MECHANICS RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS Vol. 7(6),343-350,1980. Printed in the USA.

0093-6413/80/060343-08502.00/0 Copyright (c) Pergamon Press Ltd

AN ACCURATE, SIMPLE THEORY OF THE STATICS AND DYNAMICS OF ELASTIC PLATES

Mark Levinson,
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Maine at Orono,
Orono, Maine 04469, U.S.A.
(Received and accepted for print 10 June 1980)

Introduction

The defects in the classical theory of plates due to the neglect of transverse
shear deformations and rotatory inertia are well known. Reissner D,2,3]
would appear to have been the first to consider shear deformations in a static
plate theory while Ufyland [4] and Mindlin [5] were the pioneers in developing
dynamic plate theories which incorporate shear deformations and rotatory iner-
tia. A recent treatise by Panc [6] provides an exhaustive coverage of re-
fine~ static plate theories. Panc's "component'and "generalized" theories
would appear to be the most sophisticated such theories developed to date in
that they relax the classical assumption that lines normal to the undeformed
midplane of the plate remain straight after deformation. However, his formu-
lation seems conceptually flawed to the present writer because Panc makes
prior use of stress assumptions, which should be consequences of a theory, to
frame his kinematic assumptions. Moreover, perhaps because of his formulation,
Panc does not cast the equations of his theories in a form analogous to the
Navier equations of elasticity, i.e. as equilibrium equations in terms of
kinematic variables. This latter formulation is the most suitable one for
studying the dynamics of plates.

The present writer [7] recently presented a theory for the statics and dyna-
mics of rectangular beams, based on kinematic assumptions, satisfying the shear-
free boundary conditions on the lateral surfaces of the beam. Although the
coupled equations of motion of this theory differ somewhat in form from those
of Timoshenko beam theory [8], it was found that the uncoupled wave equation
for the transverse deflection was the same as the equation given by Timoshenko
provided that the shear coefficient in Timoshenko's theory is taken as 5/6;
the new beam theory does not require the adscititious specification of a shear
coefficient. In addition, it was shown in [7] that for at least one static
problem the new theory provided a better approximation to the known elasticity
solution than did Timoshenko beam theory.

The present paper extends the work of [7] to isotropic plates. In analogy
with the results found for beams, we find here that the coupled equations of
motion of the new theory differ somewhat from Mindlin's equations of motion
but that the uncoupled wave equation for the transverse deflection is the
same as in Mindlin's theory provided that the shear coefficient in the latter

343
344 ~RK LEVINSON

theory is tahen as 5/6; again no appeal to experiment or the theory of elasti-

city is required by the new plate theory. Furthermore, the theory presented
here is shown to provide an improved approximation to the theory of elasticity
solution for a static problem used by Reissner [2] as an example to demon-
strate the worth of his plate theory. The new theory is cast within what best
might be called a "strength of materials" approach and should be comprehen-
sible to anyone who has passed a standard first course in that subject.

The New Theory

The notations and sign conventions to be used are shown in Figures 1 and 2.
They are those used by Reismann and Pawlik [9]. The quantities ~y, My, Myx,
and Qv, not shown, are defined in a manner analogous to the rotation ~x and
the stress resultants Mx, Mxy, and Qx" p(x,y,t) is the applied transverse
load. Note that ~x and ~y are
z
rotations of cross-sections of ¢'x( x'y,t ) + ~aC'x dx

the plate at the midplane and

that cross-sections are allowed ~'x(x'y't) ~..~J_l ,/~
to warp in such a fashion that
they remain normal to the shear
free surfaces of the plate. The
displacements of a material
point in the x and y directions
will be denoted by u and v res-
0 w(i'Y't) i
pectively.
X
FIG. 1
Definition of Positive Displacements
and Rotations.

