Analyze the Model

  1. Click Analysis Analysis Run Simulation.

    The analysis proceeds and the model displays in the Results environment. By default, the normalized displacement magnitude for the first buckling mode shape is presented initially.

    Note: The normalized displacement is solely for the purpose of showing the buckling mode shape. The absolute magnitudes of the displacement have no other significance.
  2. Click the Home icon that appears above the ViewCube when the cursor is nearby. An isometric view of the model displays, as shown below.

    Important: The Buckling Load Multiplier of 0.784, for Mode 1 of 5, is shown in the annotation at the lower left corner of the screen. The significance of this result is that the beam tower theoretically will buckle at 78.4% of the applied load. Therefore, the tower will fail due to geometric instability, even though the stress levels determined by the prior static stress analysis are well below the yield strength of the AISI 4130 alloy steel material. This clearly demonstrates the necessity of checking critical buckling criteria for tall, slender structures that are subjected to compressive loads.

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