Effective Length Factors of Gin Poles

An iterative numerical method is used to find the first elastic buckling mode and critical buckling load of gin poles. The buckling loads are used to determine dimensionless, effective length factors, K L , referenced to the total gin pole length. A dimensionless, relative stiffness ratio of the supporting structure to the gin pole is defined and incorporated into a parametric study of the effective length factors versus the “overhang” distance above the top lateral support. Other parameters include variations in rigging of load lines and two or three lateral supports.