In developing the present

plate theory, the Kirchhoff-
Qx(x,y,t)',~QxXdx Love hypothesis, i.e. that

Mxy(X'y't) ~
) Mx(x"yt)+ ~Mx
Ox(:Ix straight lines normal to
the undeformed mid-surface
~Ix(x'y't) Q /"~ ~~-~'- of the plate remain strai-
Qx(x,y,t) ght and normal to the de-
formed mid-surface, is com-
pletely abandoned and is
0
replaced by the assumptions
that, if time dependence
FIG. 2
Definition of Positive Moments,Shears,and Loads. is considered,
 STATICS AND D Y N A M I C S OF E L A S T I C PLATES 345

u = ZCx(X,y,t) + Z3$x(X,y,t) (1)

and
v = ZCy(X,y,t) + Z3¢y(X,y,t) (2)

The assumption that the transverse displacement w is independent of z is re-

tained, i.e. no thickness stretch is allowed. These kinematical assumptions
allow for the nonuniform shearing of cross-sections as well as the possibility,
enforced below, of satisfying shear-free boundary conditions on the faces of
the plate z = ± h/2. Here *x and ,y represent rotations at the midplane of
the plate, while the comparable quantities in the Reissner and Mindlin theor-
ies are, in some sense, average rotations of cross-sections. Cx and Cy may be
called warping functions.

The displacements u and v have been chosen as given in equations (i) and (2)
for the reasons provided in [7]. Let it suffice here to say that these are
the lowest order expressions antisyrmnetric in z which can be made to satisfy
the shear-free conditions on z = ± h/2. Satisfaction of these conditions re-
quires that
Cx - 4 (¢x + ~--~) (3)
3h 2
and
Cy _ 4 (¢y + ~ ) (4)
3h 2
so that u = z[¢ x 4 z2 aw
- 3 h--2"(¢x + ~)] (5)
and
v = Z[~y 4 z2
- ~-h-~ (,y + ~ ) ] (6)

The use of Hooke's law for a state of plane stress in planes parallel to the
x-y plane, a conmon feature of plate theories, leads to the following express-
ions for the stress resultants Mx, My, M x y = Myx, Qx and % .

_ D ...~OX ~Y~ (82W + ~ 82W)], (7)

Mx 5 Lq[~--x - + ~ Oy) ~x2 ~y2

My - D r4(~ + aOx~ (a2w + ~ a2w)] (8)

5 " " ~y ~ ~x" - ~y2 ~x 2 '

D(I-~) [2 (~¢'x + ~x__~_) ~2w .

- s -~y T~TV j ' (9)

2 ~w Eh Ow
ex = g ~ (*x + ~) - 30+-v~ (% + ~)' (lO)
346 MARK LEVINSON

and Qy 2 Gh (~y ~w _ Eh + 3w)

= 3 + J~y) 3(1+v) (?y ~-~ . (Ii)

Eh 3
where D - 12(i_v2) is the usual plate bending rigidity and E, G, and v are
the Young's modulus, shear modulus, and Poisson's ratio
of the isotropic material comprising the plate.

We next calculate the rotatory inertia terms, per unit width of plate, from
the expressions for u and v given in equations (5) and (6). We have,about the
y- axis, h/2
f 32 u ph 3 32
p -- zdz - (4 Cx - ~-~) (12)
3t 2 60 at 2
-h/2
and, about the x-axis,

< 'zdz
-h/2 ~t 2
ph 3 a2
60
--
at 2
(4 ~ y - ~-~)
~w
oy
(13)

where p is the constant mass density of the plate.

The well-known plate equations of motion [9] are then, in the present theory,

3Qx + ~ = ph 32w p, (14)

3x 3y 3t E

~M 3Myx _ ph 3 32 $w
---ix + - Qx --(4~x - j~), (15)
~x ay 60 ~t 2
and
3Mxy aMy ~h 3 ~2 _ 3W
+ - - (4~y ~). (16)
3x ~y % 60 at 2

Taking into account the constitutive equations (7) - (ii), we have as our"dis-
placement" equations of motion
~Gh (V2w + 0) + p = ph -~2w
- , (17)
3 ~t 2

~[(l-v) V2¢ x + (I+~) ~ 1 3 (V2w)]

g{ (~) - 2 ~x

_ 32 Gh (~x + ~_{)aw_ 60
ph3223t 2 (4~x ~--Wx)' (18)
and
3 13
g_[2D(l-v) V2•y + (l+v) ~ (~) 2 aY (v2w)]
ph 3 32 _ 3w
2 Gh (~y + - (4~y ~) (19)
3- ay 60 ~t 2
 STATICS AND D Y N A M I C S OF E L A S T I C PLATES 347

where ~ = ax
~x + ~~yY Equation (17) is the z equation of motion while equa-
tions (18) and (19) are the rotational equations of motion about the y-axis
and x-axis respectively. The corresponding equations of Mindlin's theory are

<2 Gh (V2w + ¢) + p : ph -~2w

- , (20)
~t 2

2¢
D [(i-v)72¢ X + (I+~) -~-~] <2 Gh(¢ x ~w - ph3 ~2*x (21)
+ ~) 12 ~t 2 '
and
D [ (l-,~)V2}y + (I+v) ~ ] K2 Gh(~y + ~w) _ ph 3 ~2~y (22)
of 12 ~t 2
where <2 is a shear coefficient to be determined from adscititious considera-
tions and @x and ~y here represent mean rotations of cross-sections of the
plate.

