The document is a PowerPoint presentation about columns. It defines columns as vertical structural members that support axial compressive loads and struts as inclined members under compression. It discusses buckling as the bending action of columns. It classifies columns as short, medium or long based on their slenderness ratio and describes their failure modes. It presents Euler's formula and Rankine's formula for calculating the buckling/critical load of long columns based on the column's effective length, moment of inertia and modulus of elasticity. It provides crushing stress values and Rankine's constants for different materials.