Theory of Plates and Shells PDF

2.081J/16.
230J Plates and Shells

Professor Tomasz Wierzbicki
Contents
1 Strain-Displacement Relation for Plates
1.1 1-D Strain Measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.1.1 Engineering Strain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.1.2 Green-Lagrangian Strain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.2 3-D Strain Measure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1.2.1 Derivation of Green-Lagrangian Strain Tensor for Plates
1.2.2 Specication of Strain-Displacement Relation for Plates
2 Derivation of Constitutive Equations for Plates
2.1 Denitions of Bending Moment and Axial Force .
2.2 Bending Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.2.1 Bending Moment . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.2.2 Bending Energy Density . . . . . . . . . .
2.2.3 Total Bending Energy . . . . . . . . . . .
2.3 Membrane Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.3.1 Axial Force . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.3.2 Membrane Energy Density . . . . . . . .
2.3.3 Total Membrane Energy . . . . . . . . . .
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10
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14
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3 Development of Equation of Equilibrium and Boundary Conditions
Using Variational Approach

17
3.1 Bending Theory of Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3.1.1 Total Potential Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3.1.2 First Variation of the Total Potential Energy . . . . . . . . . 20
3.1.3 Equilibrium Equation and Boundary Conditions . . . . . . . 24
3.1.4 Specication of Equation for Rectangular Plate . . . . . . . . 24
3.2 Bending-Membrane Theory of Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.2.1 Total Potential Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
3.2.2 First Variation of the Total Potential Energy . . . . . . . . .

3.2.3 Equilibrium Equation and Boundary Conditions . . . . . . .
4 General Theories of Plate
4.1 Bending Theory of Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.1.1 Derivation of the Plate Bending Equation . . . . . . . . . . .
4.1.2 Reduction to a System of Two Second Order Equations . . .
4.1.3 Exercise 1: Plate Solution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.1.4 Exercise 2: Comparison between Plate and Beam Solution . .
4.1.5 Exercise 3: Finite Dierence Solution of the Plate Bending
Problem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.2 Membrane Theory of Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.2.1 Plate Membrane Equation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.2.2 Plate Equation for the Circular Membrane . . . . . . . . . .
4.2.3 Example: Approximation Solution for the Clamped Membrane
4.3 Buckling Theory of Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.3.1 General Equation of Plate Buckling . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.3.2 Linearized Buckling Equation of Rectangular Plates . . . . .
4.3.3 Analysis of Rectangular Plates Buckling . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.3.4 Derivation of Raleigh-Ritz Quotient . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.3.5 Ultimate Strength of Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.3.6 Plastic Buckling of Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.3.7 Exercise 1: Eect of In-Plane Boundary Conditions, w = 0 .
4.3.8 Exercise 2: Raleigh-Ritz Quotient for Simply Supported Square
Plate under Uniaxial Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4.4 Buckling of Sections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4.4.1 Transition from Global and Local Buckling . . . . . . . . . .
4.4.2 Local Buckling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5 Buckling of Cylindrical Shells
5.1 Governing Equation for Buckling of Cylindrical Shells . . . .
5.1.1 Special Case I: Cylinder under Axial Load P , q = 0 .
5.1.2 Special Case II: Cylinder under Lateral Pressure . . .
5.1.3 Special Case III: Hydrostatic Pressure . . . . . . . . .
5.1.4 Special Case IV: Torsion of a Cylinder . . . . . . . . .
5.2 Derivation of the Linearized Buckling Equation . . . . . . . .
5.3 Buckling under Axial Compression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.3.1 Formulation for Buckling Stress and Buckling Mode .
5.3.2 Buckling Coecient and Batdorf Parameter . . . . . .
5.4 Buckling under Lateral Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.5 Buckling under Hydrostatic Pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.6 Buckling under Torsion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5.7 Inuence of Imperfection and Comparison with Experiments .
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102
Strain-Displacement Relation for Plates
1.1
1.1.1
1-D Strain Measure

Engineering Strain
Engineering strain is dened as the relative displacement:

=
ds ds0
ds0
(1)
where ds0 is the increment of initial lenght and ds is the increment of current length.
1.1.2
Green-Lagrangian Strain
Instead of comparing the length, one can compare the square of lengths:
ds2 ds20
2ds20
ds ds0 ds + ds0
=
ds0
2ds0
E=
(2)
Where ds ds0 , the second term is Eq. (2) tends to unity, and the Green strain
measure and the engineering strain become identical. Equation (2) can be put into
an equivalnet form:
(3)
ds2 ds20 = 2Eds20
which will now be generalized to the 3-D case.
1.2
1.2.1
3-D Strain Measure

Derivation of Green-Lagrangian Strain Tensor for Plates
Let dene the following quanties:

a = [ai ]: vector of the initial (material) coordinate system
x = [xi ]: vector of the current (spatial) coordinate system
u = [ui ]: displacement vector
where the index i = 1, 2, 3. The relation between those quantities is:
xi = ai + ui
dxi = dai + dui
(4)
du
da
dx
x
a
Now, the squares of the initial and the current length increment can be written
in terms of ai and ui :
(5)
ds20 = dai daj ij
ds2 = dxi dxj ij
(6)
= (dai + dui ) (daj + duj ) ij

where the Kronecker tensor ij reads:
1 0 0
ij =
0 1 0
0 0 1
(7)
The vector u can be considered as a function of:

the initial (material) coordinate system, u (a), which leads to Lagrangian
descripion, or
the current (spatial) coordinates, u (x), which leads to the Eulerian descrip
tion
In structural mechanics, the Lagrangian description is preferable:
ui = ui (ai )
ui
dak = ui ,k dak
dui =
ak
uj
duj =
dal = uj ,l dal
al
(8)
Let us calculated the dierence in the length square:

ds2 ds20 = (dai + dui ) (daj + duj ) ij dai daj ij
2
(9)
Using Eq. (8) and the denition of ij , the dierence in the length square can be
transformed into:
ds2 ds20 = (duj dai + dui daj + dui duj ) ij
(10)
= (uj ,l dal dai + ui ,k dak daj + ui ,k dak uj ,l dal ) ij

= [uj ,l (daj jl ) dai + ui ,k (dai ik ) daj + ui ,k uj ,l (dai ik ) (daj jl )] ij
= (uj ,i +ui ,j +ui ,k uj ,k ) dai daj
= 2Eij dai daj
where, by analogy with the 1-D case, the Lagrangian or Green strain tensor Eij is
dened:
1
(11)
Eij = (ui ,j +uj ,i +uk ,i uk ,j )
2
In the case of small displacement gradient (uk ,i 1), the second nonlinear term
can be neglected leading to the dention of the innitesimal strain tensor:
ij =
1
(ui ,j +uj ,i )
2
(12)
From the dention, the strain tensor is symmetric ij = ji , which can be seen by
intechanign the indices i for j and j for i. In the moderately large deection theory
of structures, the nonlinear terms are important. Therefore, Eq. (11) will be used
as a starting point in the development of the general theory of plates.
Components of Green-Lagrangian Strain Tensor Let dene the following
range convention for indices:
Greek letters: , , ... = 1, 2
Roman letters: i, j, ... = 1, 2, 3
With this range convention, the Roman letters are also written as:
i = , 3
(13)
j = , 3
The Lagrangian or Green strain tensor can be expressed:
E11
E12 # E13
#
E22 # E23 =
Eij = E21
" " " # " "
E31
E32 # E33
E
"
E 3
#
# E3
#
" #
"
# E33
where E is the in-plane component of strain tensor, E3 and E3 are out-of-plane

3
shear components of strain tensor, and E33 is the through-thickness component of

strain tensor. Similarily, displacement vector can be divided into two components:
u1
u
u
ui = u2 = v =
" " "
u3
w
w
where u is the in-plane components of the displacement vector, and u3 = w is the
out-of-plane components of the displacement vector and also called as the trans
verse displacement.
Initial Undeformed Configuration
u3
middle
surface
Deformed Configuration
Assumptions of the von Karman Theory The von Karman thoery of mod
erately large deection of plates assumes:
1. The plate is thin. The thickness h is much smaller than the typical plate
dimension, h L.
2. The magnitude of the transverse deection is of the same order as the thickness
of plate, |w| = O (h). In practice, the present theory is still a good engineering
approximation for deections up to ten plate thickness.
4
3. Gradients of in-plane displacements u , are small so that their product or

square can be neglected.
4. Love-Kirchho hypothesis is satised. In-plane displacements are a linear
function of the zcoordiate (3-coordinate).
u = u z u3 ,
(14)
where u is the displacement of the middle surface, which is independent of

zcoordinate, i.e. u ,3 = 0; and u3 , is the slope which is negative for the
"smiling" beam.
z
5. The out-of-plane displacement is independent of the zcoordiante, i.e. u3 ,3 =
0.
1.2.2
Specication of Strain-Displacement Relation for Plates
In the theory of moderately large deections, the strain-displacement relation can

be specied for plates.
In-Plane Terms of the Strain Tensors From the general expression, Eq. (11),
the 2-D in-plane componets of the strain tensor are:
E =
1
(u , +u , +uk , uk , )
2
(15)
Here, consider the last, nonlinear term:

uk , uk , = u1 , u1 , +u2 , u2 , +u3 , u3 ,
(16)
= u , u , +u3 , u3 ,
In the view of the Assumption 3, the rst term in the above equation is zero,
u , u , ' 0. Therefore, the 2-D in-plane components of strain tensor reads:
E =
1
(u , +u , +w, w, )
2
(17)
where w = u3 . Introducing Eq. (14) into Eq. (17), i.e. applying Love-Kirchho
hypothesis, one gets:
(18)
E = (u z w, ) , + u z w, , +w, w,
2
=
u , +u , 2 z w, +w, w,
2
=
u , +u , z w, + w, w,
2
From the deniton of the curvature, one gets:

= w,
(19)
Now, Eq. (18) can be re-casted in the form:
+ z
E = E
(20)
is composed of a linear and a

where the strain tensor of the middle surface E
nonlinear term:
1
1
=
u , +u , + w, w,
(21)
E
2
In the limiting case of small displacements, the second term can be neglected as
compared to the rst term. In the classical bending theory of plate, the in-plane
displacements are assumed to be zero u = 0 so that strains are only due to the
curvatue:
(22)
E = z
where
11 12
21 22
2w
x2
2w
xy
2w
xy
2 w
y2
=
w,
(23)
In the above equation, 11 and 22 are curvatures of the cylindrical bending, and
12 is the twist which tells how the slope in the xdirection changes with the
ydirection:
12 =
y x
for a cylinder
12 = 0
Interpretation of the linear terms:

be expressed in the followings:
1
2
u , +u ,
Each component can
1
(u1 ,1 +u1 ,1 ) = u1 ,1 =
2
1
= (u2 ,2 +u2 ,2 ) = u2 ,2 =
2
11 =
22
12 |if
1
1
12 = (u1 ,2 +u2 ,1 ) =
2
2
1 du1
u2 =0 =
2 dy
du1
dx
du2
dy
du1 du2
+
dy
dx
(24)
(25)
(26)
u2 0
11
12
22
u1
Therefore, 11 and 22 are the tensile strain in the two directions, and 12 is the
change of angles, i.e. shear strain.
Interpretation of the nonlinear term: 12 w, w, Let = 1 and = 1.
Then, the nonlienar term reads:
1 dw 2
1
1 dw dw
w, w,
=
=
(27)
2 dx dx
2
2 dx
=1,=1
One can also obtain the same quantity by the dention of 1-D Green-Lagrangian
strain:
2
ds0 + dw2 ds20

1 dw 2 1 dw 2
ds2 ds20
'
=
=
(28)
E=
2 ds0
2 dx
2ds20
2ds20
dx
ds0 = dx
ds 2 = ds02 + dw2
ds0
z, w
dw
ds
Thus, the conclusion is that the nonlinear term 12 w, w, represents the change of
length of the plate element due to nite rotations.
Out-Of-Plane Terms of the Strain Tensors Refering to the denition intro
duced in Section 1.2.1, there are three other componets of the strain tensor: E3 ,
E3 and E33 . Using the general expression for the components of the strain tensor,
Eq. (11), it can be shown that the application of Assumption 4 and 5 lead to the
following expressions:
1
(u3 , +u ,3 +uk ,3 uk , )
2
= [u3 , +u ,3 + (u1 ,3 u1 , +u2 ,3 u2 , +u3 ,3 u3 , )]

2
= [u3 , u3 , + (u3 ,1 u1 , u3 ,2 u2 , )]
2
= (u3 ,1 u1 , u3 ,2 u2 , )
2
= w, u ,
2
E3 =
1
(u ,3 +u3 , +uk , uk ,3 )
2
= [u ,3 +u3 , + (u1 , u1 ,3 +u2 , u2 ,3 +u3 , u3 ,3 )]

