Buckling II and fleXLab Overview

This lecture covers the concept of buckling in slender structures under compression, expanding beam theory to allow a load while assuming no compressive deformation. It discusses the instability of slender elastic structures, the critical load for buckling, and the Euler buckling load. The instructor also introduces the fleXLab, a laboratory focusing on embracing mechanical instabilities in thin structures for novel functional mechanisms. The lab conducts precision model experiments to understand and exploit these instabilities over various length scales.