Question 11.2: A long, slender column ABC is pin-supported at the ends and ...
A long, slender column ABC is pin-supported at the ends and compressed by an axial load P (Fig. 11-15). Lateral support is provided at the midpoint B in the plane of the figure. However, lateral support perpendicular to the plane of the figure is provided only at the ends.
The column is constructed of a steel I-beam section S 200 × 34 having modulus of elasticity E = 200GPa and proportional limit \sigma_{pl} = 300 MPa. The total length of the column is L = 8m.
Determine the allowable load P_{allow} using a factor of safety n = 2.5 with respect to Euler buckling of the column.

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Use a four-step problem-solving approach.
1. Conceptualize: Because of the manner in which it is supported, this column may buckle in either of the two principal planes of bending. As one possibility, it may buckle in the plane of the figure, in which case the distance between lateral supports is L/2 = 4m and bending occurs about axis 2-2 (see Fig. 11-9c for the mode shape of buckling).
As a second possibility, the column may buckle perpendicular to the plane of the figure with bending about axis 1–1. Because the only lateral support in this direction is at the ends, the distance between lateral supports is L = 8m (see Fig. 11-9b for the mode shape of buckling).
Column properties : From Table F-2(b) obtain the following moments of inertia and cross-sectional area for a S 200 × 34 column:
I_{1}=26.9 \times 10^{6} mm ^{4} \quad I_{2}=1.78 \times 10^{6} mm ^{4} \quad A=4360 mm ^{2}2. Categorize:
Critical loads: If the column buckles in the plane of the figure, the critical load is
P_{ cr }=\frac{\pi^{2} E I_{2}}{(L / 2)^{2}}=\frac{4 \pi^{2} E I_{2}}{L^{2}}3. Analyze: Substitute numerical values to obtain
P_{ cr }=\frac{4 \pi^{2} E I_{2}}{L^{2}}=\frac{4 \pi^{2}(200 GPa )\left(1.78 \times 10^{6} mm ^{4}\right)}{(8 m )^{2}}=220 kNIf the column buckles perpendicular to the plane of the figure, the critical load is
P_{ cr }=\frac{\pi^{2} E I_{1}}{L^{2}}=\frac{\pi^{2}(200 GPa )\left(26.9 \times 10^{6} mm ^{4}\right)}{(8 m )^{2}}=830 kNTherefore, the critical load for the column (the smaller of the two preceding values) is
P_{ cr }=220 kNand buckling occurs in the plane of the figure.
Critical stresses: Since the calculations for the critical loads are valid only if the material follows Hooke’s law, verify that the critical stresses do not exceed the proportional limit of the material. For the larger critical load, the critical stress is
\sigma_{ cr }=\frac{P_{ cr }}{A}=\frac{830 kN }{4360 mm ^{2}}=190.4 MPaSince this stress is less than the proportional limit (\sigma_{pl} = 300 MPa), both critical-load calculations are satisfactory.
4. Finalize:
Allowable load: The allowable axial load for the column, based on Euler buckling, is
in which n = 2.5 is the desired factor of safety.
Table F-2(b) | ||||||||||||
Properties of I-Beam Sections (S Shapes)—SI Units (Abridged List) | ||||||||||||
Designation | Mass per Meter |
Area | Depth | Web Thickness |
Flange | Axis 1–1 | Axis 2–2 | |||||
Width | Thickness | I | S | r | I | S | r | |||||
kg | mm² | mm | mm | mm | mm | \times 10^{6} mm^{4} | \times 10^{3} mm^{3} | mm | \times 10^{6} mm^{4} | \times 10^{3} mm^{3} | mm | |
S 610 × 149 | 149 | 18900 | 610 | 18.9 | 184 | 22.1 | 991 | 3260 | 229 | 19.7 | 215 | 32.3 |
S 610 × 119 | 119 | 15200 | 610 | 12.7 | 178 | 22.1 | 874 | 2870 | 241 | 17.5 | 197 | 34.0 |
S 510 × 143 | 143 | 18200 | 516 | 20.3 | 183 | 23.4 | 695 | 2700 | 196 | 20.8 | 228 | 33.8 |
S 510 × 112 | 112 | 14200 | 508 | 16.1 | 162 | 20.2 | 533 | 2100 | 194 | 12.3 | 152 | 29.5 |
S 460 × 104 | 104 | 13200 | 457 | 18.1 | 159 | 17.6 | 384 | 1690 | 170 | 10.0 | 126 | 27.4 |
S 460 × 81.4 | 81.4 | 10300 | 457 | 11.7 | 152 | 17.6 | 333 | 1460 | 180 | 8.62 | 113 | 29.0 |
S 380 × 74 | 74.0 | 9480 | 381 | 14.0 | 143 | 15.8 | 202 | 1060 | 146 | 6.49 | 90.6 | 26.2 |
S 380 × 64 | 64.0 | 8130 | 381 | 10.4 | 140 | 15.8 | 186 | 973 | 151 | 5.95 | 85.0 | 26.9 |
S 310 × 74 | 74.0 | 9420 | 305 | 17.4 | 139 | 16.7 | 126 | 829 | 116 | 6.49 | 93.2 | 26.2 |
S 310 × 52 | 52.0 | 6580 | 305 | 10.9 | 129 | 13.8 | 94.9 | 624 | 120 | 4.10 | 63.6 | 24.9 |
S 250 × 52 | 52.0 | 6650 | 254 | 15.1 | 125 | 12.5 | 61.2 | 482 | 96.0 | 3.45 | 55.1 | 22.8 |
S 250 × 37.8 | 37.8 | 4810 | 254 | 7.90 | 118 | 12.5 | 51.2 | 403 | 103 | 2.80 | 47.4 | 24.1 |
S 200 × 34 | 34.0 | 4360 | 203 | 11.2 | 106 | 10.8 | 26.9 | 265 | 78.5 | 1.78 | 33.6 | 20.2 |
S 200 × 27.4 | 27.4 | 3480 | 203 | 6.88 | 102 | 10.8 | 23.9 | 236 | 82.8 | 1.54 | 30.2 | 21.0 |
S 150 × 25.7 | 25.7 | 3260 | 152 | 11.8 | 90.7 | 9.12 | 10.9 | 143 | 57.9 | 0.953 | 21.0 | 17.1 |
S 150 × 18.6 | 18.6 | 2360 | 152 | 5.89 | 84.6 | 9.12 | 9.16 | 120 | 62.2 | 0.749 | 17.7 | 17.8 |
S 100 × 14.1 | 14.1 | 1800 | 102 | 8.28 | 71.1 | 7.44 | 2.81 | 55.4 | 39.6 | 0.369 | 10.4 | 14.3 |
S 100 × 11.5 | 11.5 | 1460 | 102 | 4.90 | 67.6 | 7.44 | 2.52 | 49.7 | 41.7 | 0.311 | 9.21 | 14.6 |

