what is meant by buckling?

Question

it is related to strength of materials

Answer 1

that is when something folds (like an iron upright) and breaks.
what happened to the WTC 1 2 and 7 would be an extreme example of this.

In engineering, buckling is a failure mode characterised by a sudden failure of a structural member that is subjected to high compressive stresses where the actual compressive stresses at failure are lower than the compressive stresses that the material is capable of withstanding. This mode of failure is also described as failure due to elastic instability. Mathematical analysis of buckling makes use of an eccentricity that introduces a moment which does not form part of the primary forces to which the member is subjected.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckling

Answer 2

When various materials under too much heat pressure or tempertaures too cold cause the materials to seperate (as in go alittle bit up) from the rest of the substance. Some things can actually break. Ie.the subway tracks in NY recently due to extrememe heat.

Answer 3

It is used for axially loaded columns. When they bend due to axial load more than the crippling load of that column which depends on slenderness ratio. It can be determined by Eulers equation

Answer 4

to crumble under the weight of something would be to buckle