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Objective
The objective of this experiment is to determine the buckling loads for solid and hollow with
various lengths when subjected to axial compression forces.

Introduction
A column with an applied force will eventually deform as the force increases. Several factors
influence the critical buckling load: length of the column, support conditions, the location of the
load relative to centroid of the axis and the shape of the cross section. The deflection of an elastic
column is given by:
d2 y M(x)
=
dx 2 EI
Where:

M(x) is bending moment;

E is the modulus of elasticity;

I is the moment of inertia of the cross section;

x is the distance of a point on the beam;

y is the deflection;

For the situation when the two ends of the column are pinned, we assume that the load is centric
and the column only deforms elastically, we have Euler’s formula which calculates the
theoretical critical buckling load:

π2 EI
Pcr =
L2

Where:

Pcr is the critical buckling load;

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L is the column’s effective length;

The following formula allows computing the critical normal stress:

Pcr π2 E π2 E
σcr = = = 2
A (L/r)2 λ

Where:

r is the radius of gyration: 𝑟 = √(𝐼/𝐴);

A is the cross sectional area;

𝐿
λ is the slenderness ratio( 𝜆 = 𝑟 )

When the support conditions are different, the effective length of the column (L e) should be used
in the equations above to replace the value L. The effective length is determined by multiplying
the column length L by the effective length factor K. For situation when where there is one fixed
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end, one free end, K=2. When one end is fixed, the other is pinned, K= 2. When both ends are
√
fixed, K=0.5.

(source: lab manual)

In reality, the assumptions that are made for the Euler’s formula are usually not met.
Experimental failure loads are usually lower than the theoretical value. Here we use design
formulas for alloy 6061-T6, which is the material of the specimen in this lab

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Equipment and specimens
1. Compression testing machine;
2. Load measuring devices;
3. Vernier calliper;
4. Aluminum tubes and rods with different lengths: 225mm, 125mm and 75 mm

Procedure
1. Measure the inner diameter and outer diameter of each specimen.
2. Start the experiment with the 225mm specimen first. Perform individual tests with each
specimen for the following three conditions: both ends fixed, one end fixed with one
pinned, and both ends pinned.
3. Apply load and gradually by increase the compressive force until an obvious deformation
occur. Record the value of load.
4. Perform experiments on 125mm and 75mm specimen only under the condition when both
ends are fixed
5. Sketch/take a picture of the mode of failure for each sample.

Analysis of the results

Sample calculations:

1.Cross sectional area:

For hollow column with 225 mm length and pin-fixed end:
𝜋 2 2 )
𝜋
𝐴 = ∗ (𝑑𝑜𝑢𝑡 − 𝑑𝑖𝑛 = ∗ (6.352 − 4.602 ) = 15.05 𝑚𝑚2
4 4
For solid column with 225 mm length and pin-fixed end:
𝜋 𝜋
𝐴 = ∗ 𝑑 2 = ∗ 6.322 = 31.37 𝑚𝑚2
4 4
Moment of inertia:
For hollow column with 225 mm length and pin-fixed end:
𝜋 𝑑𝑜𝑢𝑡 4 𝑑𝑖𝑛 4 𝜋 6.35 4 4.60 4
𝐼 = ∗ [( ) − ( ) ] = ∗ [( ) −( ) ] = 57.33 𝑚𝑚4
4 2 2 4 2 2

For solid column with 225 mm length and pin-fixed end:

𝜋 𝑑 4 𝜋 6.32 4
𝐼 = ∗[ ] = ∗[ ] = 78.31 𝑚𝑚4
4 2 4 2
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Radius of gyration:
For hollow column with 225 mm length and pin-fixed end:
𝐼 57.33
𝑟=√ =√ = 1.95 𝑚𝑚
𝐴 15.05

2.

Effective length:
For hollow column with 225 mm length and pin-fixed end:

𝐿𝑒𝑓𝑓 = 𝐾 ∗ 𝐿 = 0.707 ∗ 225𝑚𝑚 = 159.08 𝑚𝑚

Critical load:
E=70*103 MPa
For hollow column with 225 mm length and pin-fixed end:

π2 EI π2 ∗ 70 ∗ 103 ∗ 57.33
Pcr = = = 1565,12 N
Leff 2 159,082

3. Experimental Critical Stress:

For hollow column with 225 mm length and pin-fixed end:
(𝑃𝑐𝑟 )𝑒𝑥𝑝 1291
(𝜎𝑐𝑟 )𝑒𝑥𝑝 = = = 85.78 𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝐴 15.05

Slenderness ratio:
For hollow column with 225 mm length and pin-fixed end:

𝐿𝑒𝑓𝑓 159.08
𝜆= = = 81.58
𝑟 1.95
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4. Theoretical Critical Stress:
For hollow column with 225 mm length and pin-fixed end:

𝜋 2 𝐸 𝜋 2 ∗ 70 ∗ 103
(𝜎𝑐𝑟 )𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜 = = = 103.81 𝑀𝑃𝑎
𝜆2 81.582

Report

1.

