BUCKLING OF SUSPENDED I-BEAMS

This paper investigates the elastic flexural-torsional buckling of I-beams supported (suspended) symmetrically by cables or chains as might be encountered in practice in a lifting operation. The governing differential equations of minor axis flexure and torsion are derived for suspended I-beams subject to symmetrical concentrated loads and/or uniformly distributed load. The boundary conditions corresonding to symmetrical and antisymmetrical buckling mode shapes are fully examined. Parameters influencing the buckling behavior of suspended I-beams are identified. The solution procedure using the finite integral method is briefly described. Theoretical predictions of elastic buckling loads compare very well to results from a series of small-scale aluminium I-beam experiments. A theoretical study to illustrate the influence of some of the many variables affecting the buckling behavior of suspended beams is presented. © ASCE.