Journal Name Here

IGM Publication Volume…..Issue….Month…..Year…page no.01-02

Bending and Buckling of Circular Sandwich Plates with the

Nonlinear Elastic Core Material
A. Kudin1, M.A.V. Al-Omari2, B.G.M. Al-Athamneh3, H.K.M. Al-Athamneh4
1
Asst. Professor of Mathematics Department, Zaporizhzhya National University, Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine
2,3,4
Postgraduate Student of Mathematics Department, Zaporizhzhya National University, Zaporizhzhya, Ukraine
E-mail: avk256@gmail.com

ABSTRACT The main objective of herein paper is to develop analytical

model for stress-strain state of circular sandwich plates with
Herein paper describes equations of the circular symmetrical nonlinear elastic core. Analytical model shows difference
sandwich plates bending and buckling with isotropic face between linear elastic model and nonlinear elastic model of the
sheets and the nonlinear elastic core material. It is compared core.
results of analytical model with results of other researches
using two problems: 1) the problem of axisymmetric
transverse bending of a circular sandwich plate, 2) buckling of
a circular sandwich plate. The effect of accounting nonlinear
2. THE STATE OF STRESS OF A PLATE
elastic core material on the strain state of the sandwich plate is Consider a circular sandwich plate that is loaded by a
described. transverse load q(r ,  ) or an in-plane constant edge force P .
Face sheets are 1 and  2 thick correspondingly. Face sheets
Keywords: sandwich plates, bending, buckling, the Finite element
method.
are made from isotropic material for which Hooke's law is a
useful approximation. A core is 2h thick (Fig. 1). It is made
from nonlinear elastic isotropic material.
1. INTRODUCTION
Composite materials (composites) and layered materials are
one of the great technological advances of a modern
engineering. By the term layered materials it is usually
referred to materials that are combinations of two or more
organic or inorganic layers. Layered materials allow to
optimize some physical and mechanical properties of
constructions. Sandwich structures are widely used in the
aircraft and shipbuilding industries, the aerospace industry,
civil engineering, electronics and other industries.
The linear and nonlinear models of various types of sandwich
plates has been widely investigated in the past years [1-3].
However the stress-strain state and buckling analysis of Fig 1. Circular sandwich plates
sandwich structural elements is urgent. Face sheets correspond to Kirchhoff plate theory. The state of
Research papers mostly suggest linear elastic models for core stress in these layers is determined by Hooke's law [7]
material. On the other hand, for some materials (e.g. cooper,
duralumin, aluminum bronze, composites [4]) linear elastic
models do not accurately describe the observed material
behavior. Physically nonlinear shells and thick rectangular
plates were considered in [5, 6]. However, bending and
buckling of circular sandwich plates with nonlinear elastic
core is less investigated.

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h  z  h  1 :   
u (r ,  , z )  u1 (r ,  )   z  h  1  w,r ,
r 
E
 r    ,   E
(   r ) ,  2
1  2
 1 2     w,
v(r ,  , z )  v1 (r ,  )   z  h  1  ;
 r  G r ,  2 r
h   2  z  h :
h   2  z  h :
(1)   
 r* 
E*
  r*   ** , u* (r ,  , z )  u2 (r ,  )   z  h  2  w,r ,
 2 

 
2
1  
*
    w,
  v* (r ,  , z )  v2 (r ,  )   z  h  2  ;
 2  r
E*
 *  (*   * r* ) ,  r*  G* r* , h  z  h : (3)

