Non-conservative stability of intermediate spring supported columns with an elastically restrained end support

The non-conservative stability of an intermediate spring supported uniform column clastically restrained at one end and subjected to a follower force at the other unsupported end is studied. It is found that when the intermediate spring support is far from the unsupported end, the instability mechanism is flutter. As the intermediate spring support approaches the unsupported end, the instability mechanism is changed from flutter to divergence with the increase of intermediate spring stiffness. For the hinged-intermediate and guided-intermediatc spring supported columns, the critical buckling load of flutter instability will first decrease, then increase as the intermediate spring stiffness is increased. Nevertheless, when the instability mechanism is divergence, the critical buckling load depends on the location of the intermediate spring support only, whereas for the clamped-intermediate spring supported column the critical buckling load of divergence instability decreases monotonically to a fixed value as the intermediate spring stiffness is increased. Finally, the influence of elastic end restraints on the stability of the column is also investigated.