Buckling of Beams

AfterBeam bucklingFlexural buckling we have discussed the problem of beam-columns under bending and axial compression in the previous chapter, we now want to specialize the considerations in this chapter to beams that are free of transverse loads and only subjected to axial compressive loads. In this case, the load-bearing behavior is different. For the beam-columns considered so far, there was a clearly defined deflection of the beam for each load level, and it was shown that the state variables increase beyond all limits when the axial compressive force F approaches a certain value, namely the critical load or the bifurcational buckling load \(F_{\text {crit}}\) . In the case of beams under pure compressive load, on the other hand, it can be seen that the beam remains straight at loads below the buckling load and only undergoes axial compression. When the bifurcational buckling load is reached, i.e. when \(F=F_{\text {crit}}\) applies, the bar deflects abruptly perpendicular to its longitudinal axis. We call this phenomenon of sudden deflection of the beam under compressive load buckling or flexural buckling, the latter due to the similarity of the occurring deformations to a bending deformation. This chapter is dedicated to the investigation of the buckling behavior of beams and the determination of buckling loads.