2
= [u3 , +u3 , + (u1 , u3 ,1 u2 , u3 ,2 )]

2
= (u1 , u3 ,1 u2 , u3 ,2 )
2
= w, u ,
2
E3 =
(29)
(30)
1
(u3 ,3 +u3 ,3 +uk ,3 uk ,3 )
2
i
1h
= u3 ,3 + (u1 ,3 )2 + (u2 ,3 )2 + (u3 ,3 )2
2
i
1h
(u1 ,3 )2 + (u2 ,3 )2
=
2
i
1h
(u3 ,1 )2 + (u3 ,2 )2
=
2
1
= w, w,
2
E33 =
(31)
The above are all second order terms which vanish for small deection theory of
plates. In the theory of moderately larege deection of plates, the out-of-plate shear
strains as well as the through-thickness strain is not zero. Therefore, an assumption
"plane remains plane," expressed by Eq. (14), does not mean that "normal remains
normal." The existance of the out-of-plane shear strain means that lines originally
normal to the middle surface do not remain normal to the deformed plate. However,
the incremental work of these strains with the corresponding stresses is negligible:
E3 3 , E3 3 and E33 33 , are small
(32)
because the corresponding stress 3 , 3 and 33 are small as compared to the

in-plane stress . One can conclude that the elastic strain energy (and even
plastic dissipation) is well approximated using the plane strain assumption:
Z
Z
1
1
ij ij dz '
dz
(33)
2
2
h
h
Derivation of Constitutive Equations for Plates
2.1
Denitions of Bending Moment and Axial Force
Hooks law in plane stress reads:

E
[(1 ) + ]
1 2
(34)
In terms of components:
E
(xx + yy )
1 2
E
(yy + xx )
yy =
1 2
E
xy
xy =
1+
xx =
(35)
Here, strain tensor can be obtained from the strain-displacement relations:

= + z
(36)
Now, dene the tensor of bending moment:

M
Z
h
2
h2
z dz
(37)
and the tensor of axial force (membrane force):

N
2.2
2.2.1
Z
h
2
h2
dz
(38)
Bending Energy
Bending Moment
Let us assume that = 0. The bending moment M can be calculated:

E
M =
1 2
h
2
h2
[(1 ) + ] z dz
E
=
(1 ) +
2
1
+
=
Z
h
[(1 ) + ]
1
2
h
2
h
2
h
2
Eh3
[(1 ) + ]
12 (1 2 )
10
z dz

z
2 dz
(39)
Here, we dene the bending rigidity of a plate D as follows:

D=
Eh3
12 (1 2 )
(40)
Now, one gets the moment-curvature relations:
M = D [(1 ) + ]
M
where M12 = M21 due to symmetry.
M11 M12
M21 M22
(41)
(42)
M11 = D (11 + 22 )
(43)
M22 = D (22 + 11 )
M12 = D (1 ) 12
2.2.2
Bending Energy Density
One -Dimensional Case Here, we use the hat notation for a function of certain
argument such as:
11 (11 )
M11 = M
(44)
= D 11
b reads :
Then, the bending energy density U
Z
11
b =
11 (11 ) d11
U
M
0
Z
11
11 d11
=D
(45)
1
11 )2
= D (
2
b = 1
M11
11
U
2
(46)
M11
D
11
d11
11
General Case General denition of the bending energy density reads:

I
b = M d
U
(47)
11
22
Calculate the energy density stored when the curvature reaches a given value
.
Consider a straight loading path:

=
(48)
d =
d
=1
=0
( )
M = M
(
=M
)
(
)
= M
12
(49)
( ) is a homogeneous function of degree one.

where M
I
( ) d
Ub = M
Z 1
(
=
M
)
d
0
Z 1
= M (
)

d
(50)
1
)

= M
(
2
1
= M

2
Now, the bending energy density reads:

b = D [(1 )
+
]
U
2
D
=
[(1 )

+

]
2
i
D h
=
+ (
)2
(1 )

2
(51)
The bending energy density expressed in terms of components:

b = D
U
2
D
=
2
D
=
2
D
=
2
D
=
2
i
o
n
h
12 )2 + (
22 )2 + (
22 )2
11 +
(52)
(1 ) (
11 )2 + 2 (
n
h
i
o
(1 ) (
11 +
11 +
22 )2 2
11
22 + 2 (
12 )2 + (
22 )2
nh
i
h
io
(
11 +
11
22 )2 2
11
22 + 2 (
12 )2 2
22 + 2 (
12 )2
io
n
h
(
11 +
22 )2 2
11
22 + 2 (
12 )2 2
11
22 + 2 (
12 )2
n
io
h
(
11 +
22 )2 + 2 (1 )
11
22 + (
12 )2
n
h
io
b = D (
11 +
22 )2 2 (1 )
11
22 (
12 )2
U
2
2.2.3
(53)
Total Bending Energy
The total bending energy is the integral of the bending energy density over the area
of plate:
Z
b dA
Ub =
(54)
U
S
13
2.3
2.3.1
Membrane Energy
Axial Force
Assume that = 0. The axial force can be calculated:

E
N
=
1 2
E
1 2
h
2
h2
Z
h
2
h2
+
1 2
[(1 ) + ] dz
(55)
(1 ) + dz
h
2
h2
[(1 ) + ] z dz
Z h
2
E

dz
(1 )
+
1 2
h2
Z h
2
E
+
[(1 ) + ]
z dz

2
1
h2
Eh

=
(1 ) +
2
1
Here, we dene the axial rigidity of a plate C as follows:

C=
Eh
1 2
(56)
Now, one gets the membrane force-extension relation:
N = C
i
h
(1 ) +
N
where N12 = N21 due to symmetry.
N11 N12
N21 N22
N11 = C (11 + 22 )
N22 = C
(58)
(59)
(22
N12 = C (1
2.3.2
(57)
+ 11 )
) 11
Membrane Energy Density
Using the similar denition used in the calculation of the bending energy density,
the extension energy (membrane energy) reads:
I
m = N d
(60)
U
14
Calculate the energy stored when the extension reaches a given value . Consider
a straight loading path:
=
d
(61)

N = N
= N

= N
(62)

where N
is a homogeneous function of degree one.
m =
U

N
d
(63)

N
d

1

= N

2
1
= N
2
Now, the extension energy reads:
m = C (1 ) +
U
h
i
C
2
=
(1 ) +
2
(64)
The extension energy expressed in terms of components:
n
h
i
o
m = C (1 ) (11 )2 + 2 (12 )2 + (22 )2 + (11 + 22 )2
(65)
U
2
i
o
n
h
C
=
(1 ) (11 + 22 )2 2 1122 + 2 (12 )2 + (11 + 22 )2
2
h
io
C n
(11 + 22 )2 2 1122 + 2 (12 )2 2 1122 + 2 (12 )2
=
2
h
io
C n
=
(11 + 22 )2 + 2 (1 ) 1122 + (12 )2
2
h
io
n
m = C ( + )2 2 (1 ) ( )2
U
11
22
11 22
12
2
15
(66)
2.3.3
Total Membrane Energy
The total membrane is the integral of the membrane energy density over the area
of plate::
Z
m dS
Um =
(67)
U
S
16
3 Development of Equation of Equilibrium and Boundary Condi

tions Using Variational Approach
3.1
3.1.1
Bending Theory of Plates

Total Potential Energy
The total potential energy of the system reads:

= Ub Vb
(68)
where Ub is the bending energy stored in the plate, and Vb is the work of external
forces.
Bending Energy
1
Ub =
2
=
Z
1
2
M dS
SZ
(69)
M w, dS
where the geometrical relation = w, has been used.

Work of External Forces
Plate Loading Lateral load:

q (x) = q (x )
(70)
This is distributed load measured in [N/m2 ] or [lb/in2 ] force per unit area of the
middle surface of the plate.
q ( x)
The distributed load contains concentrated load P as a special case:

P (x0 , y0 ) = P0 (x x0 ) (y y0 )
(71)
where is the Dirac delta function, [x0, y0 ] is the coordinate of the application of
the concentrated force, and P0 is the load intensity.
17
Dirac -function
x0
NOTE The shearing loads on the lateral surface of ice are normally not consid
ered in the theory of thin plates.
Load Classication
Load applied at the horizontal surfaces.
transverse load
Load applied at the lateral surfaces.
edge force
edge moment
Loads are assumed to be applied to the middle plane of the plate

NOTE Other type of loading such as shear or in-plane tension or compression
do not deect laterally the plate and therefore are not considered in the bending
theory.
18
in-plane tension
or compression
in-plane shear
Potential Energy due to Lateral Load q

work on transverse deection:
Z
q w dS
Lateral (transverse) load does

(72)
This is also called a work of external forces.
Potential Energy due to Edge Moment The conjugate kinematic variable

associated with the edge moment is the edge rotation dw/dxn .
dl
t
n
edge moment
We apply only the normal bending moment Mnn :

Z
nn dw dl
M
dxn
(73)
where the minus sign is included because positive bending moment results in a
negative rotation and negative moment produces positive rotation.
Mnn < 0
Mnn > 0
dw
>0
dxn
dw
<0
dxn
w
At the edge, Mtt = 0 and Mtn = 0.
19
xn
Potential Energy due to Edge Forces

Z
Vn w dl
(74)
Q2
Q1
x2
x1
Vn
Potential Energy due to All External Forces Now, the work of external
forces reads:
Z
Z
Z
dw
q w dS Mnn
dl + Vn w dl
(75)
Vb =
dxn
S
3.1.2 First Variation of the Total Potential Energy

The total potential energy reads:
Z
1
=
M w, dS
2 S
Z
Z
Z
dw
q w dS + Mnn
dl Vn w dl
dxn
S
First variation of the total potential energy is expressed:

Z
= M w, dS
Z
ZS
Z
dw
q w dS + Mnn
dl Vn w dl
dxn
S
(76)
(77)
We shall transform now the rst integral with the help of the Gauss theorem.
First note that from the rule of the product dierentiation:
M w, = (M w, ) , M , w,
then
M w, dS =
(M w, ) , dS
M , w, dS
(78)
(79)
Now, the rst integral on the right hand side of the above equation transforms to
the line integral:
Z
Z
Z
M w, dS =
M w, n dl M , w, dS
(80)
S
20
The integrand of the second integral on the right hand side of the above equation
transform to:
(81)
M , w, = (M , w) , M , w
which results in:
Z
Z
M w, dS = M w, n dl
S
Z
Z
(M , w) , dS + M , w dS
S
(82)
upon which the application of the Gauss rule gives:

Z
Z
M w, dS = M w, n dl
S
Z
Z
M , w n dl + M , w dS
(83)
We can return now to the expression for and substitute there the transformed
rst integral:
Z
= (M , q) w dS
(84)
SZ
Z
+ M , w n dl Vn w dl
Z
Z
nn w,n dl
M w, n dl + M
dw
nn
where w,n = dx
. It is seen that integrals involving the prescribed forces M
n
and Vn are written in a local coordinate system x {xn , xt } while the remaining
two integrals over the contour are written in the global coordinate system x . In
order to make comparison, we have to decide on one coordinate system. We choose
the local system.
Consider the rst integral:
Z
(M , n ) w dl
(85)
The term in the parenthesis is a scalar quantity and thus remain unchanged with
respect to the rotation of coordinate system. In the local system x , the line
integral becomes:
Z
(M , n ) w dl
(86)
where = 1 is the normal direction n, and = 2 is the tangential direction t. The

coordinates of the unit normal vector is the local system are n {1, 0}. Hence,
Z
Z
(M , n ) w dl = (M1 , n1 + M2 , n2 ) w dl
(87)
Z
= M1 , w dl
21
Furthermore, the integrand reads:

M1 , = M11 ,1 +M12 ,2
Mnn Mnt
M11 M12
+
=
+
=
x1
x2
xn
xt
(88)
and we call it the shear force in the normal direction n and denote:
Qn Mn ,
= {1, 0} or {n, t}
(89)
Now, we can combine two line integrals in the equation of rst variation of the total
potential energy:
Z
Qn Vn w dl
(90)
How the remaining integral is transformed?

