Answer: Assumptions:

(i) The column is perfectly straight and of uniform cross-section

(ii) The material is homogenous and isotropic
(iii) The material behaves elastically
(iv) The load is perfectly axial and passes through the centroid of the column section.
(v) The weight of the column is neglected.
Conventional Question ESE-2007
Question: What is the value of Euler's buckling load for an axially loaded pin-ended
(hinged at both ends) strut of length 'l' and flexural rigidity 'EI'? What would
be order of Euler's buckling load carrying capacity of a similar strut but
fixed at both ends in terms of the load carrying capacity of the earlier one?
Answer: From Euler's buckling load formula,
2
Critical load (P ) C 2
e
EI
=

Equivalent length ( ) for both end hinged = for both end fixed. e = 2
2
So for both end hinged (P ) c beh = EI 2

()
22
c22
4
and for both fixed (P )
2
bef
EI EI
==

Conventional Question ESE-1996

Question: Euler's critical load for a column with both ends hinged is found as 40 kN.
What would be the change in the critical load if both ends are fixed?
Answer: We know that Euler's critical laod,
PEuler=
2
2

e
EI

[Where E = modulus of elasticity, I = least moment of inertia

e = equivalent length ]
For both end hinged ( e) =
And For both end fixed ( e) = /2
2

...2
22
Euler . . . 2 2
( ) =40kN(Given)
and (P ) = 4 4 40 160
( / 2)
Euler b e h
beF
EI
P
EI EI
kN
=
===

Conventional Question ESE-1999

Question: A hollow cast iron column of 300 mm external diameter and 220 mm internal
diameter is used as a column 4 m long with both ends hinged. Determine the
safe compressive load the column can carry without buckling using Euler's
formula and Rankine's formula
E = 0.7105 N/mm2, FOS = 4, Rankine constant (a) = 1/1600
Crushing Stress ( c ) =567 N/mm2
Answer: Given outer diameter of column (D) = 300 mm = 0.3 m.
Inner diameter of the column (d) = 220 mm = 0.22 m.
Length of the column ( ) = 4 m
End conditions is both ends hinged. Therefore equivalent length ( e ) = = 4 m.
Yield crushing stress ( c ) = 567 MPa = 567106 N/m2
Rankine constant (a) = 1/ 1600 and E = 0.7105 N/mm2 = 70 x 109 N/m2
For- 2016 (IES,GATE & PSUs) Page 419 of 472 Rev.1
Chapter-13 Theories of Column S K Mondals
()

444444
44
2222
22
22222
Moment of Inertia(I) ( ) 0.3 0.22 2.826 10
64 64
64 0.3 0.22
0.093
16 16
()
Area(A) ( ) (0.3 0.22 ) 0.03267
44
Ddm
Dd
IDd
m
A
Dd
Ddm

===

++
====

===
2

Euler
294
22
(i) Euler's buckling load, P
(70 10 ) (2.826 10 )
12.2MN
4
P 12.2
Safe load = 3.05
fos 4
Euler
e
Euler
EI
P
MN

===
==

()
Rankine
6
Rankine 2 2
Rankine
(ii)Rankine's buckling load, P
56710 0.03267
P = . = 8.59 MN
14
1 . 1+
1600 0.093
P 8.59
load = 2.148
fos 4
c
e
A
a
k
Safe MN

=

==

Conventional Question ESE-2008

Question: A both ends hinged cast iron hollow cylindrical column 3 m in length has a
critical buckling load of P kN. When the column is fixed at both the ends, its
critical buckling load raise by 300 kN more. If ratio of external diameter to
internal diameter is 1.25 and E = 100 GPa determine the external diameter of
column.
Answer:
2
c2
e
EI
P
I

=
22
For both end hinged column
EI
P= ( )
L
i
()
22
22
For both end fixed column
4
P+300= ( )
2
EI EI
ii
LL

=
(ii) by (i) we get
P+300
4 or P=100kN
P
Dividing
=
()
()
2
44
2
32
445
29
Moment of inertia of a hollow cylinder c/s is
64
64 100 10 3
1.8577 10
100 10
PL
IDd
E
orD d

==

==

For- 2016 (IES,GATE & PSUs) Page 420 of 472 Rev.1

Chapter-13 Theories of Column S K Mondals
Conventional Question AMIE-1996
Question: A piston rod of steam engine 80 cm long in subjected to a maximum load of 60
kN. Determine the diameter of the rod using Rankine's formula with
permissible compressive stress of 100 N/mm2. Take constant in Rankine's
formula as
1
7500
for hinged ends. The rod may be assumed partially fixed
with length coefficient of 06.
Answer: Given: 3 2
l 80 cm 800mm ;P 60kN 60 10 N, 100N / mm ; = = = = = c
1
a for hinged ends; length coefficient 0.6
7500
==
To find diameter of the rod, d:
Use Rankines formula
c
2
Ae
P
l
1a
k

