CHAPTER 2 Theory of Plates and Shells

BENDING OF RECTANGULAR
THIN PLATES
CHAPTER 2
Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-1

2.1 Introduction
Flat plates are extensively used in many engineering application, such as:
Deck slab of bridges

Flat Plate Solar Water Heater
Roof and floor of buildings
Turbine disks
Bulk heads

2.1 Introduction
 Plates are subjected to lateral loads, causing bending.
 The plate geometry is defined by the middle plane.
 The flexural properties of the plate largely depend on its thickness rather
than its two dimensions (length and width).
Plate is subjected to
moments and forces as
shown in Figure 2.1,
In general, depending upon
plate thickness, plate
problems are classified into
3 major categories:
thin plate,
moderately thick plate
Figure 2.1
thick plate,
 A plate can be considered as thin if the ratio of thickness to the lesser of
other two dimensions is less than 0.05.
2.2 Small deflection theory / Kirchhoff’s thin plate bending
theory / classical plate theory
Assumptions in small deflection theory (Kirchhoff’s hypothesis)

 Straight line initially normal to the middle surface to the plate remains
straight and normal to the deformed middle surface of the plate and
unchanged in length.
 Displacement is assumed to be very small. This means the slope of the
deflected surface is small and .
 The normal stresses and , in-plane shear stress are assumed to be
zero at middle surface of the plate. Note that this assumption is valid if
deflection is very small as compared to the thickness of plate .
 Transverse normal stress is small as compared to other stress components
and may be neglected in stress strain relationship; i.e., .
 The midplane remains unstrained after bending.
Hence in Cartesian coordinate system, only normal stresses
and and shear stress would exists in the plate.
𝑞 𝑥, 𝑦
Under the second assumption,

we can also write
Figure 2.2
Thus, the displacements in the , and directions are given as:
(2.1)

To obtain the strain components, we put equation (2.1) in the Strain

Displacement Relationship equation (see Chapter 1)
(2.2)
The corresponding stresses can be deduced by putting (2.2) in the Stress

Strain Relationship (see Chapter 1).
(2.3)

Consider an element of a rectangular plate subjected to a system of internal

forces and external load q per unit area. The bending and twisting moments
and shear forces acting on the plate area of unit width and height h are shown
in Figure 2.3, where
are the bending moments
on a plane normal to and
axes, respectively.
is the twisting moment on a
plane normal to axis in the
direction
are the transverse shear
forces on a plane normal to and
axes, respectively.
Figure 2.3

(2.4)
Using the expressions of , and given in (2.3) in the above vector

equation leads to:
(2.5)
Where is the flexural rigidity of plate and denotes small

deflection of the plate.
Similarly, it can be shown that
(2.6)
(2.7)
From the equilibrium equations seen in Chapter 1, the shear stresses and
are
(2.8)
(2.9)
and are zero at

Figure 2.3
Taking moments of all forces on the element with respect to axis and
equating to zero yield the equation of equilibrium (see Figure 2.3)
Which simplifies to (2.10)

While obtaining (2.10), the moment due to lateral load and the moment
due to the rate of change of shear forces have been neglected since these
quantities are multiplied by terms which are very small. Thus,
(2.11)
Similarly, taking moments of all forces on the element with respect to axis
( ) and equating to zero yield the equation of equilibrium
(2.12)
Thus,
(2.13)

Summing all the forces acting on the element in the direction, we obtain the
following equation of equilibrium.
(2.14)
Since there are no forces in the and directions and no moments with
respect to the axis, equations (2.10), (2.12) and (2.14) completely define
the equilibrium of the element. Let us eliminate the shearing forces and
from these equations by determining them from equations (2.10) and
(2.12) and substitute into (2.14). Hence
Thus,
(2.15)

To represent this equation in terms of the plate deflection w, we use equations

(2.5), (2.6) and (2.7) to obtain
Which reduces to:

(2.16)
Equation (2.16) can be written as:
(2.17)
Which is the Lagrange equilibrium equation for the bending of thin plate with
constant thickness, where and are called the Laplacian and Biharmonic
operators, respectively.