Z
Z
(M n ) w, dl =
(M n ) w, dl
(91)
Because it is a scalar quantity, we simply switch indices from global system ( and
) to local ( and ). As before n {1, 0} so after summing with respect to , we
have:
Z
Z
(M1 n1 + M2 n2 ) w, dl = M1 w, dl
(92)
Z
= Mn w, dl
Z
= (Mnn w,n +Mtn w,t ) dl
The rst term can be absorbed with the line integral representing potential energy
of bending moment:
Z
nn w,n dl
Mnn M
(93)
There remains though one integral which does not t to anything. Since the
boundary term must be equilibrated, it is suspected that this term might belong to
the shearing force term, at least partially:
Z
Mtn w,t dl
transverse term
(94)
In order to compare this term with the shearing force term, we have to make this
term comparable as far as the kinematic quantity describing variation is concerned.
One integral involves w and the other one w,t . Note that w,t = (w) /xt is
the derivative of the function w in the tangential direction, i.e. direction along the
curve . This means that we can integrate by parts along . Thus,
Mtn w,t = (Mtn w) ,t Mtn ,t w
22
(95)
Mtn w,t dl =
(Mtn w) ,t dl
Mtn ,t w dl
(96)
The rst term in the right hand is equal to the value of the integrand calculated at
the beginning and end of the integration path:
Z
(Mtn w) ,t dl = Mtn w|end
(97)
beginning
Consider now two cases.

The contour is a smooth closed curve, so the value at the beginning is equal
to the value at the end:
Mtn w|end Mtn w|beginning = 0
(98)
The term does not give any contribution.
direction of
integration
end
begining
The contour is piece-wise linear or composed of a nite number, k, of smooth

curves with discontinuity. Therefore, the integration should be made in a
piece-wise manner. Thus, the continuation of the beginning and end of each
should be added:
X
Mtn w|end
(99)
beginning
k
23
3.1.3
Equilibrium Equation and Boundary Conditions
Now, we can write the nal expression for the rst variation of :
Z
= (M , q) w dS
S
Z
Z
nn w,n dl
+
Qn Vn w dl
Mnn M
Z
X
end
Mtn w|beginning Mtn ,t w dl
(100)
(M , q) w dS
Z
Z
nn w,n dl
+
Vn Vn w dl
Mnn M
X
end
Mtn w|beginning
where Vn = Qn + Mtn ,t is the eective shear force.

In order to make the functional stationary under arbitrary variation of the
displacement eld w, there must hold:
Equation of Equilibrium
M , +q = 0
on S
(101)
Boundary Conditions
3.1.4
nn = 0
Mnn M
Vn Vn = 0
or
or
w,n = 0
w = 0
Mnt = 0
or
w = 0
on
on
at corner points
of the contour
Specication of Equation for Rectangular Plate
Consider a rectangular plate.
24
(102)
xt
yn
Boundary Conditions For edges parallel to x-axis, the normal direction is the
ydirection.
yy = 0
Myy M
or
Vy Vy = 0
or
w
=0
y
w=0
(103)
where
Myx
y
Mxy
Vy = Qy +
x
Vx = Qx +
(104)
For edges parallel to y-axis, the normal direction is the x-direction.
xx = 0
Mxx M
Vx Vx = 0
or
or
w
=0
x
w=0
(105)
where
Mxy
x
Myx
Vx = Qx +
y
Vy = Qy +
Interpretation of Corner Points
25
(106)
segment [ k 1]
segment [ k ]
direction of
integration
4
Boundary condition reads:
X
[1]
[2]
[4]
[3]
[2]
Mtn w[1] + Mtn w[4] Mtn w[3]
Mtn w|end
beginning = Mtn w
(107)
where
thus
X
w[3] = w[2]
(108)
[1]
[3]
[2]
[4]
[1]
Mtn w|end
=
M
w
+
M
M
w[2] + Mtn w[4]
tn
tn
tn
beginning
(109)
Consider the right angle.
[ k 1]
[k]
for the k 1 side
n = x, t = y
for the k side
Mtn w|end
beginning
(110)
n = y, t = x
at the right angle
= (Mxy Myx ) w
(111)
Interpretation of Corner Forces Plane stress:

xy = yx
symmetry
26
(112)
surface element
dS
xy
yx
Let us place the surface element at the corner.
x
y
xy
Edge
[ k 1]
yx
Edge
[k]
M xy
M yx
The shearing stresses produce twisting moments which are in the opposite direction:
[k1]
[k]
= Myx
Mxy
Therefore, the boundary condition at the corner becomes:
[k1]
[k]
Mtn w|end
w = 2 Mxy w = 0
=
M
M
xy
yx
beginning
Fcorner = 2 Mxy
27
(113)
(114)
(115)
For the Entire Plate
2 M xy
2 Mxy
2 Mxy
2 M xy
Interpretation of the Eective Shear Vx
x
y
dy
Qx
dy
M xy
M xy +
Equilibrium reads:
M xy
y
Mxy
dy Mxy
Qx dy + Mxy +
y
Mxy
dy
= Qx +
y
= Vx dy
Vx = Qx +
28
Mxy
y
dy
(116)
(117)
3.2
3.2.1
Bending-Membrane Theory of Plates

Total Potential Energy
The total potential energy of the system reads:

= Ub + Um Vb Vm
(118)
where Ub is the bending strain energy, Um is the membrane strain energy, Vb is

the potential energy of external loading causing exural response, and Vm is the
potential energy of external loading causing membrane response.
Membrane Strain Energy The membrane strain energy reads:
Z
1
N dS
Um =
2 S
(119)
where
1
1
(u , +u , ) + w, w,
2
2
Potential Energy of External Forces Evaluation of Boundary Terms
=
Normal in-plane loading, Nnn

Z
nn un dl
N
(120)
(121)
where un is normal in-plane displacement.

Shear in-plane loading, Ntt
Z
tn ut dl
N
(122)
where ut is shear component of the displacement vector.

Potential Energy of External Forces
Z
Z
tn ut dl
Vm =
Nnn un dl + N
3.2.2
(123)
First Variation of the Total Potential Energy
The rst variation of the total potential energy reads:

= (Ub Vb ) + (Um Vm )
(124)
The rst parenthesis represent the terms considered already in the bending theory
of plates. All we have to do is to evaluate the term in the second parenthesis.
Here, the rst variation of the membrane energy reads:
Z
Um =
N dS
(125)
S
29
where
1
1
(u , +u , ) + (w, w, +w, w, )
2
2
Because of the symmetry of the tensor of membrane forces:
=
N = N
(126)
(127)
by using the characteristics of dummy indices we obtain:

N u , = N u , = N u ,
(128)
Now, the rst variation of the membrane strain energy reads:
Z
1
1
(u , +u , ) + (w, w, +w, w, )
dS (129)
Um =
N
2
2
ZS
= (N u , +N w, w, ) dS
Note that the displacement vector has now three components:

{u , w}
(130)
so that there are three independent variations:

{u , w}
(131)
We expect those to end up with three independent equations of equilibrium. The

rst term of Um reads:
Z
Z
Z
N u , dS = (N u ) , dS N , u dS
(132)
S
S
S
Z
Z
= N u n dl N , u dS
ZS
Z
= N u n dl N , u dS
Z
Z S
= N1 u dl N , u dS
ZS
Z
= Nn u dl N , u dS
S
Z
Z
= (Nnn un + Ntn ut ) dl N , u dS
S
30
The second term of Um reads:

Z
Z
Z
N w, w, dS = (N w, w) , dS (N w, ) , w dS (133)
S
Z S
Z S
= N w, w n dl (N w, ) , w dS
ZS
Z
= N w, w n dl (N w, ) , w dS
Z S
Z
= N1 w, w dl (N w, ) , w dS
S
Z
Z
= (N11 w,1 +N12 w,2 ) w dl (N w, ) , w dS
ZS
Z
= (Nnn w,n +Nnt w,t ) w dl (N w, ) , w dS
S
Now, the variation of external work reads:

Z
Z
tn ut dl
Nnn un dl + N
Vm =

3.2.3
(134)
Equilibrium Equation and Boundary Conditions
The contribution of the term (Um Vm ) then becomes:

Z
Z
(135)
(Um Vm ) = (Nnn un + Ntn ut ) dl N , u dS
S
Z
Z
+ (Nnn w,n +Nnt w,t ) w dl (N w, ) , w dS
S
Z
Z
nn un dl N
tn ut dl
N
Z
Z
Z

tn ut dl
Nnn Nnn un dl +
Ntn N
= N , u dS +
Z
ZS
(N w, ) , w dS + (Nnn w,n +Nnt w,t ) w dl
S
The rst three integrals involve independent variations of u , i.e. u or {un , ut }.

This gives us two independent equations of equilibrium in the plane of the plate:
Equation of Equilibrium I
N , = 0
31
on S
(136)
and two additional boundary conditions:

Boundary Conditions I
nn = 0
Nnn N
tn = 0
Ntn N
or
or
un = 0
ut = 0
on
on
(137)
The remaining two integrals involve variation in the out-of-plane displacement

w and thus should be combined with the equation of equilibrium and boundary
conditions governing the exural response. The terms involving surface integral
should be added to the equation of equilibrium:
Equation of Equilibrium II
M , + (N w, ) , +q = 0
(138)
on S
where the second term in the left hand is the new term arising from the nite
rotation.
The term with the line integral should be added to the corresponding term
involving variation w:
Z
Vn + Nnn w,n +Nnt w,t Vn w dl = 0

(139)
The generalized boundary conditions reads:
Boundary Conditions II- (A)

Vn + Nnn w,n +Nnt w,t Vn = 0
or
w = 0
on
(140)
where the second and third terms in the left hand side of the rst equation are the
new terms arising from the nite rotation.
If the boundaries of the plate are kept undeformed w,t = 0 (simply supported
or clamped plate), then the boundary condition is satised:
Vn + Nnn w,n Vn = 0
or
w = 0 on
(141)
Physically, the additional terms represent the contribution of the axial force to the
vertical equilibrium. Using the in-plane equilibrium, N , = 0, the out-of-plane
equilibrium can be transformed to the form:
M , +N , w, +N w, +q = 0
32
on S
(142)
Equation of Equilibrium II
M , +N w, +q = 0
on S
(143)
which is called as the von Karman equation. Note that N is related through the
Hooks law with the gradient of the in-plane displacement u , i.e. N = N (u ).
Therefore, the new term N w, represents in fact coupling between in-plane and
out-out-plane deformation.
To make derivation complete, the nal boundary conditions which do not changed
from the bending theory of plate are presented:
Boundary Conditions II- (B)
nn = 0
Mnn M
or
w,n = 0
Mnt = 0
or
w = 0
33
on
at corner points
of the contour
(144)
General Theories of Plate
4.1
4.1.1
Bending Theory of Plates

Derivation of the Plate Bending Equation
Then, groups of equations!

Equilibrium
Geometry
Elasticity
M , +q = 0
on S
(145)
= w,
(146)
M = D [(1 ) + ]
(147)
Eliminating curvature between Eq. (146) and (147), we obtain:

M = D [(1 ) w, + w, ]
(148)
Substituting Eq. (148) into Eq. (145) reads:

D [(1 ) w, + w, ] , +q = 0
(149)
D [(1 ) w, + w, ] + q = 0
Note that the components of the Kronecker " " tensor are constant and thus are
not subjected to dierentiation:

1 0
1
if =

or =
(150)
01
0
if 6=
Also, note that only these components:
(151)
survive in the matrix multiplication for which = . Therefore, Eq. (149) now
reads:
(152)
D [(1 ) w, + w, ] + q = 0
Because "" are "dummy" indices, they can be replaced by any other indices, for
example "."
(153)
D [(1 ) w, + w, ] + q = 0
The order of dierentiation does not matter:
w, = w, = w,
34
Thus, two terms in Eq. (153) can now be added to give the plate bending equation:
D w, = q
for , = 1, 2
(154)
Here, the index notation can be expended:

w, = w,11 +w,22
(155)
= w,1111 +w,2211 +w,1122 +w,2222

= w,1111 +2 w,1122 +w,2222
Now, letting "1 x", "2 y" leads:
4
w
4w
4w
= q (x, y)
D
+2 2 2 +
x4
x x
y4
(156)
Alternative notation can be:

D 4 w = q
(157)
where Laplacian 2 w reads:

2 w =
2w 2w
+
x2
y 2
and bi-Laplican 4 w reads:
4 w = 2 2 w
2
2
= 2 2 w + 2 2 w
x
y
2
w 2w
2 2w 2w
= 2
+
+
+
x
x2
y2
y 2 x2
y 2
4
4
4
w
w
w
=
+2 2 2 +
4
x
x x
y 4
4.1.2
(158)
(159)
Reduction to a System of Two Second Order Equations
Denote
D w, = M
(160)
Then, from the equilibrium equation:

[D w, ] , = q
(161)
we obtain a system of two linear partial dierential equations of the second order:
M, = q
D w, = M
35
(162)
or
2M
2M
2 + y 2 = q
x
2
w
2w
+
= M
2
2
x
y
(163)
What is "M " ? Let us calculate M :

