Question

A column that can support same load in compression as it can in tension is called

• A. Intermediate column
• B. Long column
• C. Short column
• D. Cannot be determined

Hint:

Short column → crushing/yielding governs. Long column → buckling governs, so compressive strength reduces significantly.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Compare tension and compression behavior.
A member in tension fails mainly by yielding (or rupture), so its capacity depends mostly on material strength and area.
A member in compression may fail either by crushing/yielding (short column) or by buckling (long column).
Step 2: Key idea for “same load in compression and tension”.
If a column can take the same load in compression as in tension, it means the column is not losing capacity due to buckling.
That happens when the column is short (small slenderness ratio), so failure is by crushing/yielding similar to tension capacity (area-based).
Step 3: Analyze options.
(A) Intermediate column: Buckling effects start becoming important, so compression capacity reduces.
(B) Long column: Buckling governs, so compression capacity is much less than tension capacity.
(C) Short column: Correct, buckling is negligible, so compression capacity can be comparable to tension capacity.
(D) Cannot be determined: Not required because classification is clear from the concept.
Step 4: Conclusion.
Hence, the column is a short column.