1 - Buckling of Columns - 04-08-23

1.
BUCKLING OF COLUMNS
Date: 03-08-2023
Aim:
To determine the critical load of a column using Southwell plot.
Apparatus required:
 Column
 Dial gauge
 Weights
 Pin-Pin joint setup
Theory:
The need to make use of materials with high strength-to-weight ratio in aircraft
design has resulted in the use of slender structural components that fail more often by
instability (buckling) than by excessive stress. The simplest example of such a
structural component is a slender column. Ideal column under small compressive load
when slightly disturbed laterally from its equilibrium position returns to its
equilibrium position on removal of the disturbance. Further increase in the load does
not alter the situation until a stage is reached when, for the particular load, the column
can take neighboring equilibrium positions also, depending on the disturbance. This is
the neutral equilibrium position for the column and application of even a slight
additional load causes it to deform considerably and buckle to fail. The column is then
said to have failed due to instability. The load beyond which the column is unstable is
called the Euler load or the critical load.
In an ideal column, deflections appear suddenly at the critical load whereas in

actual columns due to imperfections present the deflections start appearing as soon as
the loads are applied. Southwell showed that there exists a relation between the
applied compressive loads and the corresponding lateral deflections which can be
utilized profitably to determine the critical load and the eccentricity of the column by
a graphical procedure without actually destroying the test specimen.
Page 1 of 5
The well-known formula for the critical load of a uniform slender perfect column is
2
π EI
Pcr = 2
Le
Where Le is effective length depending on the end conditions of the column and the
length of the column ‘L’, ‘E’ is the Young's modulus of the material of the column, ‘I’
is the least moment of inertia of the section.
As mentioned earlier, the lateral deflection of an ideal column is indeterminate at the

critical load. But for a column with initial imperfection the lateral deflection is
determinate at all loads. For example, treating the imperfections as an equivalent
eccentricity 'e' for the load, the deflection 'δ ' of a simply supported column at its mid-
point due to load P can be written as:
e
δ=
P cr
−1
P
Rewriting the equation in the form:
δ=Pcr ( δP )−e
it is seen that the plot of δ against the ratio (δ /P) is a straight line and its slope gives
the critical load and its intercept on the x-axis gives the magnitude of the eccentricity.
Procedure:
 Place the column between the two knife edges so as to make it a pin-pin
supported column.
 Place the dial gauge at the center of the span, press the dial gauge enough so
that it reads all the deflections till the end.
 Set the dial gauge reading to zero.
 Apply two loads each of 500 grams simultaneous on both sides of the setup
 Note down the deflection from the dial gauge for addition of each Kg.
 Plot the graph of δ against the ratio (δ /P) and calculate the slope of the straight
line which gives the experimental critical load.
 Compare it with the theoretical critical load and find error.
Drawings: (Times New Roman,,Font Size 12, Bold, Underline)
Page 2 of 5
Table:
Specimen dimensions:
Breadth, b = 12 mm
Depth, d = 6 mm
Length, L = 1000mm
P (Kg) δ (× 10−1 mm) δ /P

1 0.6 0.6
2 1.2 0.6
3 2 0.6
7
4 3 0.7
5
5 4 0.8
6 6.2 1.0
3
7 9.6 1.3
7
8 13 1.6
3
9 16.7 1.8
6
10 24.2 2.4
2
Page 3 of 5
From the graph,
Slope of the line = 12.44624 Kg = 121.97 N
So, Pcr =121.97 N

exp
Calculation:
3 3
b d 12 ×6 4
Moment of Inertia, I = = =216 mm
12 12
Young’s Modulus, E aluminium=7 ×10 4 MPa
2 2 4
π EI π ×7 × 10 ×216
Theoretical Critical Load = Pcr = 2 = 2
=149.23 N
Le th
1000
Error = Pcr −P cr =149.23−121.97=27.26 N
th exp
Error
Error % = P × 100=18.27 %
cr th
Results:
Experimental value of Pcr = 121.97 N
Theoretical value of Pcr = 149.23 N
Error percentage = 18.27 %
(𝜹 /P) vs 𝜹
3
2.5
1.5
0.5
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Inference:
The error might have occurred due to the following reasons:
 Material defects
Page 4 of 5
 Error in the instrument (static friction in the movement dial gauge needle)
 Error in measurement (parallel axis error), etc.
Page 5 of 5

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1.

In an ideal column, deflections appear suddenly at the critical load whereas in

As mentioned earlier, the lateral deflection of an ideal column is indeterminate at the

Drawings: (Times New Roman,,Font Size 12, Bold, Underline)

P (Kg) δ (× 10−1 mm) δ /P

Slope of the line = 12.44624 Kg = 121.97 N

So, Pcr =121.97 N

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