M = M11 + M22
(164)
= D [(1 ) 11 + (11 + 22 ) 11 ]
+D [(1 ) 22 + (11 + 22 ) 22 ]
= D [(1 + ) (11 + 22 )]
= D (1 + )
or
M
= D = D w, = M
1+
(165)
Therefore,
M = M (1 + )
(166)
= D (1 + )
Now, moment sum reads:
M = D
(167)
M = D [xx + yy ]
(168)
and in expanded notation it reads:
4.1.3
Exercise 1: Plate Solution
Consider a simply supported plate.
Square plate ( a a)
a
a
y
36
Boundary Condition General boundary condition reads:
nn w,n = 0 on
Mnn M
Vn Vn w = 0
on
nn = 0
M
w=0
w=0
Mxx = 0
Myy = 0
at
at
at
at
(169)
Mnn = 0 on
w=0
on
(170)
x = 0 and x = a , 0 y a
y = 0 and y = a , 0 x a
(171)
x = 0 and x = a , 0 y a
y = 0 and y = a , 0 x a
(172)
Loading Condition Assume for simplicity the sinusoidal load distribution:

y
x
q (x, y) = q0 sin
sin
(173)
a
a
where q0 is a pressure intensity.
Solution of Problem The solution of the form

y
x
w (x, y) = w0 sin
sin
a
a
(174)
satisfy both the boundary conditions and the governing equations (see below).
Plate Bending Equation Substituting Eq. (173) and (174) into the plate bend
ing equation (156), one gets:
y
x
4 4
4
D w0
q0 sin
sin
= 0 (175)
+2
+
a
a
a
a
a
y
4
x
q0 sin
sin
=0
4 D w0
a
a
a
In order to satisfy the above equation for all values of x and y, the coecient in
the bracket must vanish. This gives:
q0 a 4
(176)
w0 =
4D

where D = Eh3 / 12 1 2 .
Bending Moments The various bending moments are given by:
2
y
x
2
w
2w
Mxx = D
sin
(177)
+
w
sin
=
D
(1
+
)
0
x2
y 2
a
a
a
2
x
y
2
w
2w
Myy = D
+
w
sin
sin
=
D
(1
+
)
0
y2
x2
a
a
a
2
2
y
w
x
= D (1 )
cos
w0 cos
Mxy = D (1 )
xy
a
a
a
37
Shear Components The shear components Qx and Qy are:

Mxx Mxy
+
x
y
Myy Mxy
Qy =
+
y
x
(178)
Qx =
Now, using the previously obtained bending moments, we get the shear components
in the interior of the plate:
y
3
x
sin
(179)
w0 cos
Qx = 2 D
a
a
a
y
3
x
Qx = 2 D
w0 sin
cos
a
a
a
Eective Shear Components Next, let us computer the eective shear com
ponents:
Mxy
y
Mxy
Vy = Qy +
x
(180)
Vx = Qx +
Using the previous results, we get:

y
3
x
w0 cos
sin
Vx = (3 ) D
a
a
a
y
3
x
Vy = (3 ) D
w0 sin
cos
a
a
a
We now need to evaluate the eective shear on the boundaries:

h
h
3 i
3 i
Vx / (3 ) D a
Vy / (3 ) D a

x=0
w0 sin ay
0
y
w0 sin a
0
x=a
0
w0 sin a
x
y=0
w0 sin ax
0
y=a
Because our sign convention is:
positive shear
x
z
38
(181)
(182)
in our case, shear along the boundary is:
y
From the above results, we can plot the shear distribution:
Force Balance Integrating the eective shear along the boundary, we get:
Z a
Z a
Z
3
y
dy (183)
Vn dxt = 4
Vx |x=0 dy = 4 (3 ) D
w0
sin
R=
a
a
L
0
0
Then, the reduction force due to eective shear on boundaries reads:
R = 2 (3 ) q0
a 2
Now, let us complete the total load acting on the plate:

Z aZ a
Z
x
y
q (x, y) dS =
q0 sin
P =
sin
dx dy
a
a
S
0
0
(184)
(185)
Then, the total external load acting on the plate reads:
P = 4 q0
a 2
(186)
Notice that R and P do not balance! We did not include the corner forces. These
are given by:
(187)
(Fcorner )x0 ,y0 = 2 (Mxy )|x=x0 ,y=y0
39
Because of the symmetry, all four forces are equal. So, compute the corner force
at x = y = 0, (Fcorner )0,0 :
y i
x
cos
a
a
0,0
2
w0
= 2 D (1 )
a
(Fcorner )0,0 = 2
cos
(188)
Now, the vertical force balance is satised:
R + 4 Fcorner = P
a 2
2
8 D (1 )
w0 = 4 q0
2
a 2
a 2
2 (3 ) q0
2 (1 ) q0
= 4 q0
2 (3 ) q0
4.1.4
a 2
(189)
(190)
Exercise 2: Comparison between Plate and Beam Solution
Plate Solution For a square simply supported plate under loading qplate (x, y)
given by:
y
x
qplate (x, y) = (q0 )plate sin
sin
(191)
a
a
we found that the plate deection is:
y
x
wplate (x, y) = (w0 )plate sin
sin
(192)
a
a
with:
(q0 )plate a 4
4 D
2
3 1 (q0 )plate a 4
=
E h3
(w0 )plate =
For the plate, the total load is given by:

Z aZ a
y
x
sin
dy dx
Pplate =
(q0 )plate sin
a
a
0
0
a 2
= 4 (q0 )plate
40
(193)
(194)
Wide Beam Solution For a wide beam under line loading given by:
x
qbeam (x, y) = (q0 )beam sin
a
we need to compute the central deection (w0 )beam from:
0000
E I wbeam
= qbeam (x)
where I =
ah3 /12.
we get:
EI
Thus,
(196)
Assuming the deection wbeam (x):

x
wbeam (x) = (w0 )beam sin
a
4
a
(w0 )beam sin
x
x
= (q0 )beam sin
a
a
(q0 )beam a 4
EI
12 (q0 )beam a 4
=
E a h3
Now, let us compute the total forces:

Z a
x
Pbeam =
(q0 )beam sin
dx
a
0
a
= 2 (q0 )beam
Comparison For both total forces to be equal, we need to have:

(w0 )beam =
Pplate = Pbeam
a 2
a
= 2 (q0 )beam
4 (q0 )plate
a
(q0 )beam = 2 (q0 )plate
With a concentrated load, the beam deection now becomes:

(q0 )beam a 4
(w0 )beam =
EI
24 (q0 )plate a 4
=
E h3
We now can compute the ratio of central deections:

3 (1 2 ) (q0 )plate a 4
(w0 )plate
E h3
=
=

(w )
24 (q0 )plate a 4
0 beam
E h3
(195)
(197)
(198)
(199)
(200)
(201)
(202)
(203)
(204)
=
1 2 ' 0.36
8
The above equation means that under the same total load, a plate is three times
stier than a wide beam. The ratio will vary slightly depending on the load
distribution (sinusoidal, uniform, concentrated load, etc.).
41
4.1.5 Exercise 3: Finite Dierence Solution of the Plate Bending Prob

lem
Governing Equations read:
2 M = q
2 w = M
D
(205)
or in the component notation they read:

2M
2M
x2 + y 2 = q
2w
2w
M
x2 + y2 = D
(206)
where M is the moment sum dened by:

M=
M
= D
1+
(207)
Case of Simply Supported Plate The boundary condition of a simple sup

ported plate reads:
w=0
on
Mnn = 0
on
(208)
n
y
For sides parallel to x-axis (thick lines), one gets:

Mnn = Myy = 0
dw
=0
dx
From the general constitutive equations,
w=0
d2 w
=0
dx2
(209)
Myy = D [yy + xx ]
0 = D [yy + 0]
xx = 0
(210)
(211)
yy = 0
Therefore,
M = D [ + ] = D [0 + 0] = 0
42
(212)
Similar derivation can be performed for two edges parallel to y-axis. Then, M =
0. It can be concluded that for a simply supported plate the following boundary
conditions hold:
( 2
2
M
+ yM
in S
2 = q
x2
(213)
M =0
on
(
2
2
w
+ yw2 = M
in S
D
x2
(214)
w=0
on
Therefore, the above two boundary value problems are uncoupled.
The Finite Dierence Technique An approximation to the rst and second
derivatives.
zn+1
zn
xn xn+1
m 1
h
n1
n, m
n+1
m+1
y
dz
backward zn zn1
'
dx n
h
f orward
dz
zn+1 zn
'
dx
h
n+1
43
(215)
d2 z
d dz
dx2
n dx dx
dz
dz
dx n+1 dx n
=
zn+1 zn
zn zhn1
h
=
h
zn+1 2 zn + zn1
=
h2
d2 z
zm+1 2 zm + zm1
=
2
dy m
h2
2z
2z
+ 2
2
x
y
1
= 2 (zn+1 2 zn + zn1 + zm+1 2 zm + zm1 )
h
2 z =
(216)
(217)
(218)
Top
h
h
Left
h
Right
Bottom
1
(zT + zB + zL + zR 4 z0 )
(219)
h2
Divide the plate into sixteen identical squares and distinguish six representative
nodes: three in the interior and three at the boundary. Because of symmetry, it is
enough to consider only an eighth of the plate.
2 z =
44
h=
a
4
Four axes of symmetry
Determination of Moment For each interior point (1, 2, 3), we write equation
2 M = q. For each boundary point (4, 5, 6), we write boundary condition
M = 0 (uniform pressure).
q a2
16
(220)
Point 1:
4 M2 4 M1 =
Point 2:
M1 + M4 + 2 M3 4 M2 =
Point 3:
2 M5 + 2 M2 4 M3 =
Point 4:
M4 = 0
Point 5:
M5 = 0
Point 6:
M6 = 0
45
q a2
16
q a2
16
Substituting three last equations of Eq. (220) into the rst three equations of Eq.
(220), one ends up with the following system of linear algebraic equations:
q a2
4 M2 4 M1 = 16
2
(221)
M1 + 2 M3 4 M2 = q16a
q a2
2 M2 4 M3 = 16
whose solution is:
9
q a2
128
7
q a2
M2 =
128
11
q a2
M3 =
256
M1 =
(222)
At the plate center, Mxx = Myy so that:

M=
Mxx + Myy
2 Mxx
=
1+
1+
Mxx =
1
(1 + ) M
2
(223)
(224)
At the center, M = M1 , thus,

1
(1 + ) M1
2
1
9
q a2
= (1 + )
2
128
= 0.0457 q a2
Mxx =
(225)
This is 4.6% less than the exact solution which is (Mxx )exact = 0.0479 q a2 from
the text book.
Determination of Deection For each interior point (1, 2, 3), we write equation
2 w = M/D. For each boundary point (4, 5, 6), we write boundary condition
w = 0.
2
9 qa2
a
M1 a2
=
(226)
Point 1:
4 w2 4 w1 =
D 16
128 D
16
2
7 q a2
a
M2 a2
=
Point 2:
w1 + w4 + 2 w3 4 w2 =
D 16
128 D
16
2
2
2
11 q a
a
M3 a
=
Point 3:
2 w5 + 2 w2 4 w3 =
D 16
256 D
16
Point 4:
w4 = 0
Point 5:
w5 = 0
Point 6:
w6 = 0
46
Similarly,
9 qa4
4 w2 4 w1 = 2048 D
7
w1 + 2 w3 4 w2 = 2048
q
a
11
2 w2 4 w3 = 4096
D
q a4
D
(227)
Finally, the nite dierence solution is:
q a4
33 q a4
= 0.00403
8196 D
D
3 q a4
q a4
w2 =
= 0.00293
1024 D
D
35 q a4
q a4
= 0.00214
w3 =
16384 D
D
w1 =
(228)
On the other hand, the exact deection of the center point is:
q a4
D
(w1 )exact = 0.00416
(229)
Thus, the error of the nite dierent solution is 3.1%.
4.2
4.2.1
Membrane Theory of Plates

Plate Membrane Equation
Assume that the bending rigidity is zero, D = 0.

membrane.
The plate becomes now a
Equilibrium of in-plane equation

N , = 0
on S
(230)
Equilibrium of out-of-plane equation

N w, +q = 0
on S
(231)
Strain-displacement relation
=
1
1
(u , +u , ) + w, w,
2
2
(232)
Constitutive equation
N = C (1 ) +
where C = Eh/ 1 2 .
This is a non-linear system of equation which is dicult to solve.

corresponding system of equation for the plate bending was linear.
47
(233)
Note that
4.2.2
Plate Equation for the Circular Membrane
Cylindrical coordinate system is composed of ur , u , uz = w.

