At the end of this section, you should be able to:

1. Evaluate if using Euler Buckling equation is correct for a column 

2. Identify appropriate correction factor for effective length

3. Calculate critical force to buckle Euler Column 

Buckling explains how and why columns fail by elastic instability, and how to predict the critical buckling load using the Euler column model. You will learn how to decide whether Euler buckling applies to a given column by checking whether the assumptions are reasonable for the member and loading, select the correct effective length factor based on end conditions, and compute the critical force for buckling using the column stiffness terms (material modulus, cross section moment of inertia, and effective length). The practice focuses on realistic setups such as a column supporting a beam and a rectangular cross section evaluated under different end conditions, with a demonstration and Mathematica code provided for calculation and verification.