Example 1.

From first principle determine the buckling load of a column with one end
fixed and the other pinned (7 Mks).

Solution

FBD is as below

1mks

At pin end a horizontal force load F is introduced, the moment of F about the built-in end
will balance the fixing moment.
Taking origin at built-in end the BM at section C is given by
𝑑2 𝑦
𝐸𝐼 𝑑𝑥 2 = −𝑃𝑦 + 𝐹(𝐿 − 𝑥) 1mks
2
𝑑 𝑦 𝑃 𝐹
→ + 𝑦 = (𝐿 − 𝑥)
𝑑𝑥 2 𝐸𝐼 𝐸𝐼
𝐹
Let 𝑛2 = 𝐸𝐼, then
The particular solution to above equation is:
𝐹
𝑦 = 𝐴 cos 𝑛𝑥 + 𝐵 sin 𝑛𝑥 + 𝑃 (𝐿 − 𝑥) 1mks
Using Boundary conditions:
𝐹𝐿
At 𝑥 = 0, y= 0; 𝐴 = − 𝑃 : ½mks

1
 𝑑𝑦 𝐹
At 𝑥 = 0, 𝑑𝑥 = 0; 𝐵 = 𝑛𝑃: ½mks
𝐹𝐿 𝐹 𝐹
→𝑦=− cos 𝑛𝑥 + 𝑛𝑃 sin 𝑛𝑥 + 𝑃 (𝐿 − 𝑥) 1mks
𝑃
𝐹𝐿 𝐹 𝐹
At 𝑥 = 𝐿, y= 0; 0 = − 𝑃 cos 𝑛𝐿 + 𝑛𝑃 sin 𝑛𝐿 + 𝑃 (𝐿 − 𝐿) ½mks
→ 𝑛𝐿 cos 𝑛𝐿 = sin 𝑛𝐿
→ tan 𝑛𝐿 = 𝑛𝐿 1mks
Value to satisfy above condition is nL=0, or nL =√2*π radians.
Taking the other non-zero value we obtain
nL =√2*π
𝑃
𝐿√𝐸𝐼=π√2 ½mks
2π2 𝐸𝐼
→𝑃 = 1mks
L2

Example 2. A column of length L is pinned at each end and is subjected to an axial

compressive load F. Determine its Euler Buckling load. (6
MKs).
Solution
FBD is as below

1mks

2
Taking origin at built-in end the BM at section C is given by
𝑑2 𝑦
𝐸𝐼 𝑑𝑥 2 = −𝐹𝑦 ½mks
𝑑2𝑦 𝐹
→ + 𝑦=0
𝑑𝑥 2 𝐸𝐼
𝐹
Let 𝑛2 = 𝐸𝐼, then ½mks
The particular solution to above equation is:
𝑦 = 𝐴 cos 𝑛𝑥 + 𝐵 sin 𝑛𝑥 ½mks
Using Boundary conditions:
At 𝑥 = 0, y= 0; 𝐴 = 0: ½mks
At 𝑥 = 𝐿, y= 0; 𝐵 sin 𝑛𝐿 = 0: ½mks
The particular solution can only be satisfied when = 0 , or sin 𝑛𝐿 = 0
But 𝐵 = 0 will give a trivial solution ½mks
→ sin 𝑛𝐿 = 0 ½mks
→ 𝑛𝐿 = 𝜋 ½mks
𝐹
→ 𝐿√𝐸𝐼 =π ½mks
π2 𝐸𝐼
→𝐹 = L2 ½mks
Example 3. A 3m length steel strut of rectangular cross-section with depth of 20cm
and 100mm thickness is to be subjected to a load W acting 20° from its centroidal
axis. Taking it as a hinged-end strut, determine the maximum load the strut can
support. Take E as 210Gpa and yield strength as 210Mpa.
(7 Mks).
Solution
Data Given:
Length L=3m, Depth d=20cm=0.2m, Thickness t=100mm=0.1m, angle θ=20°. Young
Modulus E=210Gpa, yield strength σy=210Mpa. 1mks
FBD is given below

1mks

3
Moment of inertia of the section are:
𝑡𝑑3 0.1×0.23
𝐼𝑥𝑥 = = = 6.67 × 10−4 𝑚4 ½mks
12 12
𝑑𝑡 3 0.2×0.13
𝐼𝑦𝑦 = = = 1.67 × 10−4 𝑚4 ½mks
12 12
Least radius of gyration is
𝐼𝑦𝑦 1.67×10−4
𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑛 = √ 𝐴 = √ = 29𝑚𝑚 1mks
0.1×0.2
𝑊 𝑊
The component of W responsible for buckling is 𝑃 = cos 𝜃 = cos 20° = 1.064𝑊 1mks
Applying the formula for a hinged-end strut for buckling, we have.
π2 𝐸𝐼 π2 210×109 ×1.67×10−4
𝑃= = = 15.36𝑀𝑁 1mks
L2 32
From 𝑃 = 1.064𝑊,
𝑃 15.36
→𝑊= = = 14.44𝑀𝑁 1mks
1.064 1.064
Example 4. Using Rankine’s formula find the necessary thickness of a metal in a CI
column of hollow circular section 6 m long, fixed at both ends. The outside diameter
being 20 cm, if the axial load is to be 800 kN and the crippling load is to be 6 times
this amount. Assume a=6.25 X 10-4 and ultimate stress of 555 MPa. (11 Mks).
Solution
Data Given:
Length L=6 m, Outside diameter D =20cm, Axial Load Pa= 800 kN, Factor of safety
n=6, Thickness t=100mm=0.1m, angle θ=20°. Young Modulus E=210Gpa, yield
strength σy=555 Mpa, Inside Diameter d=? 1mks
𝜋 𝜋
Moment of inertia of the section 𝐼 = 64 (𝐷4 − 𝑑 4 ) = 64 (0.24 − 𝑑 4 ) 1mks
𝜋 𝜋
Area of section is 𝐴 = 4 (𝐷2 − 𝑑 2 ) = 4 (0.22 − 𝑑 2 ) 1mks
𝜋
𝐼 (0.24 −𝑑4 ) (0.22 −𝑑2 )
Radius of gyration is 𝜌2 = 𝐴 = 64
𝜋
(0.22
= 1mks
−𝑑2 ) 16
4
Critical load is 𝑃𝑟 = 𝑛𝑃𝑎 = 6 × 800 = 4800 𝑘𝑁 1mks
𝜎𝑦 𝐴
From rankine equation 𝑃𝑟 = 𝑎 𝐿 2 1mks
1+ ( )
𝜇 𝜌
3 555×103 ×0.25𝜋(0.22 −𝑑2 )
4800 × 10 = 6.25×10−4 6×16
2
1+ ( )
0.5 (0.22−𝑑2 )
400𝑑2 + 52 = 58.1 − 36.2 × 103 𝑑 4
36.2 × 103 𝑑4 + 400𝑑2 − 6.1 = 0 1mks
Let d2=x, this implies that
36.2 × 103 𝑥 2 + 400𝑥 − 6.1 = 0 1mks
Solving as quadratic gives
−400±√4002 +4×6.1×36.2×103 −400±1040
𝑥= = = 8.84 × 10−3 1mks
2×36.2×103 72.4×103
𝑑 = √8.84 × 10−2 𝑚 = 94𝑚𝑚 1mks
× 10−3 = 9.4
𝐷−𝑑 200−94
And thickness 𝑡 = 2 = 2 = 53𝑚𝑚 1mks