Introduction to elastic buckling and effective lengths for the design of steel members in

compression

STEEL COLUMN DESIGN

The lowest elastic critical load

Commonly known as the Euler load or Pcrit

EI
PE =  2
2
pinned ends
l

Buckling will occur at the lowest buckling load, i.e.

corresponding to the smaller I (2nd Moment of Area).
The lowest elastic critical load

Commonly known as the Euler load or Pcrit

EI
PE =  2
2
pinned ends
l

Buckling will occur at the lowest buckling load, i.e.

corresponding to the smaller I (2nd Moment of Area).
Critical stress versus slenderness ratio for steel.
 RHS steel column testing
Theory and Reality
Expedition Workshed

Worked solutions for 4 different struts with different end conditions

Use these as worked examples for practise
Watch the Expedition Workshed videos of the four experiments before
working through this
Theoretical buckling length factors
BS5950 buckling length factors (based on performance
of steelwork in structures)
 Summary of column lengths and connections

A B(BS) B(Euler) C D
Height (mm) 1500 1500 1500 870 450

End conditions pin-pin fix-fix fix-fix pin-pin pin-pin

Effective length factor 1 0.7 0.5 1 1

Le (mm) 1500 1050 750 870 450

 Summary of column failure loads (kN)

A B C D
Le (mm) 1500 1050 or 750 870 450

N crit Euler buckling load

A x fy Squash load

Actual failure load

NRd EC3 design load

 Hot rolled rectangular hollow section steel column 50 x 25 x 2.5mm thick, length 1500mm
Steel strength (fy) 275 N/mm2 and modulus of elasticity (E) 210 000 N/mm2

A Buckling length of column (pin-pin)

Cross sectional area
Le
A
1500 mm
3.34 cm2
2nd moment of area around weak axis Iz 3.28 cm4
Ncr (‘N crit’ is also known as the Euler 𝜋2 𝐸 𝐼
buckling load) 𝐿𝑒 2
Squash load A x fy
Non-dimensional slenderness 𝜆ҧ 𝐴 𝑓𝑦
See EC3 Clause 6.3.1.2
𝑁𝑐𝑟
Buckling curve (Table 6.1) a a
Imperfection factor (Table 6.1) α 0.21
Intermediate factor (to find χ) φ 0.5 1 + 𝛼 𝜆ҧ − 0.2 + 𝜆ҧ2
Reduction factor χ 1
𝑎𝑛𝑑 ≤ 1
𝜙+ 𝜙2 −ഥ
𝜆2

NRd (with 𝛾𝑀1 = 1 ) 𝜒 𝑓𝑦 𝐴

Actual failure load Estimate from the video
 Hot rolled rectangular hollow section steel column 50 x 25 x 2.5mm thick, length 1500mm
Steel strength (fy) 275 N/mm2 and modulus of elasticity (E) 210 000 N/mm2

A Buckling length of column (pin-pin)

Cross sectional area
Le
A
1500 mm
3.34 cm2
2nd moment of area around weak axis Iz 3.28 cm4
Ncr (‘N crit’ is also known as the Euler 𝜋2 𝐸 𝐼 30.21 kN
buckling load) 𝐿𝑒 2
Squash load A x fy 91.85 kN
Non-dimensional slenderness 𝜆ҧ 𝐴 𝑓𝑦
1.744
See EC3 Clause 6.3.1.2
𝑁𝑐𝑟
Buckling curve (Table 6.1) a a
Imperfection factor (Table 6.1) α 0.21
Intermediate factor (to find χ) φ 0.5 1 + 𝛼 𝜆ҧ − 0.2 + 𝜆ҧ2 2.183
Reduction factor χ 1 0.286
𝑎𝑛𝑑 ≤ 1
𝜙+ 𝜙2 −ഥ
𝜆2

