On the Methods of Stability Design for Axial Compressed Elements(Columns)

The article discusses the methods of stability design for axial compressed elements,comparing the difference between the trial-and-error calculation and the direct method,giving their applied areas.We use the scientific computational language MATLAB to program and calculate the shaped steel columns via man-machine conversation,and quickly obta in correct results of design.The examples prove that the trial-and-error calculation still has important applied value today when the computers are getting more and more common.