Efficient computation of buckling loads for plane steel frames with tapered members

An approximate method for quick calculation of the critical load of tapered columns is proposed. The method is based on a series of dimensionless design-oriented charts relating the critical load of linearly tapered columns of I-section to the taper ratio and boundary conditions. These charts are derived from extensive parametric studies on the basis of an “exact”, within the limits of the Bernoulli–Euler theory, stability analysis, using a wide array of geometric characteristics of practical interest. As is demonstrated in the Numerical Examples section, these approximate calculations can yield, in a very efficient way, accurate results for single tapered columns or frames consisting of tapered elements.