r
Nrr
+ Nrr N = 0
r
on S
(234)
on S
(235)
w
r +r q =0
Nrr
r
r
(236)
Nrr = C [rr + ]
(237)
ur 1
rr =
+
r
2
ur
=
r
w
r
Constitutive equation
N = C [ + rr ]
4.2.3
where C = Eh/ 1 2 .
Example: Approximation Solution for the Clamped Membrane
Consider a circular plate with the clamped support.

q
a
w0
w(r )
48
Membrane Solution From the symmetry and clamped boundary condition, the
radial displacement ur reads:
ur (r = 0) = 0
(238)
ur (r = a) = 0
Thus, as a rst approximation, it is appropriate to assume:
ur 0
for 0 r a
(239)
Then, the hoop strain vanishes:

= 0
Now, the radial force and the radial strain component become:
Nrr = C rr
rr
1
=
2
w
r
(240)
(241)
With the assumption ur = 0, the in-plane equilibrium equation can not be satised.
Consider out-of-plane equilibrium equation only. Substituting Eq. (240) and
(241) into Eq. (235), one gets:
"
#
C w 2 w
r = r q on S
(242)
r 2 r
r
Integrating both sides once with respect to r reads:
C
r
2
w
r
r2 q
+ c1
2
(243)
At the center of the membrane, the slope should be zero. Thus, one gets:
w
=0
at r = 0
r
c1 = 0
(244)
Then, Eq. (243) can be written:

r
qr
w
=3
r
C
Integrating the above equation again reads:
r
3 3 q 4/3
r + c2
w=
4
C
49
(245)
(246)
The integration constant c2 can be determined from the zero deection condition
at the clamped edge:
w=0
at r = a
r
3 3 q 4/3
a
c2 =
4
C
(247)
Recalling the denition of the axial rigidity C = Eh/ 1 2 , Eq. (246) can be
put into a nal form:
r
r 4/3
w 3 3 (1 2 ) q a
=
1
(248)
a 4
Eh
a
r
r 4/3
qa
3
' 0.73
1
Eh
a
In particular, the central deection w (r = 0) = w0 is related to the load intensity
by:
r
w0
qa
= 0.73 3
(249)
a
Eh
Bending Solution It is interesting to compare the bending and membrane re
sponse of the clamped circular plate. From the page 55 of Theory of Plates and
Shells (2nd Ed.) by Timoshenko and Woinowsky-Krieger, the central deection of
the plate is linearly related to the loading intensity:
q a3
w0
=
a 64D
3 1 2 q a 3
=
16 E
h
q a 3
' 0.17
E h
(250)
Assume that a/h = 10, then Eq. (250) yields:
w0
qa
= 17
a
Eh
(251)
Comparison A comparison of the bending and membrane solution is shown in

the next gure.
50
It is seen that a transition from the bending to membrane response occurs at

w0 /a = 0.15 which corresponds to w0 = 1.5 h. When the plate deection reach
approximately plate thickness, the membrane action takes over the bending action
in a clamped plate. If the plate is not restrained from axial motion, then the
assumption ur = 0 is no longer valid, and a separate solution must be developed.
4.3
4.3.1
Buckling Theory of Plates

General Equation of Plate Buckling

N , = 0
on S
(252)

M , +N w, +q = 0
on S
(253)
1
1
(u , +u , ) + w, w,
2
2
= w,
=
Constitutive equation for axial force and axial strain
N = C (1 ) +

where C = Eh/ 1 2 , and another one for moment and curvature

M = D [(1 ) + ]
where D = Eh3 / 12 1 2 .
51
(254)
(255)
(256)
By combining Eq. (254) and (256), one gets:

M , = D w,
(257)
Substituting Eq. (257) into Eq. (253) leads:

D w, +N w, +q = 0
on S
(258)
The buckling problem is specied by:

q0
(259)
Now, changing signs leads the general out-of-plane equation for the buckling of
the plates:
D w, N w, = 0
(260)
where the second term in the left hand is non-linear due to N which should be
obtained from:
N , = 0
4.3.2
(261)
Linearized Buckling Equation of Rectangular Plates
The nonlinear buckling equation can be separated into two linear equations: one
for in-plane equation for N and another one for w.
52
x
Px
Px
b
ux
y
Px
Post-buckling
(w 0)
k
2
Pc
Pre-buckling
(w = 0)
k
ux
Pre-Buckling Problem Recall that:
1 u u
1 w w
+
+
=
2 x
x
2 x x
(262)
Eh
(1
(263)
1 2
In the pre-buckling problem, the linear equilibrium equations are obtained by
omitting the nonlinear terms in the governing equations Eq. (260) and (261). The
resulting equations are now:
D w, = 0
N =
N , = 0
For the pre-buckling trajectory, w = 0, one gets the equilibrium equation:
N , = 0
53
(264)
where
N =
Eh
(1 ) +
2
1
1
u u
2
x
x
(265)
(266)
and boundary condition:
nn un = 0
Nnn N
on
(267)
Here, it is assumed that the unknown membrane force tensor N is equal to

:
the similar quantity known from the pre-buckling solution N
N = N
where the compressive pre-buckling membrane force are dened as positive.

Post-Buckling Problem Now, the governing equation for buckling of plates
reads:
w,
D 4 w + N
= q
Boundary
Conditions
(268)
is dened as:
where membrane force tensor in the pre-buckling solution N
=N
xx N
xy
N
=

Nyx Nyy
(269)
is the known direction from the pre-buckling analysis, and is unknown

where N
load amplitude. Now, the nonlinear buckling equation becomes a linear eigenvalue
problem:
w, = 0
D 4 w + N
(270)
where 0 is eigenvalues, and w is eigenfunctions.

4.3.3
Analysis of Rectangular Plates Buckling
Simply Supported Plate under In-Plane Compressive Loading Consider

a plate simply supported on four edges. The plate is subjected to an in-plane
compressive load Px uniformly distributed along the edges x = [0, a].
54
x
Px
Px
b
y
From equilibrium equations, one gets:

Nxx Nxy
N =

Nyx Nyy
xx N
xy
N
Nyx Nyy

Px 1 0
b
0 0
(271)
Introducing Eq. (271) into Eq. (268) leads:

D 4 w +
Px
w,xx = 0
b
(272)
Boundary condition for this simply supported plate are written as:
w=0
on
Mnn = 0
on
(273)
where the moment components read:

Mxx = D (w,xx + w,yy ) = 0
(274)
Myy = D (w,yy + w,xx ) = 0
Thus, one gets:

w = w,xx = 0
on x = [0, a]
w = w,yy = 0
on x = [0, b]
(275)
Equation (272) is a constant-coecient equation, and a solution of the following

form:
m x
n y
sin
for m, n = 1, 2
(276)
w = c1 sin
b
a
55
satises both the dierential equation and the boundary conditions. Introduction
into Eq. (272) gives:
m 2 n 2 n 4 P m 2
m 4
x
+2
+
=0
(277)
D
a
a
b
b
b
a
a 2 m 2 n 2 2
Px
=D
+
b
m
a
b
(278)
where for the discrete values of Px Eq. (272) has nontrivial solutions. The critical
load can be determined by the smallest eigenvalue, i.e. n = 1 for all values of a:
"
#
a 2 m 2 1 2
Px
=D
+
(279)
b
m
a
b
"
2 #
1
2 D a b 2 m 2
+
= 2
b
m
a
b
a 2
2 D m b
= 2
+
b
a
mb
Now, the critical load (Px )cr can be written as:
(Px )cr = kc
where
kc =
2 D
b
mb
a
+
a
mb
(280)
(281)
where coecient kc is a function of aspect ratio a/b and wavelength parameter m.
56
12
For a given a/b, m may be chosen to yield the smallest eigenvalue. In order to
minimize kc in Eq. (281), treating m as a continuous variable produces:
mb
a
b
a
kc
=2
+
=0
(282)
a
mb
a b m2
m
where the rst bracket can not be zero, so the second bracket should be zero:
b a 1
=0
a b m2
(283)
a
b
kc = 4
(284)
Now, one gets:

m=
Here, this is valid when a/b is integer and when considering a very long plates.
Transition from m to m+1 half-waves occurs when the two corresponding curves
have equal ordinates, i.e. from Eq. (281):
kc |m = kc |m+1

(m + 1) b
a
mb
a
+
=
+
a
mb
a
(m + 1) b
a p
= m (m + 1)
b
57
(285)
(286)
p
a
= m (m + 1)
b
Example 1 For m = 1, a/b =
(287)
Example 2 For a very large m, i.e. a very long plate, a/b ' m. Thus, kc = 4 is
now independent of m.
A very long plate buckles in half-waves, whose lengths approach the width of the
plate:
x
n y
sin
w = c1 sin
b
b
Thus, the buckled plate subdivides approximately into squares.
Various Boundary Conditions of Plate under In-Plane Compressive Load
ing The critical buckling load reads:
(Px )cr = kc
2 D
b
16
14
12
10
kc 8
ss
c
ss
free E
ss
free D
c
c
ss
4
Loaded edges clamped.
Loaded edges simply supported.
a
b
Figure by MIT OCW.

Influence of boundary conditions on the buckling coefficients of
plates subjected to in-plane compressive loading
58
Various Boundary Conditions of Plate under In-Plane Shear Loading

The critical buckling load per unit length reads:
(Nxy )cr = kc
2 D
b2
where the dimension of Nxy is [N/m].
15
2
rcr = D
kc
b2h
13
Clamped Edges
11
kc 9
Simply Supported Edges
7
Critical values of shear stress for plates subjected to in-plane loading.

Figure by MIT OCW.
Limiting Case: Wide Plates Consider a wide plate for which a/b 1. From
the diagram, we see that if a/b < 1, then m is set to be equal to unity, i.e. just one
wavelength in the x-direction.
59
a
x
The buckling formula thus becomes:

2 D
(Nx )cr = kc |m=1
b2
b a 2
2 D
+
= 2
b
a b
2 D a 2 b a 2
+
= 2
a
b
a b
2 D
a 2 2
= 2
1+
a
b
(288)
If a/b 1, then the second term in the bracket can be neglected so that the
buckling load per unit length becomes:
(Nx )cr =
2 D
a2
which is called Sezawas formula for wide plates.

Example 3 Here, relative merits of stiening a large panel are investigated in the
longitudinal or in the transverse direction. It is assumed that the stieners provide
for a simply supported boundary conditions.
Consider the case of longitudinal stieners.
60
cr
s
From the von Karman formula, the buckling load per unit length for each divided
part reads:
4 2 D
(Nx )cr =
s2
Now, the buckling stress can be calculated:
(Nx )cr
h
2
4 D
= 2
s h
( cr )longitudinal =
Consider the case of transverse stieners.
L
s
cr
From the Sezawas formula, the buckling load per unit length along the loaded edges
reads:
2 D
(Nx )cr = 2
s
Now, the buckling stress can be calculated:
(Nx )cr
h
2D
= 2
s h
( cr )transverse =
Thus, it is concluded that

( cr )longitudinal = 4 ( cr )transverse
This shows advantages of longitudinal stieners over transverse stieners.
61
4.3.4
Derivation of Raleigh-Ritz Quotient
Recall the total potential energy of system and other corresponding denitions:
= (Ub Vb ) + (Um Vm )
(289)
where each term for buckling problems will be discussed in the following.
Term Relating to Plate Bending Response In the buckling problem, the
work done by external load causing bending response considered as zero:
Vb = 0
(290)
The bending energy can be expressed:

Z
1
M dS
(291)
Ub =
2 S
Z
D
[(1 ) + ] dS
=
2 S
Z h
i
D
(1 ) + ( )2 dS
=
2 S
Z h
i
D
(1 ) (11 11 + 12 12 + 21 21 + 22 22 ) + (11 + 22 )2 dS
=
2 S
Z n
h
io
D
=
dS
(11 + 22 )2 2 (1 ) 11 22 (12 )2
2 S
Here, the term in the square bracket is called Gaussian curvature:
11 22 (12 )2 = I II
(292)
where I and II are the principal curvatures. For plates with straight edges,
Gaussian curvature vanishes, so one gets:
Z
D
(11 + 22 )2 dS
(293)
Ub =
2 S
The integrand of the above equation can be written in terms of the transverse
displacement:
2
(11 + 22 )2 = 2 w
2
(294)
= w w
Now, the bending energy reads:

D
Ub =
2
2 w 2 w dS
62
(295)
Term Relating to Plate Membrane Response The work done by external

load causing membrane response reads:
Z
Z
nn un dl + N
tn ut dl
(296)
N
Vm =
= N
is determined from the
In the buckling problem, the axial force N
pre-buckling solution and is considered as constant, so the membrane energy reads:
Z
dS
(297)
Um = N
Z
1 (u , +u , ) + 1 w, w, dS
= N
2
2
ZS
Z
u , dS
w, w, dS
= N
N
2 S
S
Here, the rst term can be extended in a similar way shown in Eq. (132):
Z
Z
tn ut dl
u , dS =
nn un + N
N
N
S
Z
ZS
where the in-plane equilibrium is applied:
, u dS
N
tn ut dl
nn un + N
N
, = 0
N
Now, the membrane energy can be expressed:
Z
Z
tn ut dl
w, w, dS
nn un + N
Um =
N
N
2 S
Thus, the term relating to membrane response can be summarized:

Z
Z
w, w, dS
Um Vm =
N
Nnn un + Ntn ut dl
2 S
Z
Z
tn ut dl
Nnn un dl N
Z
Z
nn N
tn N
nn un dl
tn ut dl
N
N
=
w, w, dS
2 S
w, w,
=
N
2 S
where the boundary conditions on are applied.