Experimental
Type Experimental
Column End critical
of critical load,
length, condition stress, σcr
column Pcr (N)
L(mm) (MPa)
75 pin-pin 3796 249.9
125 pin-pin 3210 213.29
Hollow 225 pin-pin 1480 97.69
225 pin-fixed 1291 85.78
fixed-
225 fixed 2103 140.86
225 pin-pin 1585 51.01
Solid 225 pin-fixed 1504 47.94
fixed-
225 fixed 2664 84.92
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2&3

allowable stress:
for λ< 9.5: 𝜎𝑎𝑙𝑙 = 131 𝑀𝑃𝑎 (1)
for 9.5 < λ < 66: 𝜎𝑎𝑙𝑙 = 139 − 0,868(𝜆) 𝑀𝑃𝑎 (2)
351∗103
for λ > 66: 𝜎𝑎𝑙𝑙 = 𝑀𝑃𝑎 (3)
𝜆2

sample calculations :
For hollow column with 225 mm length and fixed-fixed end:
𝜎𝑎𝑙𝑙 = 139 − 0.868(57.11) = 89.43 𝑀𝑃𝑎
For solid column with 225 mm length and pin-fixed end:
351 ∗ 103
𝜎𝑎𝑙𝑙 = = 34.63 𝑀𝑃𝑎
100.682

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Theoretical, experimental critical stress & allowable stress vs.

slenderness ratio
500

450

400

350
Stress (Mpa)

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Slenderness ratio

Experimental critical stress Theoretical critical stress Allowable stress

Discussion

1. Comparing the theoretical and the experimental value of the critical stress we notice that their
values are different. Many factors may cause these discrepancies. For example, the load was
not gradually applied, the load was not perfectly centric, the material does not have an exact
elastic modulus of 70Gpa, and the shape of the cross section is not perfectly uniform.
Comparing the values, we notice that some experimental stress values are lower than the
theoretical ones, others are higher.

2. Comparing values on the graph, we notice that the allowable stresses values
recommended by the aluminum association are lower than both theoretical and

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 experimental values. This is the expected result because the allowable stress should
always be less than the stress at failure condition

3. Buckling strength of real columns is affected by many factors, for example, the radius
of the cross section, the shape of the cross section, the location of the load relative to the
central axis of the column, the actual elastic modulus of the tested material.

4.

π2 EI
Pcr =
L2
The buckling load is proportional to I given other values are the same for both solid and tube
specimens. Taking a solid bar (d=2mm) and a circular tube (d out=√5mm, din=1mm) as an
example, they both have the same Area.

For circular tube:

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𝜋 𝑑𝑜𝑢𝑡 4 𝑑𝑖𝑛 4 𝜋 √5 1 4
𝐼 = ∗ [( ) − ( ) ] = ∗ [( ) − ( ) ] = 1.18 𝑚𝑚4
4 2 2 4 2 2

For solid bar:

𝜋 𝑑 4 𝜋 24
𝐼 = ∗ [ ] = ∗ [ ] = 0.785 𝑚𝑚4
4 2 4 2
Itube is greater than Ibar, so the circular tube has a higher buckling load.

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Conclusion
In this experiment, we have learned that buckling load depends on many factors such length of
the column, the dimension of cross-section area, elastic modulus of the column and the support
conditions. We have found that the experimental values are different that the theoretical values,
and both of them are greater than the allowable stress values.

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 Moment Radius Theoretical Theoretical Experimental
Type Column Effective Inner Outer x- Slender- Allowable Experimental
End Effective of of critical critical critical
of length, length diameter diameter section- ness stress, σall critical load,
condition length inertia gyration load, Pcr stress, σcr stress, σcr
column L(mm) factor, k (mm) (mm) nal area ratio, λ (MPa) Pcr (N)
(mm4) (mm) (N) (MPa) (MPa)

75 pin-pin 1 75 4.58 6.35 15.19 58.21 1.96 38.27 105.78 7149.45 471.72 3796 249.9
125 pin-pin 1 125 4.60 6.35 15.05 57.83 1.96 63.78 83.64 2557.00 169.84 3210 213.29
Hollow 225 pin-pin 1 225 4.60 6.36 15.15 58.33 1.96 114.80 26.63 796.02 52.42 1480 97.69
225 pin-fixed 0.707 159.08 4.60 6.35 15.05 57.33 1.95 81.58 52.71 1565.12 103.81 1291 85.78
fixed-
225 fixed 0.5 112.5 4.63 6.36 14.93 57.76 1.97 57.11 89.43 3285.62 211.82 2103 140.86
225 pin-pin 1 225 6.29 31.07 76.84 1.57 143.31 17.09 1048.62 33.64 1585 51.01
Solid 225 pin-fixed 0.707 159.08 6.32 31.37 78.31 1.58 100.68 34.63 2137.88 68.16 1504 47.94
fixed-
225 fixed 0.5 112.5 6.32 31.37 78.31 1.58 71.20 69.24 4274.74 136.28 2664 84.92
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