Therefore, the solution of the problem of bending of plates by a lateral load

reduces to the integration of equation (2.17).
If, for a particular case, a solution of this equation is found that satisfies the
boundary conditions of the plate, then bending and twisting moments can be
calculated from equations (2.5), (2.6) and (2.7). The corresponding normal
and shearing stresses are obtained from equation (2.3).
Case 1: Plate with simply-supported edges
Figure 2.4
Along the four simply supported edges the bending moments and deflections
would be zero; i.e., the associated boundary conditions (BCs) are expressed as:
(2.18)
(2.19)
Furthermore, at the edge
implies that along the edge all the derivatives of

with respect to are zero; i.e., if and , then
. This is also true at the other three edges.

In conclusion, the BCs of a plate with simply-supported edges are given by:
(2.20)
(2.21)
Case 2: Plate with fixed edges

If a plate is clamped at all edges, the deflections and slopes of the middle
surface must vanish at all boundaries; i.e.,
(2.22)
(2.23)
Figure 2.5
Case 3: Plate with free edges
On a free edge, the twisting moment, bending moment and transverse shear
force vanish; i.e., the boundary conditions at all edges are given by:
(2.24)
(2.25)
(2.26)
Figure 2.6
However, three boundary conditions at each edge are too many to be

accommodated in the governing differential equation .
Kirchhoff suggested that the twisting moment and acting on an
element edge of the plate may be replaced by two statically equivalent vertical
forces, which can then be combined with the vertical shearing forces.
It can be established that the twisting moment is statically equivalent to a
distributed shear force of an intensity along the edge or for a
smooth boundary. Kirchhoff proposed that the 3 boundary conditions at each
free edge be combined into 2 by equating to zero the bending moment and
the so-called effective shear force per unit length defined by
(2.27)
Similarly, we define as
(2.28)
The boundary conditions at all edges are given by:
Figure 2.7
(2.29)
(2.30)
1-18

The effective shear force and can be expressed in terms of the deflection
using equations (2.7), (2.9) and (2.11)
(2.31)
(2.32)
The boundary conditions at all edges are given by:
(2.33)

(2.34)

2.3 Navier’s solution for lateral deflection of simply supported
rectangular plate
Consider a rectangular plate of sides and which is simply supported on

four sides and subjected to a distributed load which can be expressed in
the domain by a double trigonometric series given by:
(2.35)
(2.36)

rectangular plate
The coefficients can be obtained by multiplying both sides of equation

(2.36) by ( ) and integrating with
respective and from 0 to and 0 to . We observe
(2.37)
But

rectangular plate
Thus,
(2.38)
Substituting equations (2.31) and (2.32) into yields
(2.39)
Therefore,
(2.40)
rectangular plate
Example 1
For a simply-supported plate carrying a uniformly distributed load of intensity
, the resulting are
(2.41)

rectangular plate
The maximum deflection of the plate is at its center and is found by

substituting , in equation (2.41).
(2.42)
Figure 2.8
rectangular plate
The moments and can be deduced from

equations (2.5), (2.6) and (2.7), respectively. In series forms:
(2.43)
(2.44)
(2.45)

rectangular plate
The maximum moments and occur at

; while occurs at the four corners of the plate.
(2.46)
(2.47)

rectangular plate
The effective shear forces and equations (2.31) and (2.32),

can be reduced to
(2.48)
(2.49)

rectangular plate
The b and equations (2.3) by replacing by

, can be reduced to
(2.50)
(2.51)

rectangular plate
The b and occur at and .
(2.52)
(2.53)

rectangular plate
The b and
(2.54)
(2.55)

rectangular plate
Example 2
For a simply-supported plate carrying a sinusoidal load given by
Thus, the resulting are calculated from
The BCs for a simply supported plate are given by

rectangular plate
Thus,
(2.56)
The expressions for bending moments and twisting moments
(2.57)
(2.58)
(2.59)

rectangular plate
Thus,
(2.60)
(2.61)
(2.62)
(2.63)

rectangular plate
Thus,
(2.64)
(2.65)
(2.66)
In case of a square plate ( ), the above expressions simplify to
(2.67)

rectangular plate
The corresponding effective shear forces and equations

(2.31) and (2.32), can be reduced to
(2.68)
(2.69)

rectangular plate
Now bending stresses in and directions are determined
(2.70)
(2.71)
From which,
(2.72)

