AM2540

BUCKLING OF STRUTS
CODE : K
BATCH 20
GROUP 1

ME15B160
ME15B161
ME15B162
ME15B163

BUCKLING OF STRUTS
____________________________________________________________________

Objective:
To study the buckling of a column under axially applied load with various boundary
conditions and compare the experimental buckling loads with the Euler buckling formulae.
Apparatus:
Figure 1 shows the details of the Buckling of Struts apparatus. It consists of a back plate with
a load cell at one end and a device to load the struts at the top. The bottom chuck fixes
to an articulated parallelogram mechanism, which prevents rotation but allows movement
in the vertical direction against the ring load cell. The mechanism reacts to the
considerable side thrust produced by the strut under buckling conditions, with little
friction in the vertical direction. It has a digital force display also.

Fig. 1 Buckling of struts experimental setup

Theory:
Buckling is a large deformation produced under compressive load in a direction or plane
normal to the direction of application of the load. Buckling is a form of instability, it occurs
suddenly with large changes in deformation but little change in loading.
For this reason it is a dangerous phenomenon that must be avoided in structural design.
Members in compression can fail either by crushing (excessive compressive stress) or by
buckling: short members fail by crushing while long slender members fail by buckling.
Critical Buckling Load : For a given column the minimum load causing buckling
depends on the geometrical and mechanical characteristics (length, section, Youngs
modulus, end support condition) of the column
The radius of gyration is determined from the second moment of area: divided
by the cross-section area . For a rectangular bar, having width and depth , the second
moment of area is I = bh3/12
Buckling Direction: As the critical buckling load is proportional to I, a column will
buckle in the direction corresponding to the minimum value of I.
The general Euler buckling formula for struts is :
2 EI
Pcr = 2
LE

(1)

Where, Pcr is the Euler buckling load (N), E is Youngs modulus (GPa), I is the second moment of
area (mm4 ). Choose appropriately Ixx or Iyy for given cross section) Le = Effective length of strut
(mm);
(For Hinged- Hinged Le = L, Hinged-Fixed Le= /2 and Fixed-Fixed Le =
L/2 ) Youngs modulus Steel= 210 GPa
Youngs modulus Aluminium= 70 GPa

Assumptions made in Eulers formula :

The material of the column is homogeneous and isotropic.
The compressive load on the column is axial only.
The column is free from initial stress.
The weight of the column is neglected.
The column is initially straight (no eccentricity of the axial load).
Pin joints are friction-less (no moment constraint) and fixed ends are rigid (no rotation
deflection).
The cross-section of the column is uniform throughout its length.
The direct stress is very small as compared to the bending stress (the material is compresses only
within the elastic range of strains).
The length of the column is very large as compared to the cross-sectional dimensions of the
column.
The column fails only by buckling. This is true if the compressive stress in the column does not
exceed the yield strength y

Procedure:
Make sure the digital force display is on. Check that the mini DIN lead from Force Input 1
on the Digital Force Display to socket marked Force Output on the right hand side of the
unit. Carefully Zero the force meter using the dial on the front panel of the instrument.
Gently apply a small load with a finger to the top of the load cell mechanism and release.
Zero the meter again if necessary. Repeat to ensure that the meter returns to zero.
Note: If the meter is only +/- 1N, lightly tap the frame (there may be a little stiction and
this should overcome it)
1. Buckling Load of a Pinned-Pinned End Strut:
i. Referring to Figure 3, fit the bottom chuck to the machine and remove the top
chuck. ii. Use the strut given for your experiments. Measure the cross section using the
vernier.
iii. Adjust the position of the sliding cross crosshead to accept the strut using the
thumbnuts to lock off the slider. Ensure that there is maximum amount of
travel available on the hand wheel thread to compress the strut. Finally tighten the
locking screws.
iv. Carefully back off the hand wheel so that the strut is resting in the notch but not
transmitting any load; rezero the forcemeter using the front panel control.
v. Carefully start the loading of the strut. If the strut begins to buckle to the left, flick
the strut to the right and vice versa (this reduces any errors associated with the
straightness of the strut)
vi. Turn the hand wheel until there is no further increase in load (the load may peak
and then drop as it settles into the notches). Do not load the struts after the
buckling load has been reached otherwise the strut will become permanently
deformed. Record the final load as shown in sample table under buckling load.
Try loading the strut three times and take the average of these as the experimental
buckling load.

2. Buckling load of a Pinned Fixed End Strut

i.

ii.

Follow the same procedure as in experiment 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 (Fig. 4). Do not load the struts after the buckling load
has been reached otherwise the strut will become permanently deformed.
Record your results as per the sample table. Note that the test length of the struts
is shorter than in Experiment 1 due to allowance made for clamping the specimen.
Use this changed length in calculations.

Observations:
1. Buckling Load of a Pinned-Pinned End strut

Strut Material
No.

Lengt
h (L)
mm

Thickness
(d)
mm

Breadth
(b) mm

Buckling
load (Pcr)

Ixx

Iyy

4
(mm )

4
(mm )

Trial
1a.

Steel

470

1.5

36.8

10.35

6229.5

1b.

Steel

370

1.5

36.8

10.35

6229.5

1c.

Steel

570

1.5

36.8

10.35

6229.5

1d.

Flexiglass

470

38.5

401.00 20765

1e

Flexiglass

370

38.5

401.00 20765

Buckling
Load
theory
N

%
Error

85.33

97.1

13.8

141.33

161.8

14.5

59.00

66.0

11.8

56.00

57.31

2.5

86.67

92.47

6.69

(Experiment
al)
N
86
85
85
141
139
144
56
59
62
52
55
61
88
85
87

Average

2. Buckling Load of a Pinned - Fixed End Strut

Strut
No.

Material

Length (L)
mm

Thickness
(d)
mm

Breadt
h (b)
mm

Ixx
(mm
)

Iyy
4

Bucklin
g Load
theory
N

%
Error

148.67

194.00

31.0

262.67

323.0

23.2

127.33

132.00

3.6

Buckling
load (Pcr)

4
(mm ) (Experimental)
N
Trial Average

2a

Steel

470

1.5

36.8

2b

Steel

370

1.5

36.8

2c

Steel

570

1.5

36.8

150
10.35 6229.5 147
149
265
10.35 6229.5 260
263
129
10.35 6229.5 127
126

Graph:

Graph for Load Versus Length for Pin - Pin Joint

Load

Length

Graph for Load Versus Length for Fixed- Pin Joint

Load

Length

Result:
From the experiments the fixed end can take in more load than the pin joint. It holds true with
theoretical values also. It is because the fixed takes in some part of force and affects the effective
length.
Also, it is noted that the change in dimension, results in change in value of buckling load. This
is evident from the experiments as well as theoretically by formula, due to change in moment of
inertia.
Graphs plotted for theoretically and practically, behave well with each other.
There are deviations of experimental and theoretical results. It may be due to experimental
errors, and errors in assuming that the rod is ideal, as assumed in formula. Also the column may
not be free from initial stress.The weight of the steel rod may also be considerable in this case.

Conclusions:
The following observations and trends were observed during the run of this experimant and are
summarized as follows :
1. Difference in material:
The plastic bar showed greater buckling than the steel bar for the same compressive
stresses applied.
2. Difference in length::
Longer bars showed more buckling than shorter rods of the same material under the same
compressive stresses.
3. Difference of joints:
When pin joints were used at both ends greater buckling was observed than in the case in
which one of them was a fixed joint. Also in the latter case, buckling started at a distance
from the fixed joint.

THANK YOU