The geometric boundary conditions of both theories are formally the same but
it should be noted that when we have a case, such as a clamped edge, where a
rotation is to be specified the present theory allows only the specification
of the rotation at the midplane. This is analogous to the situation encoun-
tered in the study of beam problems in the plane theory of elasticity [I0].
Shear and moment boundary conditions require the use of stress resultant ex-
pressions appropriate to each theory.

Although the coupled system of equations (17)-(19) appears somewhat more com-
plicated than those of Mindlin's plate theory, equations (20)-(22), we note
that they are both sixth order systems in the spatial coordinates. Further-
more, when ~x and @y are eliminated from equations ( 1 7 ) - ( 1 9 ) , the resulting
equation for w is

(v 2 6 p 82 82 ph82W 6 Dv 2 1 ph 2 82
(Dr 2 oh3 -)w + = (1 . g. Gh
. . 10 - g - ~t 2 ) p (2s)
5 g ~t 2 12 ~t 2 ?t 2
This is precisely the same as Hindlin's equation (37) provided that Mindlin's
5
shear coefficient is taken to be ~.

The last result shows that the dynamical behaviour of a uniformplate of iso-
tropic material will be described in essentially the same terms both by Mind-
lin's plate theory, with < 2 = 5/6, and by the present theory, the difference
being that the present theory requires no adscititious considerations to pro-
vide a shear coefficient but rather that the number 5/6 appears as a conse-
quence of the theory's fundamental, kinematic assumptions. Mindlin provides
348 MARK LEVINSON

in the three-dimensional theory of elasticity. The first estimate is based

on flexural wave velocities and is a function of Poisson's ratio. This esti-
mate gives 0.76 < <2 < 0.91 for 0 < ~ < 0.5. Mindlin's equation (37) and
equation (23) above coincide for ~ = 0.22. Mindlin's second estimate of <2
is based on the consideration of shear wave velocities and provides ¢ 2 - ~2 _
12
0.822.

A Static Example.5 Torsion of a Rectangular Plate.

Reissner [2] presented an analysis, within his static plate theory, for the
torsion of a plate of length 2L and width a. The sides y = ± a/2 are stress-
free while the ends x = ± L are assumed to rotate without distortion and to
be free of normal stress, i.e. the plate undergoes St. Venant torsion. No
loads are applied to the faces z = ± h/2.

Consistent with St. Venant torsion theory, we assume

w = @xy (24)
for which equations (17)-(19) become

8~x + ~ y 0 (25)
~x ~y

712D (l_~)V2~x] Y2 Gh(¢ x + Oy) = 0 (26)

and
2D (l-v)V2~y]
~-[ 2 Gh(~y + ox)
~- = 0 (27)

If ~y = -ox the cross-sections x = constant remain undistorted in shape and

it is seen that ~x -- ~x(Y) so that equation (26) becomes

52D(I_~ ) d2¢x _ 2 Gh(~ x + ey) = 0 (28)

dy 2 3
The solution of equation (28) satisfying the requirements that ~x be odd in
y and that Myx(X, + 2 ) = 0 is

1/Fff s i n h ( 1¢T0- Y) Y ]
(29)
Cx = Oh[ 4- cosh (l~ff)a -

The shearing stresses, on a section x = constant, are

xy = ~-~
G(~U ~v )
~x = -G.Oh [ 1 - s_
~ (1 4 z2
c°sh( 1/~ ~) z
)]h--fi (30)
T + 3 h2 cosh(~ a
2-~
 STATICS A N D D Y N A M I C S OF E L A S T I C PLATES 349

and
= G au Dw I/~ G0h(1 - 4 z2) s i n h ( leT0- ~) (31)
xz (~-z + ~ ) = ~ h2 cosh ( leT0- a

