ABSTRACT
One of the most frequently encountered and basic types of structural member is the column whose main function is the transfer of load by means of compressive action. Two common examples drawn from the wide range of structures in which such members are found are shown in Figure 4.1. Depending upon the precise way in which the column is joined to the neighbouring parts of the structure, it may also be required to carry bending moments. Nevertheless, a proper appreciation of the behaviour of members in pure compression forms an important first step in understanding this more general problem because design for combined loading (considered in Chapter 6), i.e. compression and bending, is usually based upon considerations of the interaction of the various individual load components.
