Buckling of long, regular trusses

Abstract The buckling of pin-jointed trusses due to axial end loading is examined using finite difference calculus. Exact solutions are found from which approximate formulae are derived which may be compared with the critical loads for analogous columns buckling due to bending and shear. These are found to differ from previously proposed analogies which were established on an intuitive basis. The possibility of analogies for the lateral buckling of trusses is also examined.