On the prevention or facilitation of buckling of beams

The present paper considers the use of linear or rotary transverse springs to: (i) prevent the buckling of beams by raising the critical buckling load and thus allow a larger axial tension; (ii) provoke the buckling of beams, by lowering the critical buckling load, facilitating the demolition of a structure. The prevention or facilitation of buckling depends on the positioning of the linear and/or rotary springs to oppose or favour bending, for example: at the tip of a (i) cantilever or clamped-free beam; at the middle of a (ii) clamped-clamped, (iii) pinned-pinned or (iv) clamped-pinned beam. In all eight of the four beam supports (i)-(iv) with either linear or rotary springs, the relation between the critical buckling load and the resilience of the spring is obtained. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.