Rheological–dynamical analogy: prediction of buckling curves of columns

This paper is concerned with a new proposal regarding the analysis of inelastic deforming of materials and structures and is based on mathematical±physical analogy between rheological model and dynamical model with viscous damping. Due to the analogy, it becomes obvious that inelastic response of engineering structures is essentially a dynamical problem. The analogy exists for this speci®c model, and is one out of many examples of the analogies that can be observed in mechanics, as well as between mechanical and electrical (thermal, magnetic, etc.) systems, by virtue of their mathematical descriptions. Generally speaking, the rheological±dynamical analogy (RDA) is derived in order to solve the dynamical problems, but can also be used to explain any statical problems, considering the correspondent limit values of presented mathematical expressions. The paper deals with the buckling problem regarding steel, timber and concrete columns. Using the examples of typical columns, it has been demonstrated that results obtained by RDA are in good accordance with those available in cited reference