ENGINEERING LABORATORY V

BDA 3701
Buckling of Struts
INTRODUCTION
 A strut is a long structural member subjected to a
compressive load.
 Slender member is a strut with low cross section area
compared to the length.
 Generally fail by buckling before the compressive yield
strength is reached.
 The strut will remain straight until the end load reaches a
critical value and buckling will be initiated
INTRODUCTION (CONT’D)
 Critical load depends upon the slenderness ratio and the end fixing
conditions.  
 The slenderness ratio is defined as the effective length (l) / the least
radius of gyration (k) of the section.
 The principal end fixing conditions are listed below:
 Pinned (hinged) at both ends
 Fixed (built-in) at both ends
 Fixed at one end and free at the other
 Fixed at one end and pinned at the other
OBJECTIVE
 To study the buckling of slender columns and
relationships between length, end fixing conditions and
buckling load.
THEORY
 The experiment was carried out to see if Euler‘s prediction
could be relied upon in practice.
 Assumption:
 uniform straight members made from homogeneous engineering
materials used within the elastic operating range.
 end load is applied along the centroid of the ends.
 The strut is initially straight
 When the applied load reaches the critical load elastic buckling
occurs. Euler prediction for pin-end strut is given by:

Where
cr = critical stress (N/m2)
A =cross section area (m2)
I =second moment of inertia (m4)
Pcr =critical load (N)
E =elastic modulus (N/m2)
L =specimen length (m)
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.
 BEAM EQUATION
 Note: The derivation below is based on a strut with pinned ends. A similar method
can be used to arrive at the Euler loads for other end arrangements which will
confirm the basis for the factors in arriving at the equivalent length b.

M / I = σ / y = E / R

• When x = 0 y = 0 and therefore A cos μ.0 + B sin μ.0 = A = 0 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 
AP
PA
RA
T
US
RESULT
Table 1 : Result for experiment 1 (pinned end)
Strut Length Buckling Load (N) 1/L²
no. (mm) EXP THEO (m¯²)

3 48 51.46 5.67
4 40 41.09 4.53
5 32 33.57 3.69

Table 2 : Result for experiment 2 (pinned-fixed)

Strut Length Buckling Load (N) 1/L²
no. (mm) EXP THEO (m¯²)

3 100 115.79 6.25

4 86 91.49 4.94
5 58 74.1 4
RESULT
Table 3 : Result for experiment 3 (fixed end)

Strut Length Buckling Load (N) 1/L²

no. (mm) EXP THEO (m¯²)

3 213 251.46 6.93

4 170 196.38 5.41
5 143 157.6 4.34
OBSERVATION
 Only 3 aluminium alloy strut are used. (no.3,4 & 5)
 Each strut have different in length. (shortest=no.3;
longest=no.5)
 Strut are not initially straight.

 Each strut had been applied with different end fixed condition.
(pinned end, pinned-fixed & fixed end)
 By controlling the loading handwheel , load start transmit to
the strut.
 When the load reach in certain value, the strut begin to buckle.
To reduce error, the strut are then flicked to the opposite
direction.
 Data had been taken when there’s no further increase in load
on the force meter.
OBSERVATION
 Based on the data collective, it can be seen that the strut
tend to stand in higher load when ;
fixed end condition
short in length
DISCUSSION

i. Analysis on Pinned-end
ii. Analysis on pinned-fixed
iii. Analysis on fixed-end
iv. Analysis on graph patterns
 Graph Buckling Load Against 1/L For Pinned End
55

50

45
Buckling Load, P (N)

Experimental
Linear (Experimental)
40
Theory
Linear (Theory)

35

30

25
3 3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6

1/L (m )
ANALYSIS FOR PINNED-END
 Experimental Gradient
mthe = 9.063 N.m
mexp = 8.077 N.m

 Percentage Error
Error = 10.87%
 Graph Buckling Load Against 1/L For Pinned-Fixed
120

110

100
Buckling Load, P (N)

90 Experimental
Linear (Experimental)
Theory
80 Linear (Theory)

70

60

50
3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5

1/L (m )
ANALYSIS FOR PINNED-FIXED
 Experimental Gradient
mthe = 18.235 N.m
mexp = 18.065 N.m