63
(298)
(299)
(300)
(301)
Total Potential Energy and Its Variations Now, one gets the total potential
energy:
= (Ub Vb ) + (Um Vm )
Z
Z
D
2
2
w, w, dS
w w dS
=
N
2 S
2 S
The rst variation of the potential energy can be obtained:

Z
2 2
D
=
w w + 2 w 2 w dS
2 S
Z
(w, w, +w, w, ) dS
N
2 S
Z
Z
2
2
w, w, dS
= D w w dS N
S
S
Z
Z
2
2
w, w, dS
= D w w dS N
S
(302)
(303)
is considered as constant under the variation. Similarly, the second

where N
variation of the potential energy reads:
Z
Z
w, w, dS
2 = D 2 w 2 w dS N
(304)
S
S
Z
Z
2
2
w, w, dS
D w w dS N
S
Raleigh-Ritz Quotient Application of the Tretz condition for invertability,

2 = 0, determines the load intensity:
R
D S 2 w 2 w dS
= R
(305)
w, w, dS
N
S
Here, choose a trial function for w:
w=A
(306)
(x, y) is a normalized shape

where A is the undetermined magnitude, and =
function. Then, the variation of the trial function reads:
w = A
(307)
Now, the load intensity reads:
R
D S 2 (A ) 2 (A ) dS
= R
S N (A ) , (A ) , dS
R
D
A 2 A 2 dS
=R S
S N A , A , dS
R
2 2 dS
D
=R S
, , dS
N
S
64
(308)
The Raleigh-Ritz quotient is dened as:

D
= R
S
2 2 dS
, , dS
N
(309)
Example 4 As a special case, consider 1-D case:

= 1 0
N
0 0
then, the Raleigh-Ritz quotient becomes:

R
D
S 2 2 dS
=
R
2
S (,x ) dS
Example 5 Similarly, consider 2-D compression case:

1 0
N = =
01
then, the Raleigh-Ritz quotient becomes:

R
D
S 2 2 dS
=
R
S , , dS
R
D
S 2 2 dS
i
=
R
h
2
2
(,
dS
)
+
(,
)
x
y
S
4.3.5
Ultimate Strength of Plates
The onset of buckling stress cr does not necessarily means the total collapse of the
plate. Usually, there is redistribution of stresses, and the plate takes additional
load until the ultimate strength u is reached.
Von Karman Analysis of the Eective Width For a simply supported plate,
the buckling load is:
4 2 D
b
4 2 E h3
=
12 (1 2 ) b
Pcr =
and the corresponding buckling stress is:

Pcr
cr =
bh
2
h
4 2 E
=
2
12 (1 ) b
2
h
2 E
=
2
3 (1 ) b
65
(310)
(311)
The normalization of buckling stress by the yield stress reads:

E
cr
2
=
2
y
3 (1 ) y
=
(1.9)2
y b 2
E
2
h
b
(312)
(313)
cr
=
y
1.9
where is a non-dimensional parameter dened by:

r
y b
=
E h
(314)
The relation between the normalized buckling stress versus is plotted in the next
gure.
1.9
On further loading the plate beyond cr , a greater proportion of the load is

taken by the regions of the plate near the edge. Von Karman assumed that these
edge regions, each of the width bef f /2, carry the stress up to the yield while the
center is stress free.
66
(y)
b
y
Before Buckling
After Buckling
beff
2
y
beff
2
y
(y)
b
Actual Stress
von Karman Model
The edge zones are at yield, i.e. cr / y = 1, but the width of the eective
portion of the plate is unknown:
cr
=
y
from which one obtains:
y
E
(1.9)2
2 = 1
bef f
h
bef f = 1.9 h
E
y
Taking, for example, E/ y = 900 for mild steel, one gets:
bef f = 1.9 900 = 57h
(315)
(316)
(317)
This is somehow high, but there is not much dierence from the empirically deter
mined values of bef f = 40h 50h.
67
The total force at the point of ultimate load is:

P = y bef f h
(318)
Now, the average ultimate stress can be calculated:

u =
P
bh
(319)
bef f
b
hp
= 1.9
E y
b
= y
The average ultimate stress can be normalized by the yield stress:

p
h
E y
u
= 1.9 b
y
y
1.9
u
=
y
(320)
(321)
The average ultimate stress is plotted with respect to in the next gure.
1.9
Comparison of the ultimate and buckling load solution is shown in the next
gure.
68
1.9
Thin plates buckle

before reaching
ultimate load.
Thick plates yield

before buckle.
Under the uniaxial loading, the relation between an applied load and the cor
responding displacement is schematically shown all the way to collapse in the next
gure.
Px
Pu
Pcr
post-buckling
Px
Px
collapse
or crash
ux
pre-buckling
u
x
Empirical Formulas
Foulkner correction
u
2
1
= 2
y

69
(322)
Gerard (Handbook of elastic stability)

u
= 0.56
y
gh2
A
E
y
!0.85
(323)
where g is the sum of the number of cuts and the number of anges after the
cuts, A is the cross sectional area A = bh, and the coecients 0.56 and 0.85
are empirical constants.
Example 6 Consider a plate which has one cut and two anges.
b
h
Then,
g =1+2 =3
Now,
s !0.85
3h2 E
bh y
s !0.85
h E
= 1.42
b y
u
= 0.56
y
1.42
0.85
Modications in Codes In the original von Karman formula, the eective width
ratio reads:
r
bef f
cr
=
(324)
b
y
In the ANSI specication, imperfection is considered:
r
r
bef f
cr
cr
=
1 0.218
b
y
y
(325)
In UK specication, the eective width ratio is dened as:

"
r
4 #0.2
bef f
cr
= 1 + 14
0.35
b
y
70
(326)
eff
A comparison of theoretical (von Karman) and experimental

predictions for the effective width in compressed steel plates
4.3.6
Plastic Buckling of Plates
Stocky plates with low b/h ratio will yield before buckling at the point B. After
additional load, the plate will deform plastically on the path BC until conditions
are met for the plate to buckle in the plastic range.
1.9
Stowells Theory for the Buckling Strain Stowell developed the theory of
plastic buckling for simply-supported square plates loaded in one direction.
71
b
thickness h
y
The critical buckling strain cr was derived by him in the form:

i
p
2 h 2 h
2 + 1 + 3 (Et /Es )
cr =
9 b
(327)
where the tangent modulus Et and the secant modulus Es are dened by:
Et =
d
d
Es =
(328)
Et
y
Es
For the materials obeying the power hardening low:

n
= r
r
(329)
where r and r are the reference stress and strain. Now, the tangent and secant
modulus are:

r n1
d
Et =
=n
(330)
d
r r

r n1
Es = =
r r
72
Substituting these expression back into the buckling equation (327), one gets:
cr
2
=
9
h
2 + 1 + 3n
b
(331)
The exponent n varies usually between n = 0 (perfectly
plastic material) and n = 1

(elastic material). This makes the coecient 2 + 1 + 3n vary in the range
3 4. For a realistic value of n = 0.3, the buckling strain becomes:
cr
2
h
= 3.7
b
(332)
Having determined cr , the corresponding buckling stress is calculated from the

power law.
Approximate Solution for the Buckling Strain
stress relation:
Consider an elastic plane
E
(xx + yy )
1 2
E
(yy + xx )
yy =
1 2
xx =
(333)
Using the solution for the pre-buckling state, i.e. xx = cr and yy = 0 leads:
E
(xx + yy )
1 2
E
0=
(yy + xx )
1 2
cr =
(334)
from which one gets:

yy = xx
(335)
cr = Exx = Ecr
The critical elastic buckling stress is:
cr
2 E
= kc
12 (1 2 )
2
h
b
(336)
So, the corresponding critical elastic buckling strain read:

cr
2
= kc
12 (1 2 )
2
h
b
(337)
Equation (337) is more general than a similar expression Eq. (327) given by
the Stowell theory because it applies to all type of boundary conditions. At the
73
same time, Stowells equation was derived only for the simply supported boundary
conditions. In particular, for kc = 4, Eq. (337) predicts:
cr
2
h
= 3.6
b
(338)
which should be compared with the coecient 3.7 of Eq. (332) in the Stowells
theory. For a plastic material or very high hardening exponent, the prediction of
both method are much closer.
4.3.7
Exercise 1: Eect of In-Plane Boundary Conditions, w = 0
No Constraint in In-Plane Displacement Consider no constraint in in-plane

= 0.
displacement in y-direction, Nyy
expansion due to
Poison's effect
uy
a
ND
ND
a
ux
y
The membrane force tensor reads:

N 0
0 0
(339)
From the constitutive equation, one gets:
Eh

yy + xx = 0 = Nyy
2
1
=
yy = xx
Nyy =
(340)
By applying the geometric equation between strain and the displacement and con
sidering w = 0, here, one gets the relation between ux and uy :
uy
ux
=
y
x
74
(341)
Integrating both sides over the plate length leads:

Z a
Z a
uy
ux
dy =
dx
y
0
0 x
uy = ux
(342)
Constraint in In-Plane Displacement Consider a plate fully constrained in

the y-direction, uy = 0.
D
N yy
= N D
x
D
N xx
= ND
ND
ND
a
ux
y
Consequently, one also gets:
yy =
uy
=0
y
(343)
Under the uniform compression, xx reads:

xx =
ux
ux
=
x
a
(344)
From the constitutive relation, the membrane forces reads:
Eh ux
Eh

xx + yy =
= Nxx
2
1
1 2 a
Eh

ux
Eh
Nyy =
= Nyy
yy + xx =
2
2
1
1
a
Nxx =
Finally, the membrane force tensor reads:

Nxx 0
=
1 0
N =
0 Nyy
where
Eh ux
1 2 a
75
(345)
(346)
(347)
4.3.8 Exercise 2: Raleigh-Ritz Quotient for Simply Supported Square

Plate under Uniaxial Loading
Consider a simply supported square plate subjected to uniform compressive load in
the x-direction.
a
ND
x
ND
a
y
Then, the membrane force tensor reads:

1 0
N = N =
00

1 0

0 0
(348)
The plate will deform into a dish, so for the trial function take the following:
(x, y) = sin x sin y

=
(349)
a
a
Now, in order to obtain the load intensity, we rst calculate ,x and 2 :
x
y
sin
,x = cos
a
ax
ay
,y = sin
cos
a
a
a
y
x
sin
a
a
a
y
2
x
,yy =
sin
sin
a
a
a
,xx =
sin
2 = ,xx +,yy
2
y
x
= 2
sin
sin
a
a
a
4
y
x
2 2 = 4
sin2
sin2
a
a
a
76
(350)
(351)
(352)
(353)
Now, the Raleigh-Ritz quotient is calculated:

R
D S 2 2 dS
N = =
R
2
S (,x ) dS
4 R

4D a
sin2 ax sin2 ay dS
S

= 2 R
2 x sin2 y dS
a
a
S cos
a
2
= 4D
a
Ncr
= = 4D
(354)
(355)
This is the classical buckling solution, and it is exact because of the right guess of
the displacement eld.
4.4
4.4.1
Buckling of Sections
Transition from Global and Local Buckling
Euler buckling load of a simply-supported column reads:

(Pcr )column =
2 EI
l2
(356)
where I is the bending rigidity of the column. Consider a section column which is
composed of several thin plates, then the Euler buckling load can be considered as
a global buckling load of the column.
( Pcr )column
EI
77
On the other hands, local buckling force of a simply-supported plate reads:

Ncr =
kc 2 D
b2
(357)
where D = Eh3 / 12 1 2 and kc = [(mb) /a + a/ (mb)]2 . Thus, the total local

buckling load can be obtained:
(Pcr )plate =
kc 2 D
b
(358)
N cr
h
a
Transition from global to local buckling can be calculated by (Pcr )column =

