenci
 Buckling Modes and Vibration Modes
The buckled column shapes look similar to beam vibration mode shapes. I draw below the first three
vibration modes for a simply supported beam. You will know how to calculate them in your third
year. Note the similarity between the buckling shapes and the shape of the first vibration mode..

Simply supported beam

First three modes of vibration

As in vibrations, there is an infinite number of buckling modes. Buckling of slender columns is also
an eigenvalue problem. Again as in vibrations, we can restrict the buckling to the higher modes by
supporting the column in its intermediate points. The buckling strength will increase as shown here:

M Vable, Mechanics of Materials

http://www.me.mtu.edu/~mavable/

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

Efficient column sections

Which of the following two sections are more efficient

(efficiency = strength/weight) ?

(a) (b)

• Critical stress is inversely proportional to KL/r

• Therefore, we want a section with large r
• Since the column will buckle around the axis with minimum r, it is good to have
r the same around all axes.
• So you want a section with area uniformly distributed and located away from the
centroid
• See also Mott Figure 6-12 for other efficient column section options.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

Intermediate restraints to increase buckling strength
The concept of mid-point roller supports of the
slide #18 can be realised in a real structure by using
elastic supports as shown in the photo on the left.

This figure shows a water tank on four columns.

The legs would probably buckle if it were not for
the mid-point support A.

The water tank in Belbel has a capacity of 10,000 gallons

and is elevated 6 meters from the ground.
http://www.peoplesdevelopmentinstitute.org/projects-
2/photo-documentation-3rd-ccp/

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

Crooked Columns
If the column is not straight, then it becomes easier to buckle the column
because there is bending in addition to the bending action. The equation in
Mott, Section 6-11, can be used to analyse crooked columns. Alternatively, use
the software MDESIGN.
1   ac   S y APcr
Pa2 −  S y A + 1 + r 2  Pcr  Pa + N 2 = 0 a, crookedness
N    
Pa The allowable load for the crooked column
N Safety factor
Sy Yield strength
A Area of the column
c Distance from the neural axis for bending to the outer edge
a Crookedness
Pcr Euler formula result

This is a quadratic equation and Pa can be solved. The equation becomes

increasingly inaccurate for shorter columns. However, it is not appropriate to
switch to Johnson formula as we did for straight columns earlier.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

 Crooked Column Example
b
Y

h
X X a, crookedness
L
Y
INPUT DATA
A A • b=12 mm
• h=18mm
• L=600mm
• Fixed-Pinned K=0.80
• E=207000 MPa
• Sy=290 MPa
• Factor of safety, N=3
• Initial crookedness = 3 mm

The original allowable load was about 17800 N. A curvature with a 3-mm
crookedness drops this down to 4511 N as shown on the MDESIGN output
page on the right above.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

 Crooked Column Example
b
Y

h
X X

L
Y
INPUT DATA
A A • b=12 mm m
• h=18mm
• L=600mm
• Fixed-Pinned K=0.80
• E=207000 MPa
• Sy=290 MPa
• Factor of safety, N=3
• Initial crookedness = 3 mm

The original allowable load was about 17800 N. A curvature with a 3-mm crookedness drops this
down to 4511 N as shown on the MDESIGN output page on the right above.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

 Crooked Column Example MDESIGN Output

b
Y

h
X X

L
Y
INPUT DATA
A A • b=12 mm
• h=18mm
• L=600mm
• Fixed-Pinned K=0.80
• E=207000 MPa
• Sy=290 MPa
• Factor of safety, N=3
• Initial crookedness = 3 mm

The original allowable load was about 17800 N. A curvature with a 3-mm crookedness drops this
down to 4511 N as shown on the MDESIGN output page above.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

Sensitive to the crookedness
This chart was created using the
ANALYSIS tab on MDESIGN.

It shows how the allowable load comes

down with increasing crookedness.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

 Eccentrically Loaded Columns
Eccentric loading caused bending in addition to the column action.
b
There are two modes of failure:
Y • Failure by yielding due to the bending caused by eccentricity (the
stress is calculated by the secant formula)
h • Failure by buckling of the column as per of the Euler critical load
X X
(or using the Johnson formula1 for short columns)
e Y
The former is usually more critical but both need to be checked.
A-A
Secant formula for eccentrically loaded columns:
P  ec  KL P 
σ L /2 = 1 + 2 sec  
A  r  2r AE  
A A
The failure load is that load which causes this stress to reach the yield strength:
P  ec  KL P 
Sy = 1 + 2 sec  
A  r  2r AE  
P
Allowable load is found by dividing the failure load by the design factor. Pall =
N

You can use either the above equations or MDESIGN to calculate the safe load. Either case, you have
to use trial and error. MDESIGN will not do the iterations for you.
1 Yes, we should use the J B Johnson equation for short columns
MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci
MDESIGN Secant Formula
MDESIGN only checks again yielding by using
the Secant formula. It does not calculate the safe
Even a small eccentricity load. Your responsibility to check against
causes a big reduction in the buckling action (by entering e=0)
failure load.

I changed this to get the stress

equal to the yield strength.

Note how this is equal

to the yield strength

MDESIGN does not use this in this

computation. You have to apply it
yourself to the final load. The allowable
MECH2100 – Lecture7 load in this instance is 21200/3. Hal Gurgenci
Question #1

The critical load for the following slender rod with pinned-pinned ends is calculated as 10 kN

The responsible engineer proposes adding a support in the middle through a sleeve as shown
in the following figure.

If this change is implemented, based on the given information, what would be the estimated
buckling strength for this rod?

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci

Question #2
A cylindrical bar loaded compressively in the axial direction is made of Grade 350 structural
steel. It has the following properties:

• KL/r = 200
• Cc=108

Its safe buckling load has been determined as 50 kN.

It is proposed to change the material to Grade 250 steel. Estimate the safe buckling load.

MECH2100 – Lecture7 Hal Gurgenci