A set of four wood members are lashed together at several points along the length with the goal of creating a bar with a larger cross-section that is less susceptible to buckling. Each member is 8 ft long and has a square cross-section of width d = 0.875 in (so altogether the beam consisting of four members is 1.75 in. square). Using an elastic modulus of wood of 1.6(106) psi, and treating the members as simply supported, determine the buckling load under two assumptions:
(a) the members are lashed together well enough that they function as a single solid beam and
(b) the members bend individually, each taking one quarter of the load.
