On the Buckling Finite Element Analysis of Beam Structures by Denise Lori-Eng Poy B.S., Mechanical Engineering (2000) University of California, Berkeley Submitted to the Department of Mechanical Engineering in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering at the MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY February 2002 @2002 Massachusetts Institute of Technology All rights reserved Z)AZ)ACNilUSESINSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY MAR 2 5 2002 LIBRARIES Author ....... Department of Mechanical Engineering January 17, 2002 Certified by...... Klaus-Jiirgen Bathe Professor of Mechanical Engineering Thesis Supervisor A ccepted by .................. .... Ain A. Sonin Chairman, Department Committee on Graduate Students BARKER