NRd (with 𝛾𝑀1 = 1 ) 𝜒 𝑓𝑦 𝐴 26.3 kN

Actual failure load Estimate from the video 26.4 kN
 Hot rolled rectangular hollow section steel column 50 x 25 x 2.5mm thick, length 1500mm
Steel strength (fy) 275 N/mm2 and modulus of elasticity (E) 210 000 N/mm2
B(BS) Buckling length of column (fix-fix) Le (using 0.7 eff. length factor) 1050 mm
Cross sectional area A 3.34 cm2
2nd moment of area around weak axis Iz 3.28 cm4
Ncr (‘N crit’ is also known as the Euler 𝜋2 𝐸 𝐼 61.66 kN
buckling load) 𝐿𝑒 2
Squash load A x fy 91.85 kN
Non-dimensional slenderness 𝜆ҧ 𝐴 𝑓𝑦
1.221
See EC3 Clause 6.3.1.2
𝑁𝑐𝑟
Buckling curve (Table 6.1) a a
Imperfection factor (Table 6.1) α 0.21
Intermediate factor (to find χ) φ 0.5 1 + 𝛼 𝜆ҧ − 0.2 + 𝜆ҧ2 1.353
Reduction factor χ 1 0.517
𝑎𝑛𝑑 ≤ 1
𝜙+ 𝜙2 −ഥ
𝜆2

NRd (with 𝛾𝑀1 = 1 ) 𝜒 𝑓𝑦 𝐴 47.5 kN

Actual failure load Estimate from the video 80 kN
 Hot rolled rectangular hollow section steel column 50 x 25 x 2.5mm thick, length 870mm
Steel strength (fy) 275 N/mm2 and modulus of elasticity (E) 210 000 N/mm2

C Buckling length of column (pin-pin)

Cross sectional area
Le
A
870 mm
3.34 cm2
2nd moment of area around weak axis Iz 3.28 cm4
Ncr (‘N crit’ is also known as the Euler 𝜋2 𝐸 𝐼 89.82 kN
buckling load) 𝐿𝑒 2
Squash load A x fy 91.85 kN
Non-dimensional slenderness 𝜆ҧ 𝐴 𝑓𝑦
1.011
See EC3 Clause 6.3.1.2
𝑁𝑐𝑟
Buckling curve (Table 6.1) a a
Imperfection factor (Table 6.1) α 0.21
Intermediate factor (to find χ) φ 0.5 1 + 𝛼 𝜆ҧ − 0.2 + 𝜆ҧ2 1.096
Reduction factor χ 1 0.658
𝑎𝑛𝑑 ≤ 1
𝜙+ 𝜙2 −ഥ
𝜆2

NRd (with 𝛾𝑀1 = 1 ) 𝜒 𝑓𝑦 𝐴 60.4 kN

Actual failure load Estimate from the video 67 kN
 Hot rolled rectangular hollow section steel column 50 x 25 x 2.5mm thick, length 450mm
Steel strength (fy) 275 N/mm2 and modulus of elasticity (E) 210 000 N/mm2

D Buckling length of column (pin-pin)

Cross sectional area
Le
A
450 mm
3.34 cm2
2nd moment of area around weak axis Iz 3.28 cm4
Ncr (‘N crit’ is also known as the Euler 𝜋2 𝐸 𝐼 335.71 kN
buckling load) 𝐿𝑒 2
Squash load A x fy 91.85 kN
Non-dimensional slenderness 𝜆ҧ 𝐴 𝑓𝑦
0.523
See EC3 Clause 6.3.1.2
𝑁𝑐𝑟
Buckling curve (Table 6.1) a a
Imperfection factor (Table 6.1) α 0.21
Intermediate factor (to find χ) φ 0.5 1 + 𝛼 𝜆ҧ − 0.2 + 𝜆ҧ2 0.671
Reduction factor χ 1 0,916
𝑎𝑛𝑑 ≤ 1
𝜙+ 𝜙2 −ഥ
𝜆2

NRd (with 𝛾𝑀1 = 1 ) 𝜒 𝑓𝑦 𝐴 84.1 kN

Actual failure load Estimate from the video 116 kN
 Summary of column failure loads (kN)

