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BUCKLING OF STRUTS

INTRODUCTION
A compressive member can fail in two ways. The first is via rupture due to
the direct stress and the second is by an elastic mode of failure called
buckling.
Short wide compressive member tends to fail by material crushing.
When buckling occurs the strut will no longer carry any more load and it
will simply continue to buckle i.e. its stiffness then becomes zero and it is
useless as a structural member.
OBJECTIVE
The main objective of this experiment is to study the buckling of slender
columns and relationships between length, end fixing conditions and
buckling load.
THEORY
To predict the buckling load Euler buckling formula is used. The critical
value in Euler Formula is the slenderness ratio, which is the ratio of the
length of the strut to its radius of gyration (L/K).
The Euler formula become inaccurate for struts with L/K ratio of less than
1.125 and this should be taken into account in any design work
Euler buckling formula for pin struts:
Pe=2EI/L2
Where;
Pe = Euler buckling load (N)
E = Youngs Modulus (Nm-2)
I = Second moment of area ( m4 )
L = length of strut ( m )

APPARATUS

Buckling Load Machine

Meter of Load

Struts

OBSERVATION
After graph is plotted, found that stated graph is straight line linear where
buckling load directly proportional with long for experiment 1. So, the longer the
length, the less the value of buckling load.
For experiment 2, stated graph is shaped and positive graph of straight line
linear where buckling load directly proportional with 1/L 2.
For experiment 3, stated graph is also shaped and positive graph of straight line
linear where buckling load directly proportional with 1/L 2.

PROCEDURE
Experiment 1: Buckling Load of a Pinned-End Strut
1. Fit the bottom chuck to the machine and remove the top chuck (to give
2 pinned ends)
2. Select the shortest strut, number 1, and measure the cross section
using the vernier
caliper provided and calculate the second moment of area, I, for the
strut.
3. Adjust the position of the sliding crosshead to accept the strut using the
thumbnuts to
lock off the slider. Ensure that there is the maximum amount of travel
available on the
handwheel thread to compress the strut.
4. Finally tighten the locking screws. Carefully back off the handwheel so
that the strut is
resting in the notch but not transmitting any load; rezero the
forcemeter using the front
panel control.
5. 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).
6. 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).


7. Repeat with strut numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5 adjusting the crosshead as
required to fit the
strut.
Experiment 2: The Effect of End Conditions on the Buckling Load
(pinned-fixed)
1. Follow the same basic procedure as Experiment 1, but this time remove
the bottom
chuck and clamp the specimen using the cap head screw and plate to
make a pinnedfixed end condition.
2. Record your results in Table 2 and calculate the values of 1/L2 for the
struts. Note that
the test length of the struts is shorter than in Experiment 1 due to the
allowance made
for clamping the specimen.
3. Now fit the top chuck with the two cap head screws and clamp both
ends of the
specimen, again this will reduce the experimental length of the
specimen and you will
have to calculate new values for 1/L2.
4. Take care when loading the shorter struts near to the buckling load.

Experiment 3: The Effect of End Conditions on the Buckling Load


(fixed-fixed)
1. Follow the same basic procedure as Experiment 1, but this time remove
the bottom
chuck and clamp the specimen using the cap head screw and plate to
make a pinnedfixed end condition.

2. Record your results in Table 2 and calculate the values of 1/L2 for the
struts. Note that
the test length of the struts is shorter than in Experiment 1 due to the
allowance made
for clamping the specimen.
3. Now fit the top chuck with the two cap head screws and clamp both
ends of the
specimen, again this will reduce the experimental length of the
specimen and you will
have to calculate new values for 1/L2.
4. Take care when loading the shorter struts near to the buckling load.

DATA OF EXPERIMENT

Table 1: Results for Experiment 1 (pinned ends)


Euler

Strut
numbe
r
1
2
3
4
5

Length

Bucking load

Buckling

1/L2

(mm)

(N)

Formula

(m-2)

320
370
420
470
520

-79
-54
-29
-24
-20

(N)
115.18
86.15
66.86
53.4
43.62

9.77
7.30
5.67
4.53
3.70

Table 2: Results for Experiment 2(pinned-fixed)


Euler

Strut
numbe
r
1
2
3
4
5

Length

Bucking load

Buckling

1/L2

(mm)

(N)

Formula

(m-2)

320
370
420
470
520

-175
-125
-89
-76
-60

(N)
262.11
192.57
147.44
116.49
94.36

9.77
7.30
5.67
4.53
3.70

Table 3: Results for Experiment 3(fixed-fixed)


Strut
numbe
r
1
2
3
4
5

CALCULATION
I=

b d3
12

Euler
Length

Bucking load

Buckling

1/L2

(mm)