2.4 Homework
Figure 2.9
Exercise 1: Consider a simply-supported rectangular plate, as shown in Figure

2.9. The plate is loaded with a concentrated at load at ; i.e.,
(2.73)
is the Dirac Delta function and is constant concentrated load

1. Determine .
2. Write expressions for , , , , ,
, .
2.4 Homework
Figure 2.10
Exercise 2: Consider again a simply-supported rectangular plate of size

as shown in Figure 2.10. The plate is loaded with patch load of size ;
i.e.,
(2.74)
, a constant, being the total load acting on the patch

1. Determine .
, .
2.4 Homework
Figure 2.11
Exercise 3: Now the simply-supported rectangular plate, as shown in Figure

2.11, is subjected to a linearly varying load (hydrostatic pressure); i.e.,
(2.75)
1. Determine .
, .
3. Use Plot3D in Mathematica to generate the resulting deflections in
Exercises 1, 2 & 3 (using sufficient elements in the series).
2.5 Levy’s solution for the lateral deflection of rectangular plates
The Navier’s solution is very straight forward; it applies only to the limited
category of simply supported rectangular plate. A more general technique
which yields the lateral deflection of plate with boundary conditions other
than simply supported was developed by Levy.
2.5.1. Levy’s solution for rectangular plate with at least two opposite edges
simply supported carrying a uniformly distributed load
Levy’s Assumptions: Arbitrary supports
1. Two opposite edges are simply supported and
the other two edges with arbitrary supports. O
2. The sides and are simply
supported.
3. The expression for the lateral deflection is made
of complementary and particular parts.
4. Levy’s solution uses single trigonometric series. Figure 2.12

Recall that the lateral deflection of a rectangular plate is governed by the

following equation:
(2.76)
Subjected to the BCs

Simply supported and
Arbitrary BCs at and

The solution of the plate can be taken as sum of complimentary
solution and particular solution ; i.e,
(2.77)
The homogenous solution satisfies
(2.78)
It can be assumed that be written in the following form:
(2.79)
Substitution of (2.79) into (2.78) leads to:
(2.80)
We assume
(2.81)

Substitution of (2.81) into (2.80) leads to:
(2.82)
which has the two following two double roots

(2.83)
According to the obtained values of the characteristic exponents, the solution

of the homogeneous equation can be expressed as
(2.84)
Or in hyperbolic functions
(2.85)

Thus, equation (2.79) reduces to
(2.86)
where the constants ; ; ; and are obtained from the boundary
conditions on the edges and .
Since the loading is considered prismatic along , identical boundary
conditions at renders the problem symmetric about axis. In this
case, the constants and for antisymmetric problems in which
loading on the plate maintains antisymmetry the constants
Solution of
symmetric
problems
Solution of
antisymmetric
problems

2.5 Levy’s Solution for the lateral deflection of rectangular plates
The particular solution in equation (2.77) and the load intensity
can be written:
(2.87)
Where,
(2.88)
Substitute (2.85) and (2.86) into the governing equation (2.14) yields
This reduces to solving the following set of ordinary equations:
(2.89)
Solving this equation, we can determine . Finally, find the particular

solution .
Case 1: Plate with simply-supported edges and uniform load intensity
The simply supported rectangular plate on all edges with dimensions and
is subjected to a uniform load .
Solution for
(2.90)
(2.91)
Since the nonhomogeneous term in (2.91) is constant then the particular

solution of is the constant
Thus,
(2.92)

Solution of
symmetric
problem
(2.93)
Therefore, the expression for deflection can be found by substituting
equations (2.92) and (2.93) in equation (2.77) we get
(2.94)
Subjected to the BCs
Because of symmetry, we use and to solve

for and . It can be shown that expressions for these constants reduce to

Therefore, the full expression of the lateral deflection is given by:
(2.95)
The maximum deflection is obtained at the plate center ( , ),
where
(2.96)

Figure 2.13
O
Case 2: Rectangular plate with two
opposite edges clamped subjected to
uniformly distributed load:
A plate with 2 opposite edges are clamped and subjected to the load
, the deflection of the plate is given by equation (2.89).
Applying the boundary conditions at clamed edges to find out the constants
and and : and

Thus,
(2.97)
The maximum deflection is obtained at the plate center ( , ),

where
(2.98)

2.6 Homework
Figure 2.14
Exercise 1: Consider a rectangular plate, free ( ) at two opposite edges and

subjected to uniformly distributed load
1. Use Levy’s method to determine and .
2. Write expressions for , , and .

