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Understanding Struts and Buckling Mechanics

The document provides an overview of struts, which are long structural members under compressive loads, detailing their failure modes, particularly buckling for slender members. It discusses Euler's theory for predicting critical loads based on different end fixing conditions and introduces the Rankine-Gordon criteria for more accurate buckling load predictions at lower slenderness ratios. Additional resources and links related to buckling and strut mechanics are also included.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
5 views4 pages

Understanding Struts and Buckling Mechanics

The document provides an overview of struts, which are long structural members under compressive loads, detailing their failure modes, particularly buckling for slender members. It discusses Euler's theory for predicting critical loads based on different end fixing conditions and introduces the Rankine-Gordon criteria for more accurate buckling load predictions at lower slenderness ratios. Additional resources and links related to buckling and strut mechanics are also included.

Uploaded by

serkan
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Struts Sayfa 1 / 4

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Mechanics Index

Simple Struts

Introduction

A long structural member subject to a compressive load is called a strut. Struts with large cross sections compared with
the length generally fail under compressive stress and the conventional failure criteria apply. When the cross section area
is not large compared to the length i.e the member is slender, then the member will generally fail by buckling well before
the compressive yield strength is reached.
The notes below relate to uniform straight members made from homogeneous engineering materials used within the
elastic operating range. It is assumed that an end load is applied along the centroid of the ends. The strut will remain
straight until the end load reaches a critical value and buckling will be initiated. Any increase in load will result in a
catastrophic collapse and a reduction in load will allow the strut to straighten. The value of the critical load depends upon
the slenderness ratio and the end fixing conditions. The slenderness ratio is defined as the effective length / the least ratio
of gyration of the section The principal end fixing conditions are listed below

z Pinned (hinged) at both ends


z Fixed (built-in) at both ends
z Fixed at one end and free at the other
z Fixed ant one end and pinned at the other

Eulers Theory

The simple analysis below is based on the pinned-pinned arrangement. The other arrangements are derived from this by
replacing the length L by the effective length b.

For the pinned-pinned case the effective length b = L.


For the Fixed -Fixed case the effective length b = L/2.
For the Fixed-Free case the effective length b = L x 2.
For the Fixed-Pinned case the effective length b approx. L x 0,7.

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Struts Sayfa 2 / 4

Curvature
Quick derivation for curvature (1/R)

Beam equation

M/I=σ/y=E/R

When x = 0 y = 0 and 0 = A cosµ0 + B.0 = A therefore A = 0


When x = b , y = 0 and so B sin µb = 0.
B cannot be 0 because there would be no deflection and no buckling which is contrary to experience.
Hence sin µb = 0. therefore µb = 0, π, 2π, 3 π etc

(W/EI) b 2 = π 2, 4.π 2, 9.π 2 etc


therefore W = π 2 E.I / b2 , π 2 E.I / (b / 2) 2, π 2 E.I / (b / 3) 2,

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Struts Sayfa 3 / 4

As the moment of inertia I = A.k 2 and the end force W = σ A. The formula can be rewritten

W = σ A = π 2 E A k 2 / b2
Therefore
σ = π 2 E / (b / k)2
Validity of eulers theory
This theory takes no account of the compressive stress. For a metal with a compressive strength of less than 300 N/mm2
and a Young's Modulus of about 200 kN/mm2. The strut will tend to fail in compression if the slenderness ratio (b/k) is
less than 80. Therefore for steel Eulers equation is not reliable for slenderness ratios less than 80 and really should not
be used for slenderness ratios less than 120.

Rankine - Gordon Criteria


This criteria is based on experimental results.

This criteria suggests that the strut will fail at a load given by.

1 / W = 1 / W c + 1 / We

Wc = Compressive failure Load


We = Euler Load

Substituting c = σ c / ( σ 2 E) - A constant for each material

This design criteria provides more accurate buckling loads than the euler theory especially at lower slenderness ratios. At
higher slenderness ratios the two methods yield similar results. The experimental values for c are not in direct agreement
with the theoretical values. BS 449-2:1969 includes tables for the safe working stresses for all slenderness ratios and a
range of steel specifications.

Links to Struts

1. DANotes - Buckling ..Relevent detail reference document


2. Buckling tests on eccentrically loaded beams /columns..A very informative downloadable document
3. Buckling of Slender Struts ..Faculty of Technology Plymouth -Lecture Notes

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Struts Sayfa 4 / 4

4. MITcalc ..A vey useful Excel based software suite which includes and excellent section on buckling Ads by Google
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Last Updated 08/04/2006

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