Buckling Types in Pictures

Standard column buckling is shown below where a long slender member is loaded in compression. At a
critical load the column buckles as a unit. Many different types of column buckling can occur depending
on support conditions and bracing. Many examples can be found on line. The Budynas text covers this
and other types of buckling on pages 546 through 561.

Another column buckling image is shown below.

Many other types of buckling can occur in mechanical design, especially when designing with materials
with low modulus of elasticity like plastics and fiberglass. And today with emphasis on light weight
design, even with high modulus metals, buckling design is very important.
Below is shown a lateral torsional buckling failed beam. In this case the vertical load exceeds the lateral
strength of the beam and fails. This type of failure occurs when the vertical I value exceeds the
horizontal I value. Beams want to be loaded in the weak direction and this beam is rotating to get to the
weak direction of loading. A common design where this mechanism occurs is in the floor joists in a
typical home floor where cross bracing prevents this type of failure. See more examples below. This
type of failure calculation is considered in another handout.

Lateral Torsional Buckling Cantilever Beam

Lateral Torsional Buckling Failed Simply Supported Beam

Floor Joists Braced Against Lateral Torsional Buckling
Another type of buckling is flange buckling due to bending stresses. Shown below is the buckling failure
of the lower flange of a steel beam where bending stresses developed compression that exceeded the
buckling or instability strength of the flange. Buckling can occur with any type of loading where
compression is developed in the member; it does not matter if this compression is caused by bending or
shear stresses. Calculations for all these failures are considered in another handout.

Buckled Bottom Flange

Shown below is the top flange of a steel beam with a similar failure.
Below are shown shear caused buckling failures in the web of a beam. In this case the load is applied at
four locations along the beam with simple supports at both ends of the beam. See that the web ripples
on both sides of the beam in opposite directions. Draw the shear diagram and Mohr’s Circle for this web
and see that an element rotated at 45 degrees experiences compression which in turn causes the
rippling. Also note the top flange buckling in compression due to the bending stress in the beam.

This buckling can be prevented with a thicker web, diagonal bracing, or closer spacing of the vertical
stiffeners. See below.
Another web shear failure, this time in a cantilever beam. Which way should the gusset bracing be
aligned?

Many other buckling failures can be found on line if interested. In today’s design world instability
failures are extremely important due to more light weight and low modulus material design.
Other types of buckling failures can occur in all types of structural components. Shown below is a
typical pop can which is easily buckled due to very thin walls for a light weight, economical design.

FEA can be used to evaluate these type of failures which is very helpful in many complex design
situations. See below for FEA designs done at YSU. The first is lateral torsional buckling of a simply
supported inverted T section.
Plate buckling under compression along the 6 inch long side is shown below. Note the sin wave buckled
shape. This shape is a function of the length and width of the plate.