Work out buckling load (euler) instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.
Euler's formula gives the load at which a slender column buckles: pi^2 EI/(KL)^2. End restraint enters through K, so fixing both ends halves the effective length and quadruples the capacity. A 2.5 m pinned steel column with I = 5e-7 m4 buckles at about 158 kN, regardless of the material's yield strength.
Euler critical load
P(cr) = pi^2 E I / (K L)^2
Effective length
L(e) = K L
Not for slender columns - only stiffness and geometry. Stocky columns fail by yielding instead, and codes blend the two through a slenderness limit.
Because capacity goes with the inverse square of effective length. Halving it multiplies the buckling load by four.