1  

  * 2


u (r ,  , z )  u1 (r,  )a1 ( z )  u2 (r ,  )a2 ( z )  c0* ( z )w,r ,
w,
where E is Young's modulus, G is the shear modulus, and v (r ,  , z )  v1 (r ,  )b1 ( z )  v2 (r ,  )b2 ( z )  c0** ( z ) .
r
 is Poisson’s ratio for the material of the layer
h  z  h  1 . Index * in (1) is referred to mechanical Using [6] in (3), we obtain

properties of the layer h   2  z  h . The state of stress in a1 ( z)  1  2 ( z) , a2 ( z)  2 ( z) ,

the core is determined by expressions [4] 1
c0* ( z )  z  h    2 ( z ) , c0** ( z )  3 ( z )  3 ( z ) ,
2
 r  3K (1  2 02 ) 0  2G(1   2 02 )( r   0 ) , 1   2
b1 ( z)  1  3 ( z) , b2 ( z )  3 ( z ) ,   2h  ,
  3K (1  2 02 ) 0  2G(1   2 02 )(  0 ) , 2
(2) 1 ( z )  1 (h)  2 ( z )   2 ( h)
 r  G(1   2 02 ) r ,  rz  G(1   2 02 ) rz , 2 ( z)  , 3 ( z )  ,
1 (h)  1 (h)  2 ( h )   2 (  h)
 z  G(1   2 02 ) z . 1 1
1 ( z ) 
G  f1( z)dz , 2 ( z)  G  f2 ( z)dz .
In (2), the shear modulus is denoted by G and the bulk
Functions f1 ( z ) , f2 ( z) are transverse shear-stress
modulus is denoted by K ;  0 is elongation,  02 is the strain
intensity factor distribution functions for stresses  rz and   z in the thickness
direction. Strains are represented by [4].
0 
1
3
 r     z ,  The face sheet layer h  z  h  1 :

 02 
8 2
9

 r  2   z2   r     z   z  r   1 u
 r  u,r ,   v,  ,  r  u,  v,r  ;
1 v
r r r r
2
3

  r2   rz 2
 2z ,  another face sheet layer h   2  z  h :
 1 3K  2G
z  
1 
  r    ,  
2 3K  G
. 1 u* 1 v*
 r*  u,*r , *  v,*  ,  r*  u,*  v,*r  ;
r r r r
Parameter  2 characterizes shape changes of the structural and the core layer h  z  h :
element in the nonlinear elastic deformation stage. This
parameter is determined experimentally [4]; parameter  2 1 u
 r  u,r ,   v,  ,  r  u,  v,r  ,
1 v
characterizes the volume element changes. r r r r
1
 rz  u, z  w,r ,  z  v, z  w, .
r
3. STRAIN-DISPLACEMENT RELATIONS The total potential energy of the circular sandwich plate is
FOR SANDWICH PLATES
1  h1

The state of strain at some midplane point of the sandwich
plate face sheets is determined by radial displacements

2   
 r  r       r  r dz 
 h
ui (r ,  ) , angular displacements vi (r ,  ) , ( i  1, 2 ) and h
deflection w(r ,  ) .    r* r*   * *   r*  r* dz  (4)
 h  2
By adopted hypotheses, we have [6]:
h 
h  z  h  1 :    r  r      r  r   rz rz   z z dz  rdrd  A  0 , 
h 

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where A is a potential energy of external forces.
Differential equations of equilibrium are obtained from total
potential energy by applying the principle of possible
movements.
4. EQUILIBRIUM EQUATIONS
AXISYMMETRIC BENDING
Consider axisymmetric transverse bending of a circular
sandwich plate. Now suppose that the transverse load q(r ) is
axisymmetric and uniform. In addition, suppose that the plate
have face sheets with equal thickness 1   2   and
mechanical properties    , E  E .
* *
Using the symmetry of the strain state of the plate and taking
into account the absence of any angular displacement
( u1  u2  u , v1  v2  v  0 ) it is obtained a nonlinear
differential equations of equilibrium
B11w,rrr  B12 w,rr  B13u,rr 
B14 w,r  B15u,r  B16u  r   1  0 ,
B21w,rrrr  B22 w,rrr  B23u,rrr  B24 w,rr  B25u,rr 
 B26 w,r  B27u,r  B28u  r   rq  2  0 .
Nonlinear terms of the equations (4) 1 ,  2 and the
coefficients presented in [8] become very cumbersome.
Boundary conditions were considered by A.P. Prusakov in [9].
Simply-supported edge:
 