Here l 0.6l 0.6 800 480 mm [ length coefficient 0.6]= = ==e 4d 2

I d 64
k
A4
d
4
===
2
3
2
100 d
4
60 10
1 480
1
7500 d / 4

+
Solving the above equation we get the value of d
Note: Unit of d comes out from the equation will be mm as we put the equivalent
length in mm.
or d 33.23mm =
Conventional Question ESE-2005
Question: A hollow cylinder CI column, 3 m long its internal and external diameters as
80 mm and 100 mm respectively. Calculate the safe load using Rankine
formula: if
(i) Both ends are hinged and
(ii) Both ends are fixed.
Take crushing strength of material as 600 N mm / 2 , Rankine constant 1/1600
and factor of safety = 3.
Answer:
44464
Moment of Inertia (I)= (0.1 0.08 ) 2.898 10
64
mm=
4
45
DD
1.25 or d =
d 1.25-5
1
D 1 1.8577 10
1.25
D=0.0749 m = 74.9 mm
given
or
or

For- 2016 (IES,GATE & PSUs) Page 421 of 472 Rev.1

C CQ A
hapter-13
onvention
uestion:
nswer:
Area( )
Radius of
=
1
Rankine
A
P
=
(i)
=2
Safe load
(ii) For bo
PRankine
Safe load
al Questi
A slender
free end.
maximum
exceed th
Above figu
and eccent
Let y be th
deflection a
The bendin
(

22
0.1
4
gyration (
.
c;
e
A
a
k

(600
Rank
10
=
1
1
61.026kN
P
(P)=
FOS

(
th end fix
600
1

=
+
PRank
(P)=
FOS
on AMIEcolumn is
Working
length of
e eccentric
re shows a
ric load P is
e deflection
t A.
g moment a
Theorie
0.082) 2
I
k) =
A
[ = eq e u
=
=

6) (
ine
2.827
13
600 0.0
2612
3

=)
e
6
ed,
10 (2.8
1
1600 0
=

ine 714.8
3
=
-1997
built-in at
from the
column su
ity of load
slender colu
applied at t
at any sect
t the sectio
s of Colum
.8274 10
2.898
2.8274
ivalent len

3)
2
4 10
;
32
6
87.09

=
3
2
1.5
2
274 10
1.5
.032
m
=

= 238.27
one end a
first prin
ch that th
ing.
mn of lengt
he free end
ion XX dist
n XX is give
n
32
6
3
10
0
10
gth]
m

=
[=l=3e
kN

)
= 714.8k
kN
nd an ecce
ciples fin
e deflectio
h I. The co
A.
ant x from
n by
.032m
m for both
N
ntric load
d the exp
n of the fr
lumn is bu
the fixed en
S K Mo
end hing
is applied
ression fo
ee end do
ilt in at one
d B. Let
ndals
ed]
at the
r the
es not
end B
be the
For- 2016 (IES,GATE & PSUs) Page 422 of 472 Rev.1
Chapter-13 Theories of Column S K Mondals
()()
()()

=+
+=++=+
2
2
22
22
dy
EI P e y i
dx
dydyPP
EI Py P e or y e
dx dx EI EI
The solution to the above differential equation is
()()
()
()
12
12
12
1
PP
y C cos x C sin x e ii
EI EI
Where C and C are the constants.
At the end B,x 0 and y 0
0 C cos 0 C sin0 e
or C e

=+++

==
=+++
=+
()
12
Differentiating equation ii we get
dy P P P P
C sin x C cos x
dx EI EI EI EI

=+

()2
2
Again,at the fixed end B,
dy
When x 0, 0
dx
PP
0 e 0 C cos0
EI EI
or C 0

==
=++
=
()
()()
()
At the free end A,x ,y
Substituting for x and y in equation ii ,we have
P
e cos e
EI
Pe
cos iii
EI e

==

=+=+

=
+

It is mentioned in the problem that the deflection of the free end does not exceed the
eccentricity. It means that = e
Substituting this value in equation (iii), we have
1
Pe1
cos
EI e 2
P1
cos
EI 2 3
EI
3P

==
+

==

Conventional Question ESE-2005

Question: A long strut AB of length ' ' is of uniform section throughout. A thrust P is
applied at the ends eccentrically on the same side of the centre line with
eccentricity at the end B twice than that at the end A. Show that the
maximum bending moment occurs at a distance x from the end A,
Where,tan(kx)= 2 cos P and k=
sin EI
k
k

