Flexural buckling and post-buckling of columns made of aluminium alloy

The paper concerns flexural buckling and initial post-buckling of axially compressed columns made of aluminium alloy described by the Ramberg-Osgood relationship. The non-linear differential equation of the problem is derived using the stationary total energy principle and the assumptions of classical beam theory within a finite range. The approximate analytical solution of the equation leading to the buckling loads and initial post buckling equilibrium path is determined by means of the perturbation approach. Numerical examples dealing with simply supported and clamped I-columns are presented, the effect of the material non-linearity on the critical loads and initial post-buckling behaviour in comparison to linear one is discussed too. The analytical results are compared with the FEM solutions to present a good agreement.