(Pcr )plate :
2
EI
2 D
=
k
c
l2
b
kc 2 E h3
=
12 (1 2 ) b
I
kc
=
3
bh
12 (1 2 )
Example 7 Consider a square box column.
78
2
l
b
(359)
(360)
Then, one obtains:

kc = 4
2
I = hb3
3
Now, the global buckling load reads:
(Pcr )column = 2 E
I
2 2 E hb3
=
l2
3 l2
and the local buckling load from four plates can be calculated:
(Pcr )f our plates =
4kc 2 E h3
12 (1 2 ) b
Then, applying (Pcr )column = (Pcr )f our plates , one gets:
b2
hl
' 2.20
Thus, the local and global buckling loads become same when
b2 ' 1.5hl
For example, if b = 40h, then l = 60b.
Transition from the local to global buckling for an open channel section with
lips is shown in the gure below.
79
Buckling coefficients and modes for a hat section
4.4.2
Local Buckling
The remainder of this section deals only with the local buckling. Dividing both
sides of Eq. (357) by the plate thickness b gives the expression of the buckling stress
cr :
2
h
Ncr
kc 2 E
=
(361)
cr =
2
h
12 (1 ) b
Consider two adjacent plates of a section of the prismatic column.
P late 1
h1
b1
h2
b2
P late 2
Compatibility and equilibrium conditions at junction

of adjoining walls of a section
In general, there will be a restraining moment acting at the corner line between
80
P late 1 and P late 2. The buckling stresses for those two plates are:
2
h1
k1 2 E
( cr )1 =
2
12 (1 ) b1
2
h2
k2 2 E
( cr )2 =
2
12 (1 ) b2
(362)
Before buckling, stresses in the entire cross-section are the same. So, at the point
of buckling, one gets:
(363)
( cr )1 = ( cr )2
from which the buckling coecient k2 is relating to k1 :
h1 b2 2
k2 = k1
h2 b1
(364)
The total buckling load on the angle element is:

Pcr = ( c )1 h1 b1 + ( c )2 h2 b2
"
#
2
h1 2
h2
2 E
=
k1
h1 b1 + k2
h2 b2
12 (1 2 )
b1
b2
"
#
h1 b2 2 (h2 )3
(h1 )3
2 E
=
+ k1
k1
12 (1 2 )
b1
h2 b1
b2
h1 2
2 Ek1
=
A
12 (1 2 ) b1
(365)
where A is the sectional area of two plate A = b1 h1 +b2 h2 . From this derivation, the
conclusion is that only one buckling coecient is needed to calculate the buckling
load of the section consisting of several plates.
Determination of the buckling coecient is a bit more complicated because of
the existence of the edge bending moment. This can be illustrated in an example
of a box column with a rectangular cross section with the same thickness h.
b1
b2
uniform thickness h
The wider ange will be ready to buckling rst while the narrow plate is not ready
81
to buckle. When the second plate buckles, the rst plate would have buckled long
before. Thus, there is an interaction between left plates, and a compromise must
be established because left plates must buckle at the same time. The buckling
coecient as a function of the ratio b2 /b1 is plotted in the gure next.
h
h
Buckling coefficients for box sections
In the limiting case of a square box (b1 = b2 = b), k1 = 4 and the edge interactive
moment between adjacent plates is zero.
Some useful graphs and formulas for typical sections are given next.
82
83
5
5.1
Buckling of Cylindrical Shells

Governing Equation for Buckling of Cylindrical Shells
The starting point of the analysis is the strain-displacement relation for plates:
1
1
(u , +u , ) + w, w,
2
2
= w,
=
(366)
Consider a at plate (x, y) and a segment of a cylinder (x, a), where a is the radius
of a cylinder and is the hoop coordinate.
a
x
Can the strain-displacement relation for a cylinder be derived from similar re

lation for a at plate?
xx
;
dx dx
(367)
y a
a
y
(368)
Consider component by component. Use the notation:

u1 = ux u
u2 = uy v
u3 w
(369)
Then, one gets:

1
xx = u,x + (w,x )2
(370)
2
u, 1 w, 2 w
(371)
+
+
=
a
2 a
a
1
w,
1 u,
x =
+ u,x + w,x
(372)
2 a
2
a
There is a new term w/a in the expression for the hoop strain. The physical
meaning of this new term becomes clear if we consider axisymmetric deformation
with v = 0 and w independent of . Dene the hoof strain as a relative change
84
in the length of circumference when the original circle has a radius of "a" before
deformation and a new circle has a radius of "a + w" after deformation:
=
w
2 (a + w) 2a
=
2a
a
(373)
Mathematically, Eq. (370)-(372) can be derived from its counterparts by trans

forming the rectangular coordinate system into the curvilinear coordinate system.
x = r sin
(374)
y = r cos
The step-by-step derivation can be found, for example, in the book by Y.C. Fung,
"First Course in the Continuum Mechanics." The expression for curvature are
transformed in a similar way:
xx = w,xx
w,
= 2
a
w,x
x =
a
(375)
Using the variational approach explained in details for the plate problem, one can
see that the only new term in the expression for = 0 is
Z
w
dS
(376)
N
a
S
Therefore, the new term should be added in the equation for out-of-plane equilib
rium:
1
2
1
4
D w + N Nxx w,xx + Nx w,x + 2 N w, = q
(377)
a
a
a
where
4 w = w,xxxx +
2
1
w,xx + 4 w,
2
a
a
85
(378)
The above equations are the nonlinear equilibrium equations for quasi-shallow cylin
drical shells. The linear equilibrium equations are obtained by omission the non
linear terms, i.e. terms in the parenthesis. The resulting equations are:
aNxx ,x +Nx , = 0
(379)
aN ,x +N , = 0
1
D4 w + N = q
a
with
w
Nxx = C u,x +
(380)
a
w
0
N = C
+ u,x
a
where C is the axial rigidity, C = Eh/

1 2 .
The pre-buckling solution should
satisfy the system Eq. (379) and (380). These solutions will be denoted by N =
.
N
5.1.1
Special Case I: Cylinder under Axial Load P , q = 0
The membrane forces in the pre-buckling state are:

P
1 0
N
=
2a
0 0
(381)
and the corresponding displacement eld reads:
P
x
2ahE
Pl
w=
E 2ah
(382)
u (x) =
u ( l)
x
a
It is easy to prove that the above solution satises all eld equation.
86
5.1.2
Special Case II: Cylinder under Lateral Pressure

0 0
N = N
01
(383)
where from the constitutive equations Eq. (380):

N = Eh
w
a
(384)
Substituting Eq. (384) into Eq. (379) leads the following linear forth order inho
mogeneous ordinary dierential equation for w (x):
Dw0000 +
Ehw
=q
a2
(385)
or in a dimensionless form:
d4 w
q
(386)
+ 4 4 w =
4
D
dx
where
3 1 2
Eh
4
= 2 =
(387)
a D
a
2 h4
The dimension of is [L1 M 0 T 0 ], so x is dimensionless. There are four boundary
conditions for a simply supported cylinder:
Mxx = w = 0
at
x=0
Mxx = w = 0
at
x=l
(388)
where one gets from the moment-curvature relation:

Mxx = D
d2 w
dx2
(389)
M = 0
The general solutions of the above boundary value problem is:
w (x) = ex [c1 sin x + c2 cos x] + ex [c3 sin x + c4 cos x]
q
D4 4
(390)
The four integration constants can be found from the boundary conditions.
typical term of the solution is a rapidly decaying function of x.
87
It can be conducted that the curvature and bending is conned to a narrow

boundary zone of the width xb = / (2). The remainder of the shell undergoes a
uniform radial contraction:
q
(391)
w0 =
D 4 4
For the sake of simplicity, this localized bending can be neglected (D 0).
Then, from Eq. (379), the hoop membrane force is related to the lateral pressure
by N = qa and the pre-buckling solution is:

0 0
(392)
N = qa

01
5.1.3
Special Case III: Hydrostatic Pressure
For a cylinder subjected to the hydrostatic pressure, the total axial compressive
force is:
P = qa2
(393)
The pre-buckling solution is:
1/2 0
= qa
0 1
which is a classical membrane stress state in a thin cylinder.

88
(394)
5.1.4
Special Case IV: Torsion of a Cylinder
The pre-buckling stress in a cylinder subjected to the total torque of the magnitude
T is:

M 0 1
(395)
=
N
2a
1 0
x
a
N x
5.2
Derivation of the Linearized Buckling Equation
We are now in the position to linearize the nonlinear buckling equation Eq. (377).
It is assumed that the state of membrane forces does not change at the point of
buckling from the pre-buckling value. Thus,
N = N
(396)
1
2
1
D w + N + Nxx w,xx + Nx w,x + 2 N w, = q
a
a
a
(397)
and Eq. (377) becomes:

4
where the hoop membrane force N , the second term in Eq. (397), depends linearly
on three component of the displacement vector (u, v, w):
1
w
(398)
N =
C
v, + + u,x
a
a
89
Therefore, the out-of-plane equilibrium equation is coupled with the in-plane dis
placement (u, v) through the presence of the term N . Note that in the plate
buckling problem the in-plane and out-of-plane response was uncoupled. It is
possible to eliminate the terms involving in-plane components using the full set of
equilibrium and constitutive equations in the in-plane direction. By doing this, the
order of the governing equation has to be raised by four to give eight:
1 2
2
1
8
4
Cw,xxxx + Nxx w,xx + Nx w,x + 2 N w, = 0

(399)
D w +
a2
a
a
The above equation is called the Donnell stability equation in the uncoupled form.
Not that w (x, ) in the above equation represents additional lateral deection over
and above those produced by the pre-buckling solution. The total deection is a
sum of the two.
5.3
5.3.1
Buckling under Axial Compression

Formulation for Buckling Stress and Buckling Mode
We are now in a position to develop solutions to the buckling equations, Eq. (399)
for four dierent loading cases discussed in the previous section. Consider rst
Case I of a simply-supported cylindrical shell in which the pre-buckling solution is
given by Eq. (381). In this case, Eq. (399) reduces to:
D8 w +
1 2
P 4
w,xx = 0
Cw,xxxx +
a2
2a
The buckling deection of the shell is assumed in the following form:

mx
sin (n)
w (x, ) = c1 sin
l
(400)
(401)
where c1 is the magnitude, and the integer numbers (m, n) denote the number
of half-waves respectively in the axial and circumferential direction. The above
deformation satises both simply-supported boundary conditions at the ends, x = 0
and x = L, and periodicity conditions along the circumference.
Here, the half-length of the buckling wave is dened:
=
l
m
It is convenient to introduce a dimensionless buckling number, m

:
mx ma x
x
=
=m
l
l
a
a
ma
m
=
l
90
(402)
(403)
Using the dimensionless buckling number, substituting the solution Eq. (401)
into the governing equation Eq. (400) leads:
P 2
D 2
4
2 4
2
2 2 2 c1
+
m
1
n
m
sin
m
sin (n) = 0
m
+
n
+
a2
2a
a6
a
(404)
By setting the coecient in the square bracket to zero, the critical buckling mem
brane force per unit length becomes:
Pcr
2a
2
2
+ n2
D m
m
2
2
+
1
= 2
C
a
m
2
(m
2 + n2 )2
Ncr =
(405)
Here, by introducing the dimensionless parameter :

2
2
m
+ n2
=
(406)
m
2
Eq. (405) reads:
1
D
(407)
Ncr = 2 + 1 2 C
a
The dependence of the buckling force on the parameter is shown in the gure
below.
91
Treating as a continuous variable, one can nd an analytical minimum:

1
dNcr
D
= 2 1 2 C 2 = 0
d
a
from which the optimum value of the parameter is:

r
(1 2 ) Ca2
opt =
D
ap
=
12 (1 2 )
h
a
' 3.3
h
(408)
(409)
Introducing the expression for the optimum parameter into Eq. (407) and using
denitions of bending and axial rigidity, one gets:
h2
E
(Ncr )min = p
3 (1 2 ) a
(410)
The buckling stress is obtained by dividing the critical membrane fore by the shell
thickness h:
(Ncr )min
h
E
h
=p
2
3 (1 ) a
cr =
cr ' 0.605 E
h
a
(411)
(412)
This is the classical solution for the buckling stress of a cylindrical shell subjected
to axial compression. While the buckling load is unique and does not depend on
(m
, n), the buckling mode is not unique as:
opt
2
2
m
+ n2
a
=
= 3.3
m
2
h
There are innity of combinations of m

and n that give the same expression.
Example 8 Let a/h = 134, then
2
2
m
+ n2
= 3.3 134 ' 442
opt =
m
2
m
2 + n2
' 21
m
92
(413)
n=
5.3.2
p
21m
m
2
Buckling Coecient and Batdorf Parameter
Let us introduce the dimensionless buckling stress or the buckling coecient kc :

kc = cr
hl2
2 D
(414)
Additionally, the Batdorf parameter Z is dened:

