Modification of the Euler load for the stiffened compressive members and determination of the optimal stiffening for the maximum buckling load

The potential of buckling in compressive members has been considered as a disadvantage when using steel members in the construction industry. In spite of the progress made in this regard, buckling is still considered as a challenge in the analysis and design of compressive steel structural members. Such a challenging phenomenon can be controlled by strengthening of compressive members. Stiffened compressive members can control the weakness of steel members in the global buckling. In this paper, elastic buckling behavior of three-segment symmetric steel members with pinned ends is investigated. The differential stability equation for non-prismatic three-segment members is solved numerically. Critical load parameter for stiffened members is calculated considering different stiffened length and moment of inertia ratios. Based on a wide range of the calculated data, the buckling load could be accounted as a safe measure to be used in the design formulas. Evaluation of the effects of various parameters on the buckling load shows that the desired buckling load value can be achieved by a partially stiffened member. By constant increase of a member’s weight, the shorter the length of the variation in the cross-section, the higher moment of inertia is essential in the stiffened segment; and the maximum critical load parameter is achieved by a stiffened length ratio between 0.4 and 0.6.