 Percentage Error
Error = 0.93%
 Graph Buckling Load Against 1/L For Fixed End
280

260

240

220
Buckling Load, P (N)

Experimental
Linear (Experimental)
200
Theory
Linear (Theory)

180

160

140

120
3.5 4 4.5 5 5.5 6 6.5 7 7.5

1/L (m )
ANALYSIS FOR FIXED END
 Experimental Gradient
mthe = 36.364 N.m
mexp = 27.000 N.m

 Percentage Error
Error = 25.75%
ANALYSIS ON GRAPH PATTERNS
 All graphs shows directly proportional between load (N)
and deflection(1/L).
 There are lot of different in deflection values between
theoretical (Euler Formula) and experimental.
 Highest percentage error ~ Fixed-End

 Lowest percentage error ~ Pinned-Fixed

 Maybe due to several errors occurs during conducting

the experiment.
 The Euler Formula is still acceptable to calculate the
deflection of strut.
ERRORS
 Parallax error when taking the reading of struts.
~ may lead to different value of moment inertia.
 Reading of force value is not constant (fluctuate).
~ tolerance for the value “zero”
 Initially buckle or bend.
~ due to several usage in previous experiments.
 Maximum deflection a strut can reach.
~ have to assume the maximum deflection.
~ strut maybe can undergo further deflection.
CONCLUSION
1. After finish up this experiment we also understand about the
buckling of slender column and relationship between length
end fixing condition and buckling load.
2. We can see that the length affect the buckling load where as the
longer the strut
3. Beside that the strut for fixed end can support much higher
critical load rather than strut for pinned end and also pinned
fixed.
4. From that we can said that the engineering design for fixed end
for the critical load and may be considered as to be the perfect
design to support higher load.
RECOMMENDATION
1. There are some recommendation are need to improve
the experiment:
 The reading must be taken carefully for each struts
cross section where we can reduce its error by taking
several reading
 Change the strut, use the new one therefore we can
guarantee that the strut initial condition is still
straight.
 Be careful during the experiment because the force
reading meter is too sensitive even to tiny movement
PROCEDURES
PART 1: BUCKLING LOAD OF A PINNED
END STRUT.

 INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF THE LENGTH OF

THE STRUT.
 TO PREDICT THE BUCLING STRUT, THE EULER
BUCKLING LOAD IS USE.
 THE LOAD MAY PEAK AND THEN DROP AS IT
SETTLES IN THE NOTCHES.
 RECORD THE FINAL LOAD IN TABLE 1 UNDER
‘BUCKLING LOAD’.
 THE STRUT NUMBER 2, 3, 4,5 IS REPEAT BY
ADJUSTING THE CROSSHEAD AS REQUIRED TO FIT
THE STRUT.
 MORE CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN WITH THE
SHORTER STRUT, AS THE ARE QUITE LOW.
 TRY LOADING EACH STRUT SEVERAL TIMES A
CONSISTENT RESULT IS ACHIEVED.
PART 2: THE EFFECT OF END CONDITION
ON THE BUCKLING STRUT.
 FOLLOW THE SAME PROCEDURES IN PART 1, BUT
THIS TIME REMOVED THE BOTTOM CHUCK AND
CLAMP THE SPECIMENT USING THE CAP HEAD
SCREW AND PLATE TO MAKE A PINNED FIXED END
CONDITION.
 RECORD THE RESULT IN TABLE 2.

 NOTE THAT THE TEST LENGTH IS SHORTER THAN

EXPERIMENT 1 DUE TO THE ALLOWANCE MADE
FOR CLAMPING THE SPECIMEN.
PART 3: THE EFFECT OF FIXED
PINNED ON THE BUCKLING STRUT.

 FIT THE TOP CHUCK WITH THE TWO CAP

HEAD SCREW AND CLAMP BOTH END OF THE
SPECIMEN.
 TAKE CARE WHEN LOADING THE SHORTER
STRUT NEAR TO THE BUCKLING LOAD.