Z=
p
l2
1 2
ah
(415)
Using Eq. (411), the buckling coecient becomes:

h
hl2
E
2
kc = p
3 (1 2 ) a D
12 p
l2
=
1 2
ah
3 2
12
=
Z
3 2
kc ' 0.702 Z
(416)
(417)
This relation between kc and Z are shown in the gure below together with two
limiting cases of very short and very long cylindrical shells. These two limiting
cases are discussed below.
93
Limiting Cases: Short Cylinders, a l Consider a case of the following

conditions:
al
a
(418)
l
Then, it is natural to assume that the number of half-waves in the axial direction
is unity:
m=1
Consequently, one gets:
l
is much larger than n, one also gets:
Since m
m
=
(419)
m
2 + n2 ' m
2
(420)
94
Now, from Eq. (405), the membrane force reads:

P
2a
1
D 2
= 2m
+ 1 2 C 2
a
m
2
m
D
= 2
a
2 D
= 2
l
Ncr =
(421)
The buckling stress reads:

2D
Ncr
=
h
hl2
Now, from the denition of the buckling coecient, Eq. (414), the buckling coe
cient for the very short cylindrical shells reads:
cr =
kc = 1
This solution indicated in previous gure as the lower bound cut-o value.
upper bound cut-o values is given by the Euler buckling load.
The
Limiting Cases: Very Long Cylinders, l a The cylindrical shell is becom

ing the Euler column. The buckling load of the column is:
Pcr =
2 EI
l2
where I = a3 h for cylinder sections.
95
(422)
The buckling stress reads:

Pcr
2ah
2 a 2
= E
2
l
cr =
(423)
For this very long cylindrical shells, the buckling coecient can be written:
a 2
kc = 6 1 2
h
kc = 6
a
l
Z2
(424)
(425)
From Eq. (411) and (423), the transition between the local shell buckling and
global thin-walled column buckling occurs when
( cr )shell = ( cr )column
which gives:
5.4
h
2 a 2
E
p
=
E
2
l
3 (1 2 ) a
p
2 3 (1 2 )
hl2
' 8.15
3 =
a
2
(426)
(427)
(428)
Buckling under Lateral Pressure
From the pre-buckling solution, Eq. (392), the governing equation Eq. (399) be
comes:
1 2
q
Cw,xxxx + 4 w, = 0
(429)
D8 w +
2
a
a
Assuming the double sine buckling deection function, similar to the case of axial
compression, the governing equation becomes:
D 2
2 4
4
2
2
2 2 c1
m
qa
n
m
+
n
+
m
+
n
sin
m
sin (n) = 0
a2
a6
a
(430)
By setting the coecient in the square bracket to zero, the equation for the buckling
pressure becomes:
2
2
+ n2
m
4
D m
2
C
+
1
qa = 2
a
n2
n2 (m
2 + n2 )2
96
(431)
It can be shown that the smallest eigenvalue is obtained when m = 1 or m

= a/l.
With this observation, the solution becomes a function of the parameter n, or
dimensionless parameter n
:
nl
(432)
n
=
a
Additionally, we dene the dimensionless buckling pressure, q:
q = q
l2 a
2 D
(433)
Now, substituting m
, n
and p into Eq. (431) leads:
2
1 2 C l 2
1+n
2
1
q =
+
n
2
a2
a
n
2 (1 + n
2 )2
(434)
By introducing the Batdorf parameter Z, one gets:

2
1+n
2
1
12 2
+
q =
2 Z
2
2
n
2
n
(1 + n
)
(435)
For any value of the geometrical parameter Z, there exists a preferred n

which
as a continuous variable, the optimum
minimize the buckling pressure. Treating n
n
can be found analytically from d
p/d
n = 0. Substituting this back into Eq. (432),
there will be a unique relation between the buckling pressure and the Batdorf pa
rameter. The solution is shown graphically in the gure below.
Limiting Cases: Very Long Cylinders, l a In the limiting case of a long

tube (l a), one gets:
a
m
= m 0
(436)
l
97
In this case, the last term in Eq. (431) vanishes and the buckling pressure becomes:
q=
n2 D
a3
(437)
Imagine a long cylinder consisting of a change of ring, each of the height b. The
moment of inertia of the ring along the axial axis reads:
I=
bh3
12
(438)
From Eq. (437) and (438), the intensity of the line load Q = qb can be written:
Q = qb
n2
Eh3
= 3
b
a 12 (1 2 )
n2 EI
= 3
a (1 2 )
(439)
The above approximation is due to Donnell. The smallest integer value is n = 1

which gives the following buckling mode.
98
The Donnell solution should be compared with more exact solution of the ring
buckling problem which take into account a more complex incremental displacement
eld with both w () and v (). Here, a distinction should be made between the
centrally directed pressure (as in all preceding analysis) and the eld -pressure
loading where pressure is always directed normal to the deformed surface.
In the later case, the ring buckling occurs at:
EI
Qc = n2 1 3
a
(440)
where the smallest integer n = 2 so that Q = 3EI/a3 . The buckling mode has now
eight nodal points rather than four.
The solution of centrally directed pressure loading case is:

2
2
n 1 EI
Qc =
n2 2 a3
(441)
where again the smallest n = 2. Thus the smallest buckling load intensity is:
Qc = 4.5
EI
a3
(442)
It is seen that for a realistic value n=2, the present solution, Eq. (439) gives
the buckling pressure between the two cases of eld-pressure loading and centrally
directed loading, 3 < 4 < 4.5.
5.5
Buckling under Hydrostatic Pressure
Special case of the combined loading in which the total axial load P is:
P = a2 q
99
(443)
The pre-buckling solution is given by Eq. (394). The solution of the buckling equa
tion still can be sought through the sinusoidal function, Eq. (401). The optimum
solution can be found by a trial and error method varying parameters m
and n
. A
graphical representation of the solution is shown in gure below.
5.6
Buckling under Torsion
A twist applied to one end of a cylindrical shell process a twisting force Nx :
=
Nx
M
2a
(444)
= N =
The other two components of the pre-buckling membrane forces vanish Nxx
0. Moreover, the force is constant.
100
Under these conditions, the governing equation reduces to:

D8 w +
1 2
2
C w,xxxx + Nx
4 w,x = 0
2
a
a
(445)
In view of the presence of odd-ordered derivatives in the above equation, the sep
arable form of the solution for w (x, ), assumed previously, does not satisfy the
equation.
Under torsional loading, the buckling deformation consists of circumferential
waves that spiral around the cylindrical shell from one end to the other. Such
waves can be represented by a deection function of the form:
x
(446)
w (x, ) = C sin m
n
a
with
ma
(447)
L
where m and n are integers. The alone displacement eld satisfy the dierential
equation and the periodical condition is the circumferential direction, but does not
satisfy any commonly used boundary at the cylinder ends. Consequently, this
simple examples can be used only for long cylinders.
For such cylinders, introduction of the additional displacement eld into the
governing equation, yields:
2
2
m
+ n2 D
m
3
+
(448)
1 v2 C
Nx =
2
2
2m
n a
2 (m
2 + n2 ) n
m
=
For suciently long cylinders, the shell buckles in two circumferential waves, n = 2.
Also, the term m
2 is small compared with 4. Then, the approximate expression is:
=
Nx
4 D
m
3
+
1 v2 C
2
m
a
64
(449)
An analytical minimization of the alone experiment with repeat to m

gives:
2
64
h
(450)
m
4 =
2
9 (1 ) a
101
Upon substitution, the nal expression for the buckling force, or better, critical
shear strain causing buckling is:
3/2
N
0.272 E
h
cr = x =
(451)
3/4
2
h
a
(1 )
The above solution was given by Donnell. As noted, the above solution is invalid
for short shells due to the diculties in satisfying boundary condition. A more
rigorous analytical-numerical solution is shown in the gure below.
As the radius of the shell approaches innity, the critical stress coecient for
simply supported and clamped edge approaches respectively the value 5.35 and 8.98
corresponding to plates under the shear loading.
5.7
Inuence of Imperfection and Comparison with Experiments
Because of the presence of unavoidable imperfection in real shells, the experimen

tally measured buckling load are much smaller than the ones found theoretically.
Reduction in the
buckling strength
due to imperfection
Comparison of theoretical and experimental results for four dierent type of loads:
102
Axial compression
Torsion
Lateral pressure
Hydrostatic pressure
are shown in the subsequent two pages. Note that the graphs were presented
in log log scale. Replotting the results for axially loaded plate yields the graph
shown below.
1.1
Theory
cr = 0.605 Eh/a
exp
1.0
0.8
0.6
A design recommendation
0.4
0.2
500
1,000
1,500 a 2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
Distribution of test data for cylinders subjected to axial compression.

Figure by MIT OCW.
The dierences are shown to be very large. Design curves for cylindrical and
other shells are based on the theoretical solution modied by empirical prediction
factors called "know-down factors". For example, the solid curve shown in the
receding page is a "90 percent probability curve." For a/h = 50, the reduction
factor predicted by this probability curve is 0.24. Thus, the theoretical solution
cr = 0.605 Eh/a should be multiplied by 0.24 for the design stress = 0.15 Eh/a.
Cylindrical shells loaded in dierent way are been sensitive to imperfections and
the resulting knock-down factors are smaller.
Most industrial organization establish their own design criteria. They are fre
quently loose-leaf and are continuously updated on the volume of the experimented
evidence increase. The situation can be converted to the rmly established manual
103
of steel constructions for the design of columns and beam. The reason is that col
umn are not sensitive to imperfection as far as the ultimate strength is concerned.
104

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2.081J/16.

230J Plates and Shells

3 Development of Equation of Equilibrium and Boundary Conditions

Using Variational Approach

3.1 Bending Theory of Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

3.1.1 Total Potential Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

3.1.2 First Variation of the Total Potential Energy . . . . . . . . . 20

3.1.3 Equilibrium Equation and Boundary Conditions . . . . . . . 24

3.1.4 Specication of Equation for Rectangular Plate . . . . . . . . 24

3.2 Bending-Membrane Theory of Plates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

3.2.1 Total Potential Energy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

3.2.2 First Variation of the Total Potential Energy . . . . . . . . .

Plate under Uniaxial Loading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Strain-Displacement Relation for Plates

1-D Strain Measure

Engineering strain is dened as the relative displacement:

3-D Strain Measure

Let dene the following quanties:

= (dai + dui ) (daj + duj ) ij

The vector u can be considered as a function of:

Let us calculated the dierence in the length square:

= (uj ,l dal dai + ui ,k dak daj + ui ,k dak uj ,l dal ) ij

where E is the in-plane component of strain tensor, E3 and E3 are out-of-plane

shear components of strain tensor, and E33 is the through-thickness component of

Initial Undeformed Configuration

3. Gradients of in-plane displacements u , are small so that their product or

where u is the displacement of the middle surface, which is independent of

Specication of Strain-Displacement Relation for Plates

In the theory of moderately large deections, the strain-displacement relation can

Here, consider the last, nonlinear term:

From the deniton of the curvature, one gets:

Now, Eq. (18) can be re-casted in the form:

is composed of a linear and a

Interpretation of the linear terms:

ds0 + dw2 ds20

= [u3 , +u ,3 + (u1 ,3 u1 , +u2 ,3 u2 , +u3 ,3 u3 , )]

= [u ,3 +u3 , + (u1 , u1 ,3 +u2 , u2 ,3 +u3 , u3 ,3 )]

= [u3 , +u3 , + (u1 , u3 ,1 u2 , u3 ,2 )]

because the corresponding stress 3 , 3 and 33 are small as compared to the

Derivation of Constitutive Equations for Plates

Denitions of Bending Moment and Axial Force

Hooks law in plane stress reads:

Here, strain tensor can be obtained from the strain-displacement relations:

Now, dene the tensor of bending moment:

and the tensor of axial force (membrane force):

Let us assume that = 0. The bending moment M can be calculated:

Here, we dene the bending rigidity of a plate D as follows:

Now, one gets the moment-curvature relations:

Bending Energy Density

General Case General denition of the bending energy density reads:

( ) is a homogeneous function of degree one.

Now, the bending energy density reads:

The bending energy density expressed in terms of components:

Total Bending Energy

Assume that = 0. The axial force can be calculated:

Here, we dene the axial rigidity of a plate C as follows:

Now, one gets the membrane force-extension relation:

where N12 = N21 due to symmetry.

Membrane Energy Density

The extension energy expressed in terms of components:

Total Membrane Energy

3 Development of Equation of Equilibrium and Boundary Condi

Bending Theory of Plates