Enter the modulus of elasticity, the moment of inertia, and the length of the column into the calculator to determine the critical force/load.
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Critical Force Formula
The following equation is used to calculate the Critical Force.
CL = (pi^2 * E * I) / L^2
- Where CL is the critical load (force)
- E is the modulus of elasticity (force/length^2)
- I is the momentum of inertia (length^4)
- L is the length
What is a Critical Force?
Definition:
A critical force is a measure of the force required to buckle a column with a given modulus of elasticity, moment of inertia, and length.
How to Calculate Critical Force?
Example Problem:
The following example outlines the steps and information needed to calculate Critical Force.
First, determine the modulus of elasticity . In this example, the modulus of elasticity is found to be 500 lbf/in^2.
Next, determine the momentum of inertia. For this problem, the momentum of inertia is found to be 20 in^4.
Next, determine the length. In this case, the length is measured to be 5 in.
Finally, calculate the Critical Force using the formula above:
CL = (pi^2 * E * I) / L^2
CL = (3.14159^2 * 500 * 20) / 5^2
CL = 3947.83 lbf
