Columns

Md. Faisal Rahman Badal

Lecturer
Dept. of Mechatronics Engineering, RUET
 Column
➢ A column is a compression member that is so slender compared to its length that
under gradually increasing load, it fails by buckling at loads considerably less
than those required to cause failure by crushing.

➢ Columns are usually subdivided into three groups:

✓ Long columns
✓ Medium columns
✓ Short columns

Strength of Materials
 Beam Vs. Column
➢ Generally a horizontal member of a structure that resists transverse load is called
beam. A vertical member of a structure that resists axial/eccentric load is called
column.
➢ Beam basically carries or resists bending and shear force and column carries or
resists compression load.

Strength of Materials
 Slenderness Ratio
➢ Slenderness ratio is the ratio of the length of a column and the radius of
gyration of its cross section.

➢ Slenderness Ratio, SR=L/r

✓ L= Effective length of the column

✓ r= Radius of gyration

Strength of Materials
 Types of Column
➢ Long column: It fails by buckling or excessive lateral bending.
Slenderness ratio > 120 or length is more than 30 times the diameter (or the
least/ smallest side).

➢ Medium column: It fails by a combination of crushing and buckling.

Slenderness ratio more than 32 but less than 120; length is not less than 8 times
but not more than 30 times of the diameter.

➢ Short columns: It fails by crushing. Length is less than 8 times the diameter (or
the smallest side) and slenderness ratio is less than 32.

Strength of Materials
 Critical Load
➢ Critical load: The load which is just sufficient to maintain the column in its
slightly deflected position.

➢ It can be defined as the maximum axial load to which a column can be subjected
and still remain straight.

Strength of Materials
 Euler’s Formula
➢ It is used to find the critical load for the long columns based on the differential
equlation of elastic curve.
➢ The following assumptions were made by Euler in analysis of long column:

i. The Columns are initially straight.

ii. The columns are made of homogeneous materials and have uniform cross-secrion area.
iii. The columns carry perfectly axial loads.
iv. The columns are long compared to lateral dimentions.
v. Self weight of the columns are neglected.
vi. The columns are falling only due to buckling.
vii. Shortening of the columns due to direct compression is neglected.
viii. The stresses do not cross the limit of proportionality.

Strength of Materials
 Both Ends Hinged
➢ Consider, a long column under critical load P having
hinged ends (sometimes called round, pivoted or
pinned). The length of the column is L. Let the
eccentricity at any section at a height x from O be y.

Strength of Materials
 Both Ends Hinged
➢ The moment at that point is:
M = −Py (1)
➢ From the differential equation of elastic curve,
d2y
M = EI 2
= − Py (2)
dx

Strength of Materials
 Both Ends Hinged
➢ Equation (2) is similar to the equation of a simple
vibrating body as,
d 2x
m 2 = −kx
dt
➢ And, the general solution of this equation is
k k
x = C1 sin(t ) + C2 cos(t )
m m

➢ Thus the solution of equ. (2) can be written as,

P P
y = C1 sin( x ) + C2 cos( x ) (3)
EI EI

Strength of Materials
 Both Ends Hinged
➢ At x=0, the deflection y is 0. Thus, from equ. 3 we get,
C2 = 0

➢ At x=L, the deflection y=0. Thus from equ. 3 we get,

P
0 = C1 sin( L )
EI
➢ If C1 = 0 , y is zero for all values of load and there is no
bending. Thus,
P
0 = sin( L )
EI

Strength of Materials
 Both Ends Hinged
Solving this equation, we get;
P
sin( L ) = sin n (n=0, 1, 2,...)
EI

P
L = n
EI

EI 2
P = n2
L2

Strength of Materials
 Both Ends Hinged
Thus the critical load for both end hinged column can be
represented as,
2 EI
2
P=n
L2

Where, n is the number of bracing. The value n=0 is

meaningless because then the load P is zero. For the other
values of n, the column bends in the shapes shown in the
figure. If n=1, then the critical load for both end hinged
column can be given as,
EI 2
P= 2
L
Strength of Materials
 Both Ends Hinged
The generalized formula to calculate the critical load for an
long column can be represented as,
EI 2
P=
Le 2
Le is the effective length

Strength of Materials
 Fixed at Both Ends
➢ If the column is fixed at both ends, then the effective
length is,
1
Le = L L
2 4

➢ Then the critical load on a fixed-ended column can be

repregented as, L
2
EI 2 EI 2 EI 2
P= = =4 2
Le 2 L 2
( ) L L
2 4

➢ This is four times the strength of the column if its ends

are fixed.
Strength of Materials
 One End Fixed, Other Hinged
➢ If the column is fixed at one end and hinged at another
end, then the effective length is,
Le = 0.7 L
0.7 L
➢ Then the critical load for a column which is fixed at one
end and hinged at another end can be repregented as,
EI 2
EI 2
EI 2
P= 2
= 2
=2
Le ( 0.7 L ) L2

➢ This is twice times the strength of the column if it is

fixed at one end and hinged at another.
Strength of Materials
 One End fixed, Other Free
➢ If the column is fixed at one end and another end is free,
then the effective length is,
Le = 2 L
➢ Then the critical load for a column which is fixed at one
end and free at another end can be repregented as,
EI 2
EI 2
EI 2
P= 2
= 2
=
Le ( 2L ) 4 L2

Strength of Materials
 Equivalent/Effective Length
The generalized formula to calculate the critical load for an long column can be
represented as,
EI 2
P=
Le 2
Le is the effective length

Strength of Materials
 Equivalent/Effective Length
The effective length for different types of end conditions are,

➢ Both end hinged, Le = L

➢ One end fixed, the other free, Le = 2 L

1
➢ Both end Fixed, Le = L
2
➢ One end fixed, the other hinged, Le = 0.7 L

Strength of Materials
 Limitation of Euler’s Formula
➢ It is only applicable for long column.
➢ Euler's Formula determine the critical load, not working load.
➢ It does not account the strength of the materials of the column. It only depends on the
dimensions and modulus of elasticity of the column.
➢ Eular’s formula is not applicable if the stresses corss the proportional limit
➢ For a certain value of the slenderness ratio, the Euler’s formula is applicable.

For example, For Stainless steel, 𝜎 = 200MPa ; E = 200GPa , The limiting slenderness ratio is,

L 2 E 2 E 2 200  109  ( 3.14 )2

( ) = = =  10000 (𝐼 = 𝐴𝑟 2 )
r P  200  10 6

A
L
 100
r

Strength of Materials
 Limitation of Euler’s Formula
➢ From graph we see that for the stainless steel, it is applicable until the
L
slenderness ratio is r  100
L
➢ If  100, then it exceed the proportional limit.
r

Strength of Materials
 Mathematcal Problem
Example. Select the lightest W shape that can be used as a column 7 m long to
support an axial load of 450 kN with a factor of safety of 3. Assume (a) both ends
hinged and (b) one end fixed and the other hinged. Use  PL = 200MPa and E = 200GPa

Strength of Materials
Mathematcal Problem

Strength of Materials
Mathematcal Problem

Strength of Materials
Mathematcal Problem

Strength of Materials