Solid Mechanics : Static Bending of Thin Plates

• Micro pressure sensors work on

the principle of converting
strain in a thin Si diaphragm.
• The d.e. for deflection, w,
æ 2 2 öæ 2 2 ö
ç ¶ + ¶ ÷ç ¶ w + ¶ w ÷ = p
ç ¶x 2 ¶y 2 ÷ç ¶x 2 ¶y 2 ÷ D
è øè ø
where p = applied pressure,
Eh 3
D = flexural rigidity = , and
12 (
1- n 2 )
E = Young' smodulus

• Ref : Timoshenko and

Woinowsky-Krieger (1959).
 Bending Moments

æ ¶ 2w ¶ 2 ö
w÷
Mx = -Dçç +n
2 2÷
è ¶ x ¶ y ø
æ 2 2 ö
¶ w ¶ w
My = -Dçç 2 + n 2 ÷÷ Bending Stresses
è ¶y ¶x ø
6( M x )max
2
¶ w s max
xx =
M x y = D(1- n ) h2
¶x¶y
6( M y )
s max
yy = 2
max
h
6( M x y)
s max
xy = 2
max
h
 Circular Diaphragm

• A circular diaphragm of radius

a and thickness h with edge
fixed.
• The maximum radial stress
(srr), and maximum tangential
stress (sqq) occur at the edge.

3a 2 p 3a 2n p
s rrmax = 2
max
sqq =
4h 4h 2

• At the center of the plate

3a2np
s rr = s qq =
8h 2

and w = w max = -
(
3a 4 1- n 2 )
16Eh 3
 Rectangular Diaphragm

• Rectangular diaphragm with

length a, width b, and thickness
h with all edges fixed
• Maximum stress occurs at the
center of the longer edges
pb2
s max
yy =b 2
h
• The maximum deflection at the
centroid

max pb 4
w = -a 2
Eh
 Square Diaphragm

• A square diaphragm of side a

and thickness h with all edges
fixed.
• The maximum stress occurs at
the center of each edge

max 0.308 pa 2
s = 2
h
• The maximum deflection occur
at the center of the diaphragm

0.0138 pa4 6pa 2(1+ n )

w max
=- 3
, (s )center = 2
and
Eh 47h
1- n
(e )center = (s )center
E