(N)

Formula

(m-2)

320
370
420
470
520

-305
-242
-209
-129
-115

(N)
601.78
433.24
326.73
255.16
204.77

9.77
7.30
5.67
4.53
3.70

3 3

2.2 x 10

(19.52 x 103)
I =
I=17.32 x 1012 m4
E(aluminium) = 69 GPa

Part 1
To calculate Buckling Load (N) Theory (pinned-pinned end condition)
Pe =

2 EI
L2

69 x 10
3 2
320 x 10

12
)
2 ( 9)(17.32 x 10

Pe =
Pe =115.18 N
Part 2
To calculate Buckling Load (N) Theory (pinned-fixed end condition)
2 2 EI
Pe =
2
L
69 x 10
30 0 x 103 2

12
(
9)(17.32
x 10 )
2 2

Pe =
Pe =262.11 N
Part 3
To calculate Buckling Load (N) Theory (fixed-fixed end condition)

Pe =

4 2 EI
L2

69 x 10
3 2
28 0 x 10

12
)
2 ( 9)(17.32 x 10
4

P e =

Pe =601.78 N
PinnedPinned

PinnedFixed

FixedFixed

Experime
ntal
Gradient
Experime
ntal Ratio

1.46

1.33

1.25

1.46/1.46
=1

1.33/1.46 =
0.911

1.25/1.46 =
0.86

Theoretic
al Ratio

1.28/1.28=
1

1.29/1.28 =
1.008

1.25/1.28 =
0.98

Notes:
1. *Use the experimental gradient from Part 1
2. Experimental ratio = Exp. Gradient / gradient of pinned-pinned.
3. Theoretical ratio can be obtained from Euler Formula for pinned fixed
and fixed-fixed.

DISCUSSION
Base on the graft that we plotted, the difference to the end of the pins for
the results of gradient experiments is 1.46 and the slope of the theoretical
calculation results of 1.28. Difference to the fixed -pin end of the gradient
experiment results were 1.33 and gradient theory results of the
calculation is 1.29. In addition, the differences for fixed-fixed end
conditions are for the gradient experiment results are 1.25 and theoretical
calculations are the result of the slope is 1.25. This experiment result
shows that the slope is greater than the slope of the calculation results. In
practice, the buckling of the experiment is higher than theoretical.
Euler Formula can predict the buckling load, because the ratio between
the Buckling Load (N) and the 1/L (m) is consistence within the graft, and
show accurately that inversely proportional as approve at point 0, 0 when
the length is 0, then the buckling Load should be 0.
From the table, experimental ratio is not consistence with the usage of
end of connection, we basically we know that the fixed end is much
stronger than the pins end as per theoretical ratio value. This shows the
more force should be imposed on the members of the joint fixed-fixed end
compared to the pin-pin connection. When one of the end is changed from
pin end to fix end, the ratio is two times larger than the pinned-pinned, it
the same case happed when both of the end changed to Fixed-fixed end.
The experimental ratio is not consistence with theoretical ratio because
there was several errors when conduct the experiment, such as the screw
is not tightens carefully, the sliding crosshead are not tighten to the
experiment apparatus.
Based from the experiment of Buckling of Strut, we can conclude that
Fixed end is much stronger than the Pinned end and more force should be
imposed on the member of the joint fixed-fixed end connection, but in

other criteria the usage in fixed end connection usually apply for concrete
beam or column connection, The Pinned end is used for Steel connection
because, usually fixed end connection is for permanent connection, steel
always use bolt and nut rather than weld fabricating connection.

Pinned End
115.18
86.15

79

66.86
54

53.4
43.62
20

24

29

Pinned Fixed
262.11

192.57
147.44
125

116.49
94.36
60

76

89

175

Fixed End
601.78

433.24
326.73
255.16
204.77
115

209

305
242

129

CONCLUSION
Based from the experiment of Buckling of Strut, we can conclude that
Fixed end were much stronger than the Pinned end and more force should
be imposed on the member of the joint fixed-fixed end connection, but in
other criteria the usage in fixed end connection usually apply for concrete
beam or column connection. The Pinned end is used for Steel connection
because, it is usually fixed end connection is for permanent connection.

REFERENCES
1. Mechanic of Materials, SI Second Edition, R.C. Hibbeler
2. www.tech.plym.ac.uk
3. www.roymech.co.uk
4. E.J Hearn, Mechanic of material 1 3rd edition Butterworth-Heinemann, UK,
2003.
5. Ferdinand P. Beer, E Russel Johnston, and John T. Dewolf, Mechanic of
material
McGraw Hill, New York, 2004.

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