Thermal Buckling Analysis of Axially Loaded Columns of Thin-Walled Open Section with Nonuniform Sectional Properties

This paper presents an analytical study on the thermal buckling analysis of axially loaded columns of thin-walled open section with nonuniform sectional properties. Obtained herein are critical loads related to flexural, torsional and flexural-torsional buckling of an I-section column subjected to an axial compressive load applied at the geometric centroid, and under linearly varied non-uniform temperature distribution scenarios. The analysis is accomplished using traditional energy methods. The influences of thermal strain, nonuniform distribution of pre-buckling stresses, and variation of pre-buckling stresses along the longitudinal axis of the column on critical buckling loads are examined. The present results highlight the importance of nonuniform sectional properties in the buckling analysis of columns of doubly symmetric section.