A B(BS) C D
Le (mm) 1500 1050 870 450

N crit Euler buckling load 30.21 61.66 89.82 335.71

A x fy Squash load 91.85 91.85 91.85 91.85

Actual failure load 26.4 80 67 116

NRd EC3 design load 26.3 47.5 60.4 84.1

 Failure loads of RHS columns
Theory and Reality
[1500mm fix-fix column, Le = 0.7 x L]
400

350

300

250

Axial force at failure kN

N crit Euler buckling load
200
Afy Squash load
Actual failure load
NRd EC3 design load
150

100

50

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
Buckling length of column (effective length Le) mm
 Hot rolled rectangular hollow section steel column 50 x 25 x 2.5mm thick, length 1500mm
Steel strength (fy) 275 N/mm2 and modulus of elasticity (E) 210 000 N/mm2
B Buckling length of column (fix-fix) Le (using 0.5 eff. length factor) 750 mm
Cross sectional area A 3.34 cm2
(Euler)
2nd moment of area around weak axis Iz 3.28 cm4
Ncr (‘N crit’ is also known as the Euler 𝜋2 𝐸 𝐼 120.86 kN
buckling load) 𝐿𝑒 2
Squash load A x fy 91.85 kN
Non-dimensional slenderness 𝜆ҧ 𝐴 𝑓𝑦
0.872
See EC3 Clause 6.3.1.2
𝑁𝑐𝑟
Buckling curve (Table 6.1) a a
Imperfection factor (Table 6.1) α 0.21
Intermediate factor (to find χ) φ 0.5 1 + 𝛼 𝜆ҧ − 0.2 + 𝜆ҧ2 0.951
Reduction factor χ 1 0.752
𝑎𝑛𝑑 ≤ 1
𝜙+ 𝜙2 −ഥ
𝜆2

NRd (with 𝛾𝑀1 = 1 ) 𝜒 𝑓𝑦 𝐴 69.1 kN

Actual failure load Estimate from the video 80 kN
 Failure loads of RHS columns
Theory and Reality
400
[1500mm fix-fix column, Le = 0.5 x L]

350

300

250

Axial force at failure kN

N crit Euler buckling load
200
Afy Squash load
Actual failure load
NRd EC3 design load
150

100

50

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600
Buckling length of column (effective length Le) mm
 Design buckling resistance of compression member
S355 UC254x254x73kg/m with effective length 4.2m
(about z-z axis only)
3 approaches: (i) manual calculation, (ii) fill the gaps
handout and (iii) Blue Book design
(i) Step by step manual calculation for steel strut:
1. List section properties and then check the section classification (this
one is Class 2)
2. Determine the effective length Le of the column
3. Using section properties, determine the elastic critical buckling load
𝜋2 𝐸𝐼
Ncr = 2
𝐿𝑒
4. Calculate fy x A (or, if the section is Class 4, then use Aeff)
5. Calculate the normalized slenderness 𝜆ҧ
6. Select the correct value for α and the correct buckling curve
7. Calculate the buckling parameter Φ
8. Calculate the reduction factor χ (never more than 1)
9. Calculate the design compression resistance Nb,Rd
…or (ii) make use of the fill the gaps handout
This table is extracted from BS5950 – similar tables exist in several other codes of
practice
EN 10025-2:2004 - Table 7
Eurocode 3
Table 6.2
Eurocode 3
Table 6.2
Eurocode 3
Figure 6.4
Eurocode 3
Table 6.1
…or (iii) Blue Book design
Using the Blue book and interpolating for an
effective length of 4.2m

Effective
4.0m 4.2m 5.0m
length (m)

Nb,z,Rd (kN) 2170 1760

Using the Blue book and interpolating for an
effective length of 4.2m

Effective
4.0m 4.2m 5.0m
length (m)

Nb,z,Rd (kN) 2170 2088 1760

It is possible to reduce the effective length of a
column using bracing

Consider a pair of UC305 x 305 x 97k steel

columns