Exact solutions for buckling of non-uniform columns under axial concentrated and distributed loading (Q5942625)

The author investigates a column with variable cross-section loaded by an axial load depending on column cross-section. The equation relevant for stability analysis is reduced to a single second-order ordinary differential equation that does not contain the first derivative. This equation is reduced to a Bessel type differential equation, and is solved in 12 special cases. The results of this paper increase the (relatively small) set of explicitly determined critical loads for columns with variable cross-section.