2.6 Homework
Figure 2.15
Exercise 2: Now the simply-supported rectangular plate (SS-SS-SS-SS), as

shown in Figure 2.15, is subjected to a linearly varying load (hydrostatic
pressure); i.e.,
1. Use Levy’s method to determine .

2. Write expressions for , , , and .

2.6 Homework
Figure 2.16
Exercise 3: Consider a rectangular plate that is simply supported along the

four edges is acted on by moment uniformally distributed along the edges
at
1. Use Levy’s method to determine .

2. Write expressions for , , , and .

2.7 Plates on an elastic foundation
Many problems of considerable practical importance can be related to the

solution of plates resting on an elastic foundation. Reinforced concrete
pavements of highways and airport runways, foundation slabs of buildings,
etc., are well-known direct application.
The simplest type of elastic foundation can be described as follows:
where is a constant termed the foundation modulus. Thus, the differential

equation of the plate (2.14) is modified as:
(2.99)

Application of Navier’s solution for a simply

supported rectangular plate of sides on an
elastic foundation (see Figure 2.17).
The deflection and a given loading

can be expressed in the form of a double
trigonometric series:
Figure 2.17
(2.100)
(2.101)

Substituting the above expressions into the governing differential equation of
the problem (2.99), we obtain the unknown amplitudes of the deflections,
, as follows:
(2.102)
Thus,
(2.103)
If a plate is subjected to a uniform load of intensity , then
(2.104)

2.8 Homework
Exercise: If a plate is loaded by a concentrated force applied at a point ( , ).

Show that the deflected surface equation of the plate reduces to:
(2.105)

CHAPTER 2 Theory of Plates and Shells

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BENDING OF RECTANGULAR

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-1

Deck slab of bridges

Roof and floor of buildings

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-2

Assumptions in small deflection theory (Kirchhoff’s hypothesis)

Under the second assumption,

Thus, the displacements in the , and directions are given as:

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-5

To obtain the strain components, we put equation (2.1) in the Strain

The corresponding stresses can be deduced by putting (2.2) in the Stress

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-6

Consider an element of a rectangular plate subjected to a system of internal

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-7

Using the expressions of , and given in (2.3) in the above vector

Where is the flexural rigidity of plate and denotes small

Similarly, it can be shown that

and are zero at

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-9

Which simplifies to (2.10)

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-10

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-11

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-12

To represent this equation in terms of the plate deflection w, we use equations

Which reduces to:

Equation (2.16) can be written as:

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-13

Therefore, the solution of the problem of bending of plates by a lateral load

Case 1: Plate with simply-supported edges

Furthermore, at the edge

implies that along the edge all the derivatives of

. This is also true at the other three edges.

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-15

Case 2: Plate with fixed edges

However, three boundary conditions at each edge are too many to be

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-18

The boundary conditions at all edges are given by:

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-19

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-20

Consider a rectangular plate of sides and which is simply supported on

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-21

The coefficients can be obtained by multiplying both sides of equation

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-22

Substituting equations (2.31) and (2.32) into yields

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-24

The maximum deflection of the plate is at its center and is found by

The moments and can be deduced from

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-26

The maximum moments and occur at

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-27

The effective shear forces and equations (2.31) and (2.32),

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-28

The b and equations (2.3) by replacing by

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-29

The b and occur at and .

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-30

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-31

Thus, the resulting are calculated from

The BCs for a simply supported plate are given by

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-32

The expressions for bending moments and twisting moments

Prof. Slim CHOURA Plates and Shells AY: 2023/2024 2-33

The expressions for bending moments and twisting moments