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Effect of load eccentricity on the buckling of thin-walled laminated C-columns

Conference Paper  in  AIP Conference Proceedings · January 2018

DOI: 10.1063/1.5019079

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Effect of load eccentricity on the buckling of
thin-walled laminated C-columns
Cite as: AIP Conference Proceedings 1922, 080008 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5019079
Published Online: 08 January 2018

Pawel Wysmulski, Andrzej Teter, and Hubert Debski

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AIP Conference Proceedings 1922, 080008 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5019079 1922, 080008

© 2017 Author(s).
Effect of Load Eccentricity on The Buckling of Thin-Walled
Laminated C-columns
Pawel Wysmulski1, a), Andrzej Teter2, b) and Hubert Debski1, c)
1
Department of Machine Design and Mechatronics, Lublin University of Technology
Nadbystrzycka 36, 20-816 Lublin, Poland.
2
Department of Applied Mechanics, Lublin University of Technology
Nadbystrzycka 36, 20-816 Lublin, Poland.
a)
Corresponding author: p.wysmulski@pollub.pl
b)
a.teter@pollub.pl
c)
h.debski@pollub.pl

Abstract. The study investigates the behaviour of short, thin-walled laminated C-columns under eccentric compression.
The tested columns are simple-supported. The effect of load inaccuracy on the critical and post-critical (local buckling)
states is examined. A numerical analysis by the finite element method and experimental tests on a test stand are performed.
The samples were produced from a carbon-epoxy prepreg by the autoclave technique. The experimental tests rest
on the assumption that compressive loads are 1.5 higher than the theoretical critical force. Numerical modelling
is performed using the commercial software package ABAQUS®. The critical load is determined by solving an eigen
problem using the Subspace algorithm. The experimental critical loads are determined based on post-buckling paths.
The numerical and experimental results show high agreement, thus demonstrating a significant effect of load inaccuracy
on the critical load corresponding to the column’s local buckling.

INTRODUCTION
From a practical point of view, the design of advanced structures should focus on the aspect of lightness.
Thin-walled load-carrying structures are characterized by a high strength-to-weight. As a result, they are widely used
in complex constructions. The use of such compressed and/or bent thin-walled structures poses a risk of loss of stability
even under operating loads [1 - 8]. It is a vital problem from a practical point of view. Nevertheless, it is possible
for a thin-walled structure to operate after exceeding critical loads, provided that the buckling is local and the structure
operates in an elastic range [9 - 19]. A crucial problem is shown to determine the critical load which leads to loss
of stability by real thin-walled structures. The use of experimental methods to determine the critical load of real
structure does not produce unequivocal results, which causes additional problems regarding the design of thin-walled
structures. An alternative way of investigating critical state is the use of numerical analysis based on the finite element
method [20 - 26]. The design of structures using numerical methods based on simplified models involves a high level
of uncertainty resulting from the adopted simplifications with respect to geometry, support or load inaccuracies.
Another problem concerns initial deflections – should they occur, it is impossible to numerically determine critical
load; one can only estimate a load-carrying capacity of the structure [27, 28]. To determine the level of uncertainty,
it is necessary to investigate the effect of selected inaccuracies on the behaviour of thin-walled structures. This study
attempts to determine the relationship between critical force and load inaccuracy in short thin-walled laminated
channel columns under compression. In the pre-critical state, the eccentricity of load is maintained constant.
The investigated columns had very small initial deflections. The literature of the subject lacks such studies. On the
other hand, there are numerous studies that investigate the behaviour of thin-walled laminated elements in the pre-
critical and post-critical states [15, 29 - 31]. However, these publications report the results obtained for structures
under axial load, and they do not take account of the effect of load inaccuracy. Since this condition is difficult to be

Computer Methods in Mechanics (CMM2017)

AIP Conf. Proc. 1922, 080008-1–080008-8; https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5019079
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1614-7/$30.00

080008-1
satisfied in practice, the columns were subjected to eccentric load. Specifically, an element of a structure was subjected
to compressive load displaced relative to the centre of gravity of cross section. The literature of the subject offers very
few works [11, 14, 32, 33] that describe the behaviour of composite columns that have an open cross section and are
subjected to eccentric load.

OBJECT OF STUDY
The object of the study was a short, thin-walled channel column subjected to eccentric load. Samples of the column
were made of a carbon-epoxy laminate by the autoclave technique. Given the applied production method and the use
of a mould with clamps, the column was characterized by flat walls, perpendicular corners with very small corner
radii, and insignificant initial deflection. The laminated structure of the composite consisted of 8 plies in a symmetric
arrangement relative to mid-plane. The laminate layup was [45/-45/90/0]s, and the angle of each ply was determined
in a direction from the applied load. Fig. 1 shows a schematic design of the compressed column and its dimensions in
millimetres, as well as the axis „e” that was used to determine load eccentricity. Eccentricity was defined as the
distance of displacement of the compressive force alongside the main, central, axis of inertia in a direction from the
centre of gravity of the cross section. It was assumed that eccentricity could vary in a range of ±5mm.

FIGURE 1. Dimensions of the tested laminated column in mm

Mechanical properties of a single composite ply were determined by experimental tests performed in compliance
with the relevant ISO standard. The determined mechanical properties of the laminate are as follows: longitudinal
modulus of elasticity: 130.71 GPa; elastic modulus perpendicular to fibre direction: 6,36 GPa, Poisson’s ratio in ply
plane: 0.32; and shear modulus: 4.18 GPa.

