Axial Impact Buckling of a Column With Random Initial Imperfections

Abstract

Axial impact buckling of perfectly elastic bars with initial imperfections is considered in a probabilistic setting. It is assumed that the initial imperfection function involved a single parameter, which in turn is a continuous random variable with given probability distribution function. The structure is said to buckle if the absolute value of the total displacement exceeds a prescribed value. The probabilistic nature of the random, critical time when such a failure occurs for the first time, is studied.