w(r )  0 , w,rr  w,r  0 , u,r  u (r )  0 , r  R . (6)
r r
Clamped or fixed edge:
The solutions of equations (5) are represented by the first few
terms of an asymptotic expansions (8), usually not more than
two or three terms. In herein paper it is used three terms of
series (8).
Substituting (8) in (5) and collecting coefficients in terms of
the powers of  it is obtained a system of equations for
FOR zeroth-order and higher-ordered approximations.
We have the system of equations of the zeroth-order
approximation (linear elastic formulation of the problem)
B11w0,rrr  B12 w0,rr  B13u0,rr 
 B14 w0,r  B15u0,r  B16u0  r   0 ,
(9)
B21w0,rrrr  B22 w0,rrr  B23u0,rrr  B24 w0,rr  B25u0,rr 
 B26 w0,r  B27u0,r  B28u0  r   rq  0 .
Now, using [8], we get higher-order approximations
B11wi,rrr  B12 wi,rr  B13ui,rr 
 B14 wi,r  B15ui,r  B16ui  r   1i ,
(10)
B21wi,rrrr  B22 wi,rrr  B23ui,rrr  B24 wi,rr  B25ui,rr 
 B26 wi,r  B27ui,r  B28ui  r   2i
(5)
In (10), 1i and  2i are nonlinear terms for i -order
approximations. Now we can consider a sequence of linear
equations instead nonlinear system (5).
5. SOLVE A SYSTEM OF DIFFERENTIAL
EQUATIONS
Now simplifying (9), we obtain the modified Bessel
differential equation
L  u0 (r )    2u0 (r )  0 (r ) , (11)

w(r )  0 , w,r  0 , u(r )  0 , r  R . (7) where

1  u0,r u0
Now if we recall (5) with boundary conditions (6) or (7) we L(u0 (r ))    ru0 (r ) ,r   u0,rr   ,
obtain the analytical model.  r ,r r r2
Perturbation method are widely used for solving differential
 2 D  2 D1
equations [4, 6, 10]. To solve these equations it is used  2   B14   2 ,
approximation techniques in terms of a small parameter. The  2h   D1  B15 2 D1   B15 D2
small parameter appears naturally in the equations or may be    B15  B  2 D1
artificially introduced for convenience. Thus it is used 0 (r )   L  0 (r )   14 0 (r )  ,
perturbation method for simplifying nonlinear differential   2 D1  D1  15 1   B15 D2
B 2 D
equations.  2 
D1  B15   h   , D2  B15  4h  3  ,
Let the naturally small parameter in equations (5) be a ratio of  6 

mechanical properties of the core
qr 3 1 1 1
0 ( r )   C1r (2ln(r )  1)  C2 r  C3 .
2 16 4 2 r
 .
 3K  4G 
3
Integrating (11) in u0 , we get

Displacements are represented by series u0  C4 I1 ( r )  C5 K1 ( r )  K1 ( r )  I1 ( r )0 (r )rdr 

n n 0 (r )  D2u0 (r )
u (r )  u0 (r )   i ui (r ) ; w(r )  w0 (r )   i wi (r ) . (8)  I1 ( r )  K1 ( r )0 (r )rdr , w0   dr .
D1
i 1 i 1

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Similarly, it is obtained the solution of (10). In this case, In (16) and (17)  is a deflection in the center of the plate.
functions 0 (r ) and 0 (r ) that depend on the right-hand side Suppose  is little different from zero in the initial stage of
of (10). the stability loss. Thus, we solve (15) with equation (16) or (17)
and obtain critical buckling load as value of parameter P .

