GATE 2021 ME (ME2) – Question 34
A column with one end fixed and one end free has a critical buckling load of 100 N. For the same column, if the free end is replaced with a pinned end then the critical buckling load will be _____ N (round off to the nearest integer).
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Correct answer: 816
Explanation
Euler load is $\pi^2EI/(KL)^2$. The effective-length factors are 2 for fixed-free and approximately 0.7 for fixed-pinned.
Their load ratio is (2/0.7)²=8.163265. Thus new load≈816.3265 N, rounded to **816 N**. The exact fixed-pinned eigenvalue gives about 818 N;0.7 is the standard design approximation.