A mathematical model and analytical solution for buckling of inclined beam-columns

The differential equation that governs the buckling behavior of an inclined beam-column is obtained using the energy method, and the use of a suitable change of variable reduces the various geometrical and physical parameters into a single dimensionless length parameter (X). An exact solution is presented via the use of some members of the family of generalized hypergeometric functions. One type of boundary condition (pinned-ends) is presented and analyzed, and others boundary conditions may be easily studied following the same process. The analysis shows the singular behavior of the inclined beam-column and demonstrates the procedure used to obtain the critical values of the axial force. An important application of this model is its usefulness in the analysis of buckling of drillstrings within curved boreholes. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.