Equation (31) is the same as the corresponding result from Reissner's theory
whereas equation (30) differs from Reissner's expression

cosh ( I ~ z
- G0h [I - (327
xyR cosh ( l ¢ ~ a ]h-~

If a > h, then it is a well-known result from St. Venant torsion theory that
the maximum shear stress occurs at (0, ± h/2). The absolute values of these
stresses obtained from the theory of elasticity, the present theory, and
Reissner's theory for the cases a/h = i, 2, and ~ are given in Table 1 below;
a
- 1 or 2 can hardly be considered examples of plate-like bodies.
h
Both Reissner's theory and the present theory provide the same approximation
to the torque-angle of twist relation.
a/2
T =
f
-a12
(Mxy yQx)dY = - k I GOh3a (33)
where
kl I [I - 2 l ~ h tanh .l ~ a ~
- 3 10~ t2-~-h---J] (34)

Values of kl, approximate and exact, also are given in Table 1 below.

a/h • .(O,h/2) T ,(O,h/2) ,h/27 kI kl

XYexact AYpresent ~xYR(0 exact approx
1 1.350 GSh/2 1.342 GSh/2 1.21 GSh/2 0.141 0.139
2 1.860 G@h/2 1.859 G@h/2 1.83 G0h/2 0.229 0.228
2GO h/2 2GO h/2 2G0 h/2 1/3 1/3

TABLE 1
Comparison of Results from Various Theories.

Table 1 shows that, as good as the results for this example from Reissner's
plate theory are, the present theory gives an even better approximation to
the solution provided by the theory of elasticity.

Conclusion

A new theory for the statics and dynamics of isotropic plates of uniform
thickness, requiring no adscititious considerations, has been presented. In
350 MARK LEVINSON

the case of dynamics it has been shown that Mindlin's plate theory and the
present theory lead to the same wave equation for the transverse displacement
provided that the shear coefficient in Mindlin's theory is taken to be 5/6;
this is a value not significantly different from the values proposed by Mind-
lin himself on the basis of matching wave velocities obtained from his theory
with those obtained from the three-dimensional theory of elasticity. The pre-
sent theory, unlike that of Mindlin, requires no adscititious considerations
to achieve its result. Furthermore, in a static example first used by Reiss-
ner to demonstrate the worth of his plate theory, the present theory is seen
to provide an even better approximation to the corresponding results obtained
from the theory of elasticity than does Reissner's theory.

The virtues of the present theory, in comparison with other plate theories,
are the simplicity of its derivation and the lack of a need for adscititious
considerations to complete it as well as its apparent accuracy.

Acknowledgement
This work was done when the author was Professor of Engineering Mechanics at
McMasterUniversity, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The partial support of this
work by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council Canada is grate-
fully acknowledged.

References
i. E. Reissner, On the Theory of Bending of Elastic Plates, J. Math. Phys.,
23, 184 (1944).
2. E. Reissner, The Effect of Transverse Shear Deformation on the Bending
of Elastic Plates, J. Appl. Mech., Trans. ASM~, 67, A-69 (1945).
3. E. Reissner, On Bending of Elastic Plates, Qtly. Appl. Math., 5, 55,
(1947).
4. Ya. S. Uflyand, The Propagation of Waves in the Transverse Vibrations of
Bars and Plates, Prikl. Mat. Meh., 12, 287 (1948) (In Russian).
5. R.D. Mindlin, Influence of Rotatory Inertia and Shear on Flexural Vibra-
tions of Isotropic, Elastic Plates, J. Appl. Mech., 18, 31 (1951).
6. V. Panc, Theories of Elastic Plates, Noordhoff International Publishing,
Layden (1975).
7. M. Levinson, A New Rectangular Beam Theory, CEEM Rpt. 79-4, McMaster
Univ., Hamilton, Ont. (1979).
8. S.P. Timoshenko, On the Correction for Shear of the Differential Equa-
tion for Transverse Vibrations of Prismatic Bars, Phil. Mag., 41, 744
(1921).
9. H. Reismann and P.S. Pawlik, Elastokinetics, West Publishing Co.,
St. Paul (1974).
I0. S.P. Timoshenko and J.N. Goodier, Theory of Elasticity, 3rd Ed., McGraw-
Hill Book Co., New York (1970).