ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the use of finite elements for linearized elastic stability analysis of beams and plates. While it is true that buckling of a structure involves nonlinear considerations, a linearized eigenvalue analysis is still very useful to the designer since the results signal an upper bound to structural loading. The chapter presents a brief introduction to the extensive and important field of elastic stability. It is concerned with the finite element analysis of eigenvalue-eigenfunction problems. Such problems occur in many areas of study.