6. APPLYING RITZ METHOD FOR

BUCKLING ANALYSIS 7. NUMERICAL EXAMPLES
According to the Ritz method we approximate unknown 7.1 Bending of Circular sandwich plates with
displacements u (r ) and w(r ) by the series as follows:
elastic core
 simply-supported edge Consider a circular sandwich plate with elastic core; the plate
loaded transversely by a distributed load q . Suppose the core
 (2s  1)r
N

w(r )   H s 1 cos  , thickness 2h is equal to 16 103 m; face sheets of equal
s 1  2R 
(12) thickness: 1   2    1103 m; the radius of the plate R is
 (2s  1)r 
N
u (r )   Ls 1 sin  , equal to 0.4 m; the shear modulus of the core G is equal to
s 1  2R 
2.77 104 MPa and the bulk modulus of the core K is equal
 clamped or fixed edge to 6 104 MPa; the shear modulus of face sheets G is equal to
2
  r 2  N 2s 8 104 MPa and the Poisson's ratio of face sheets  is equal
r
w(r )  1    
 R  
Hs   , to 0.27 . The tensile properties of the core are linear in
 s 0  
R
 (13) transverse directions.
N 2 s 1
 r r
u (r )  1    Ls   . Table 1 compares the maximum deflection in the center of the
 R  s 0  R  sandwich plate with elastic core.

Terms Ls and H s of the equations (12) and (13) will be Table 1

Transverse bending of the circular sandwich plate with elastic
determined further. core
Substituting (12) or (13) for u (r ) and w(r ) in (4), we get
wmax  w(0) , 103 m
function of multiple variables as follows
Bound. Model
  H s , Ls , P  , s  1, N . (14) Cond. q , MPa
1 2 3 4 5
In the linear elastic case statement   H s , Ls , P  is a linear
0.05 1.586 1.383 1.430 2.621 -
supported

algebraic function and the critical buckling load can be

Simply-

0.07 2.221 1.937 2.001 3.670 -

Edge

obtained by solving eigenvalue problem of the system of

0.09 2.855 2.490 2.573 4.718 -
equations as follows
0.11 3.489 3.043 3.145 5.767 -
, H s  0  0.05 0.385 0.339 0.348 0.635 0.291
 , s  1, N . (15)
, Ls  0 
Clamped

0.07 0.539 0.474 0.487 0.889 0.407

Edge

0.09 0.693 0.610 0.626 1.142 0.523

Thus, the critical buckling load can be determined as
minimum of the eigenvalues set. 0.11 0.847 0.745 0.765 1.396 0.639

In the nonlinear elastic case statement   H s , Ls , P  is a

Models are determined by numerals 1-5 as follows: 1 – the
nonlinear function of multiple variables and (15) became a
analytical model; 2 – the finite element model [11]; 3 – model
system of nonlinear algebraic equations. In (15) number of
considered in the paper [12]; 4 – model considered in the
variables exceeds number of equations. Thus, we add in (15)
paper [9]; 5 – model considered in the paper [13].
one equation as follows:
 for simply-supported edge 7.2 Buckling of circular sandwich plates with
N
elastic core
 Hs   , (16) In this subsection consider three types of circular plates loaded
s 1 by an in-plane edge force P :
 for clamped or fixed edge  circular one layer plate; suppose the plate thickness h
H0   . (17) is equal to 18 103 m; the radius of the plate R is equal

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 to 0.4 m; the shear modulus G is equal to 8 104 MPa
and the Poisson's ratio  is equal to 0.27 ;

 circular sandwich plate with elastic core; suppose the Table 3

3 Transverse bending of the circular sandwich plate with
core thickness 2h (3)
is equal to 16 10 m; face sheets of nonlinear elastic core
3
equal thickness: h  h  h  110 m; the radius of
(1) (2)

the plate R is equal to 0.4 m; the shear modulus of the wmax  w(0) , 103 m

core G (3) is equal to 2.77 104 MPa and the bulk Bound. Approximation
Cond. q , MPa
modulus of the core K (3) is equal to 6 104 ; the shear 0 1 2 3
modulus of face sheets G (1)
G (2)
 G is equal to 0.05 1.586 1.598 1.598 1.598

supported
8 10 4

Simply-
MPa and the Poisson's ratio of face sheets 0.07 2.221 2.253 2.254 2.254

Edge
 (1)   (2)   is equal to 0.27 . The tensile properties of 0.09 2.855 2.924 2.929 2.929
the core are linear in transverse directions; 0.11 3.489 3.615 3.628 3.630
Table 2 compares the critical buckling load of the sandwich 0.05 0.385 0.389 0.389 0.389

