1.

0 OBJECTIVE
1.1 To examine how shear force varies with an increasing point load.
1.2 To examine how shear force varies at the cut position of the beam for various
loading condition.

2.0 LEARNING OUTCOME

2.1 The application the engineering knowledge in practical application.
2.2 To enhance technical competency in structural engineering through laboratory
application.
2.3 To communicate effectively in group.
2.4 To identify problem, solving and finding out appropriate solution through
laboratory application.

3.0 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.

4.0 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 = 2 EI / L2
Where;
Pe = Euler buckling load (N)
E = Youngs Modulus (Nm-2)
I = Second moment of are (m4)
L = Length of strut (m)

5.0 APPARATUS

Buckling of Struts Digital Display Force

Aluminum Struts
6.0 PROCEDURE
Part 1
1. Fit the bottom chuck to the machine and remove the top chuck (to give two
pinned ends). Select the shortest strut, number 1, and measured the cross
section using the vernier provided and calculated the second moment of area,
I,for the strut. (bd3/12)
2. Adjust the position of the sliding crosshead to accept the strut using the
thumbnut to lock off the slider. Ensure that there is the maximum amount
of travel available on the hand wheel threat to compress the strut. Finally
tighten the locking screw.
3. 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.
4. Carefully start to load the strut. If the strut begin to buckle to the left, flick
the strut to the right and vice versa (this reduces any error associated wih
the straightness of strut). Turn the hand wheel until there is no further
increase in load (the load may peak and then drop as it settles in the notches).
5. Record the final load in Table 1. Repeat with strut numbers 2, 3, 4 and 5
adjusting the crosshead as required to fit the strut.

Part 2
1. To study the effect of end conditions, follow the same basic procedure as in
part 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.
2. Record your result in Table 2 and calculate the values of 1/ L2 for the struts.
3. Fit the top chuck with the two cap head screws and clamp both ends of the
specimen to make a pinned pinned end condition. Calculate the new values
of 1/L2.
4. Enter the result into Table 3
7.0 RESULTS

Strut Length Buckling Load (N) Buckling Load (N) 1/L2 ( m-2)
Number (mm) Experiment Theory
1 320 -61 88.65 9.77
2 370 -47 66.31 7.30
3 420 -44 51.46 5.67
4 470 -22 41.09 4.53
5 520 -17 33.57 3.70

Table 1

Strut Length Buckling Load Buckling Load (N) 1/L2 ( m-2)

Number (mm) (N) Theory
1 320 -300 177.30 9.77
2 370 -255 132.62 7.30
3 420 -175 102.92 5.67
4 470 -137 82.19 4.53
5 520 -84 67.14 3.70

Table 2

Strut Length Buckling Load Buckling Load (N) 1/L2 ( m-2)

Number (mm) (N) Theory
1 320 -318 354.60 9.77
2 370 -255 265.24 7.30
3 420 -188 205.85 5.67
4 470 -153 164.38 4.53
5 520 -88 134.29 3.70

Table 3
8.0 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

3
=
12
(0.02)(0.002)3
=
12
= 13.331012

Buckling Load (N) Theory

Pe = 2 EI/L2 (Pined-Pined)

2 (69109 )(13.331012 )
0.322
= 88.65 N

Pe = 22 EI/L2 (Pined-Fixed)

2 2 (69109 )(13.331012 )
0.322
= 177.30 N

Pe = 42 EI/L2 (Fixed-Fixed)

4 2 (69109 )(13.331012 )
0.322
= 354.60 N
8.1 Part 1
1. Examine the Euler buckling equation and select an appropriate parameter
to establish a linear relationship between the buckling load and the length
of the strut. Write the relationship below.

Pe = 2 EI/L2

When L is increase, Pe will be decrease. Relation between buckling

load and the length of the strut is inversely proportional in linear condition.

2. Calculate the value and enter them in Table 1 with an appropriate title.

3. Plot a graph to prove the relationship is linear. Compare your experimental

value to those calculated from Euler formula by entering a theoretical line
onto the graph. Comment on the result.

Base on the graft, the differences to the end of the pins for the results
of gradient experiments is 0.22 and the slope of the theoretical calculation
results of 0.55. Difference to the fixed -pin end of the gradient experiment
results were 1.08 and gradient theory results of the calculation is 0.55. In
addition, the differences for fixed-fixed end conditions are for the gradient
experiment results are 1.15 and theoretical calculations are the result of the
slope is 1.10. 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.

4. Explain that the Euler Formula can predict the buckling load or not.

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.

8.2 Part 2

1. Plot separate graphs of buckling load versus 1/ L2 and calculate the gradient
of each line.
Refer to Graph Paper.
Gradient is plotted in the graph.

2. Fill the table below showing the comparison between experimental and
theoretical ratio by end condition.

Pinned-Pinned Pinned-Fixed Fixed-Fixed

Experimental 0.22 1.08 1.15
Gradient

Experimental 0.22/0.22 = 1 1.08/0.22 = 4.91 1.15/0.22 = 0.93

Ratio

Theoretical
0.55/0.55=1 0.55/0.55 = 1 1.10/0.55 = 2
Ratio

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

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.

4. What conclusion can you made from the experiments

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.