For- 2016 (IES,GATE & PSUs) Page 423 of 472 Rev.1

C
An
CQ A CQ
hapter-13
swer: L
b o o CyIA
onvention
uestion:
nswer:
onvention
uestion:
et at a dist
eam is y
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
dy
EI
dx
dyP
r
dx E
dy
rk
dx
=
++
.F of this di
= A cos kx
t is clear at
nd at x =
e A = ....
2 cos
co
eA
ye
=
=
Where be
the deflec
tan
dy
e
dx
or kx
=
=
al Questi
The link o
circular c
of the link
and elast
can carry
According t
cr
P=
cr
.
Hear A=ar
least radiu
For both e
P 40
yA

=
al Questi
Find the s
section 60
ance 'x' from
.
0
0
Py
y
I
y
=

fferential e
+ B sin kx, W
x = 0, y = e
, y= 2e
.............( ) i
sin
2
s
s
kBk
e
kx
+

nding mom
tion will be
sin
2 cos
sin

k kx k
k
+k

on ESE-1
f a mecha
ross-sectio
are hing
ic modulus
. Use John
o Johnson's

12
4
ea of cross
s of gyratio
nd hinged
0 63.62 1
y
nE

on GATEhortest le
0 mm 10
Theorie
end A defl
P
k gi
EI
=
quation
here A & B
cos
s
in

or
ek
k

ent is maxi
maximum s
2 cos
.
sin
ee
k

996
nism is su
n with dia
ed. It is m
= 200 kN
on's equati
equation

2
section=
I
n (k) =
A
n=1
k

2
4 1
-1995
ngth of a h
0 mm, for
s of Colum
ection of th
ven

constant.
2
s
in
e
B
kx

mum,
o0
cos

dy
dx
k
kx
=

bjected to
meter 9 m
ade of stee
/mm2. Calc
on.
2

64
d
2
4
d
63.62
4
4
40
d
=


==

3
0
(200 10
inged stee
which the
n
e
cos
in

ek
k

0
axial com
m and len
l having y
ulate the
2
2.25
4
mm
d
=m
2
200
) 2.25

l column h
elastic E
pressive fo
gth 200 mm
ield stren
critical lo
m
=15.262kN

aving a re
uler formu
S K Mo
rce. It has
. The two
gth = 400 N
ad that th
ctangular
la applies
ndals
solid
ends
/mm2
e link
cross-
. Take
For- 2016 (IES,GATE & PSUs) Page 424 of 472 Rev.1
Chapter-13 Theories of Column S K Mondals
yield strength and modulus of elasticity value for steel as 250 MPa and 200
GPa respectively.
Answer: Given: Cross-section, (= b x d) = 600 mm x 100 mm = 0.6 m x 0.1 m = 0.06 m2;
Yield strength = P 250 250 / ; 200 MPa MN m E GPa 2 200 10 / 12 2 N m
A
====
33
0.6 0.1 5 4
Least areamoment of Inertia, 5 10 m
12 12
bd
I===
Length of the column, L :
()
5
242
2
5 10
, 8.333 10
0.6 0.1
[ where area of cross-section, radius of gyration ]
I
Also k m
A
I AK A k

===

===
22
22
From Euler's formula for column, we have
, cr
e
EI EI
Crushing load P
LL

==
()
e
22
2
2
2
22
2
For bothendhinged type of column, = L
/
cr
cr
cr
L
EAk
or P
L
P EI
or Yield stress
AL
Ek
or L
PA

=
Substituting the value,we get
29
2
6
200 10 0.0008333
6.58
250 10
2.565
L
Lm

==

=
Conventional Question GATE-1993
Question: Determine the temperature rise necessary to induce buckling in a lm long
circular rod of diameter 40 mm shown in the Figure below. Assume the rod to
be pinned at its ends and the coefficient of thermal expansion as 20 10 / 6 0 C
. Assume uniform heating of the bar.
Answer: Letusassume the buckling load be'P'.
For- 2016 (IES,GATE & PSUs) Page 425 of 472 Rev.1
Chapter-13 Theories of Column S K Mondals
()
[]
2
2e
2
2e
. . , Where is the temperature rise.
.
.
,
where L =equivalentlength
. . QL =L For bothendhinged
cr
e
LLtt
L
or t
L
PL L AE
Also L or P
AE L
EI
P
L
EI L A E
or
LL

=
=

==
=
=

()
()()
2
22
2
24
0
226
....
Substituting the values,we get
0.040
64
Temperature rise 49.35
1 0.040 20 10
4
I
or L
LA
LII
t
L LA L L A
tC

=
===

==

So the rod will buckle when the temperature rises more than 49.35C.
For- 2016 (IES,GATE & PSUs) Page 426 of 472 Rev.1