Ansys Buckling Analysis

First load the Plate Element Example done previously. This model is shown below.

Buckling Analysis is complex and this work will consider the Buckling Analysis of a loaded structure. For
buckling analysis the component must be loaded and the results give a multiplier on the applied load to
cause the given buckling mode. This multiplier can be more that 1 indicating an added load is needed to
cause buckling or less than 1 where buckling would have occurred prior to getting the load up to the
applied load.

At the main Ansys Menu select Eigenvalue Buckling, Left Select, and dragging that selection to the
solution box of the Static Structural menu tree.
Releasing the mouse button results in the following:

Select Model in the Eigenvalue Buckling main tree to get to the following. Notice the added items in the
menu tree for Eigenvalue Buckling. Notice that this analysis is for a Pre Stressed model as shown in the
menu tree. This model has all the loads and boundary conditions that we applied in the static structural
analysis conducted previously.
First select Analysis Settings in the menu tree. See the Details of Analysis Settings below. Change to get
5 modes of buckling and only positive load multipliers.
Next select Solution and add total deformation to be solved for. See Details of this choice below. Notice
that this is for the first mode, mode 1.
Continue to add Total Deformations to the Solution to consider all 5 modes to be solved for.
Next solve the model. Select Total Deformation 1 to see the 1 st mode of buckling. In the Details view see
that this represents mode 1 and the load multiplier is 8.036 which means this mode of buckling failure
would occur with an applied load of 8.036 times the applied load of 2000 lb or 16,072 lbs. This is a
lateral torsional buckling mode. The other load multipliers are shown in the figure below in the lower
right corner. The mode can be animated by selecting the animation arrow.
Other modes can be investigated. Modes 2 and 3 do not seem to apply, but mode 4 appears to be a
local buckling failure of both the web and bottom flange. See below.