Post-buckling of a cantilever rod with variable cross-sections under combined load

Based on the geometrically nonlinear theory of axially extensible elastic rods, the governing equations of post_buckling of a clamped_free rod with variable cross_sections, subjected to a combined load, a concentrated axial load P at the free end and a non_uniformly distributed axial load q, are established.By using shooting method, the strong nonlinear boundary value problems are numerically solved. The secondary equilibrium paths and the post_buckling configurations of the rod with linearly varied cross_sections are presented.