Clamped
plate with linear elastic core and one layer plate. 0.07 0.539 0.550 0.551 0.551

Edge
Table 2 0.09 0.693 0.717 0.718 0.718
Buckling of the circular one layer and sandwich plate with 0.11 0.847 0.891 0.892 0.892
elastic core
Pcr 106, N/m 8.2 Buckling of circular sandwich plates with
Bound. Model nonlinear elastic core
Cond. Qty. of layers
1 2 3 Table 4 contains the critical buckling load of the sandwich
circular plate with nonlinear elastic core. Geometrical and
2.922 2.970 2.916
supported

1 mechanical properties of the plate are similar to previous case,

Simply-

Edge

suppose parameters of nonlinear elastic core  2  3.878 105 ,

3 1.383 1.605 -
2  0 .
10.193 10.113 10.192
Clamped

1 Table 4
Edge

Buckling of the circular one layer and sandwich plate with

3 4.371 5.503 -
nonlinear elastic core

Value of the parameter Pcr 106, N/m

The left column of the table shows quantity of layers. Models 
are determined by numerals 1-3 as follows: 1 – the analytical Simply-supported Edge Clamped Edge
model; 2 – the finite element model [11]; 3 – model 10 -3
0.971 5.825
considered in the textbook [14]. 10-4 1.480 17.226
10-5 91.575 4.559
10-6 -2.531 -0.710
8. INFLUENCE OF NONLINEARITY: 10-7 132.099 5.715
10-8 3.134 5.716
NUMERICAL INVESTIGATION 10-9 3.134 5.716
10-12 3.134 5.716
8.1 Bending of circular sandwich plates with 10-15 3.134 5.716
nonlinear elastic core
Now consider a circular sandwich plate with nonlinear elastic 9. CONCLUSIONS
core. Geometrical and mechanical properties as in the previous
As the result it has been implemented the analytical model for
case. Let  2 is equal to 0 and  2 is equal to 3.878 105 .
stress-strain state analysis and buckling analysis of circular
Table 3 compares the maximum deflection in the center of the sandwich plates. The analytical model uses the Ritz method
sandwich plate with nonlinear elastic core for zeroth-order and and the perturbation method for differential equations with
higher approximations. small parameters to represent nonlinear differential equations
as a sequence of linear equations; further, linear differential
equations are reduced to Bessel’s equation.
As has been shown in table 1 the difference between the
analytical model and the finite element model [11] is 13-16%.

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The difference between the analytical model and other models [12] I.P. Mixajlov, “Some problems of axisymmetric
is 11-40%. As has been shown in table 2 the difference bending circular sandwich plates with rigid core”,
between the analytical model and the finite element model [11] Trudy Leningradskogo korablestroitel’nogo instituta,
is 2-26%. The difference between the analytical model and the 66: 125–131, 1969 (Russian).
model [14] is less than 1%. Note that these models have [13] A.G. Gorshkov, E.I. Starovoitov and A.V. Yarovaya,
various simplifying assumptions. Mechanics of Layer Viscoelastoplastic Construction
In addition, it has been compared deflection in the center of Elements, Fizmatlit, Moscow, 2005.
the nonlinear elastic core sandwich plate with deflection of the [14] N.A. Alfutov, Stability of Elastic Structures, Springer-
elastic core sandwich plate (table 3). The difference between Verlag Berlin Heidelberg New York, 2000.
linear deflection and nonlinear deflection is 1-5%. Also, it has
been compared critical buckling load of the nonlinear elastic
core sandwich plate with critical buckling load of the elastic
core sandwich plate (table 4). The difference between linear
model and nonlinear model is 24-55%.
Nonlinear dynamics and stability of sandwich structural
elements are suggested to be an opportunity for future
researches.

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