Buckling of Structures

Book excerpt: This volume contains the written texts of the papers presented at a Symposium on Buckling of Structures held at Harvard University in June 1974. This symposium, one of several on various topics sponsored annually by the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Me chanics (IUTAM), was organized by a Scientific Committee consisting of B. Budiansky (Chairman), A. H. Chilver, W. T. Koiter, and A. S. Vol' mir. Participation was by invitation of the Scientific Committee, and specific lecturers were invited to speak in the areas of experimental research, buckling and post-buckling calculations, post-buckling mode interaction, plasticity and creep effects, dynamic buckling, stochastic problems, and design. A total of 29 lectures were delivered, including a general opening lecture by Professor Koiter, and there were 93 reg istered participants from 16 different countries. Financial support for the symposium was provided by IUTAM, in the form of partial travel support for a number of participants, and also by the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Re search, for additional travel support and administrative expenses. Meeting facilities and services were efficiently provided by the Science Center of Harvard University, and administrative support was gen erously provided by the Division of Engineering and Applied Physics of Harvard University. The scientific chairman enjoyed the invaluable assistance of his colleagues Professors J. W. Hutchinson and J. L.