METHODOLOGY
The study was performed two methods: experimental and numerical. The definition of a numerical model involved
modelling real properties of the tested laminate. The discretization process was performed using SHELL elements with
six degrees of freedom in each node. Denoted as S8R, they are 8-node finite elements with quadratic shape function
and reduced integration – Fig. 2a.
The boundary conditions were defined in such a way as to reflect pin-jointed support of the column’s end sections.
To ensure the desired load eccentricity value, we used reference points that were linked with end sections by means
of coupling relationships, connecting translational and rotational freedom degrees of the nodes located on the edges
of end sections with the reference points – Fig 2b. First, the reference points were located in the centre of gravity of
the column’s section (in a position corresponding to axial compression). Eccentricity was ensured by modification of
the position of the reference points in a preset direction in the plane of end sections.

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 (a) (b)
FIGURE 2. Numerical model of column: (a) finite element mesh, (b) defined model’s boundary conditions and load

The critical load corresponding to the lowest buckling mode of the column was determined by solving a linear
eigen problem. The numerical analysis led to determination of the critical load for every tested load case, with load
eccentricity changed every 1 mm in each direction.
The experimental tests were performed on a universal testing machine, Zwick Z100/SN3A, with accuracy class 1
and a measuring range up to 100 kN. The machine was provided with special gauges to ensure pin-jointed support of
the column’s ends. To this end, we used specially designed jointed grips for ensuring axial compression– Fig. 3a.

(a) (b)
FIGURE 3. Grip ensuring pin-jointed support of the column’s ends: (a) schematic diagram of the grip – section, (b) real structure
with a plate for maintaining eccentricity

The use of jointed grips ensured freedom of rotation of the grips relative to the bolts. Additionally, to allow for
determination of eccentricity value, special plates with holes were made and aligned in the grips– Fig. 3b. inaccuracies
of the column’s end sections were compensated for by the use of special pads made of soft plastic that allowed for

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maintaining the edges of the column’s end sections in the grips, and at the same time preventing undesired boundary
effects during the experiment.
The experiment was performed at the temperature of 20⁰C with the speed of the upper cross beam maintained
constant at 2 mm/min. In addition, pads made of foamed plastic material were used to ensure correct position of the
samples during compression. The test stand with a mounted sample is shown in Fig. 4. The experiment was performed
for three different load eccentricity values: 0mm, -5mm and 5mm. The experimental results enabled verification of
the numerical findings.

FIGURE 4. Real model of a column and gauge heads during experimental tests on the testing machine

RESULTS
The numerical results verified by the experimental findings provided information enabling determination of the
effect of load eccentricity on the behaviour of the compressed structures. The numerical buckling modes correspond
to those obtained in the experimental tests – Figs. 5-7. In all cases, we obtained a local buckling in the form of two
half-waves in the column’s longitudinal direction. The buckling mode obtained at the load eccentricity set to -5mm
indicates that the column’s web is loaded down, which clearly results in a higher rigidity of the column – Fig. 6. The
opposite can be observed when the load eccentricity is set to +5mm – here, the column’s flanges are under a higher
load, which leads to weakening of the structure – Fig. 7.

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 (a) (b)
FIGURE 5. Critical state of a column under axial compression: (a) experimental, (b) numerical

(a) (b)
FIGURE 6. Critical state of a column at load eccentricity set to -5mm: (a) experimental, (b) numerical

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 (a) (b)
FIGURE 7. Critical state of a column at load eccentricity set to 5mm: (a) experimental, (b) numerical

The numerical critical force was calculated by determining a minimal extremum of the system’s potential energy.
The above procedure enables determination of an extremum, wherein a given system remains in equilibrium. In
addition, the numerical eigen problem was solved using the Subspace solver, assuming that the column is free from
initial deflections. In the experimental tests, critical loads were determined by Koiter’s cubic method, maintaining a
high value of the correlation coefficient R2 (R2>0.95). Fig. 8 shows an example of the application of the above
approximation method to determine critical force when the load eccentricity is e = – 5mm. The critical load was
assumed to roughly correspond to the point of intersection between the approximation curve and the load axis.

FIGURE 8. Koiter’s approximation

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 The numerical and experimental results obtained for the tested compressive load cases are given in Fig. 9. The
results demonstrate that the eccentricity of compressive load has a significant effect on critical force. When the load
eccentricity is varied from 0 to +5mm, the critical force decreases monotonically. When the load eccentricity is set to
+5mm, the critical force of the tested column decreases by approx. 33%. When the load eccentricity is varied from 0
to -5mm, the critical force first increases to reach a maximum value, decreasing gently afterwards. For the load
eccentricity set to -5mm, the critical force increased by approx. 10%. No variations in local buckling modes were
observed during the tests.

FIGURE 9. Load eccentricity vs critical force

CONCLUSION
This study investigated the behaviour of a short column subjected to eccentric compressive load. The investigation
was performed by two independent methods: numerical and experimental. The experimental results produced the
buckling mode of a real sample and the characteristics recorded by resistance gauges in a function of compressive
load. Based on the characteristics determined by Koiter’s approximation method, we calculated critical loads for all
tested load cases. The numerical modelling led to determination of the lowest buckling modes of the structure as well
as the corresponding critical loads for every tested values of eccentric load.
The experimental buckling mode of the column agrees with the lowest buckling mode obtained by numerical
modelling. The numerical critical forces show a high agreement with the critical forces obtained in the experiments.
This is confirmed by the results obtained with the developed FEM models. The results demonstrate that load
eccentricity has a significant effect on the critical force corresponding to a local buckling of the column. It has been
found that the presence of load eccentricity applied in a direction from the column’s web leads to a significant decrease
in the critical load. On the other hand, the application of eccentric load towards the column’s web results in a slight
increase in the structure’s rigidity.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The research has been conducted under the project No UMO-2015/19/B/ST8/02800 financed by the National
Science Centre Poland.

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