An important case of compressive loading is that in which σ0 < 0, which can lead to buckling. Indeed, if σ0A < −π2EI/L2, then the ω2n is negative, at least for n = 1, which means that the corresponding ωn is of the form ± ib, where b is a positive real number, so that the exp(iωnt) term has a time dependence of a type that no longer involves oscillation but, rather, exponential growth, exp(bt). The critical compressive force, π2EI/L2, that causes this type of behaviour is called the Euler buckling load; different numerical factors are obtained for different end ...(100 of 15762 words)