Basic Equations of Thin Plate Theory

The flexural properties of a plate largely depend on its thickness

rather than its other two dimensions.

b x, u
z, w
Middle plane
h/2
h/2
y, v

Coordinate axes and dimensions of a rectangular plate

 The simplest and most widely used plate theory is the classical small deflection
theory of thin isotropic and anisotropic plates.

Analysis of Plates

Thin plate Moderately Thick plate Thick plate

Classical plate theory Shear deformation Elasticity theory
(Two- theory (Two- (Three-
dimensional) dimensional) dimensional)
Isotropic Anisotropic
Isotropic Anisotropic With normal Without normal
(small or large (small or large stress and strain stress and strain
deflection) deflection)

First order Higher order

Isotropic (small or Anisotropic (small Isotropic (small or Anisotropic (small

large deflection) or large deflection) large deflection) or large deflection)
 Bernolli_navier : Shallow beam theory

\\Love _ kirchhoff : Classical theory

If the deflection is not small, then the bending of the plate is

accompanied by in-plane stresses.

This results in non – linear differential equations which are difficult

to solve.

Basically these theories are based on assumed displacement field.

Major applications are of Thin Theory

Assumptions

i. The deflection (w) of the middle plane of the

plate is small compared to its thickness. This
means the slope of the deflected surface is
small and hence square of the slope would be
negligible in comparison with unity.

ii. The middle plane of the plate remains

unstrained subsequent to bending and hence
will be a neutral plane.
 Assumptions
iii. Plane sections initially normal to middle plane remain
plane and normal to middle plane even after bending
deformation.
This means that the transverse shear strains (xz and yz)
are negligible. Hence, the deflection of the plate is
associated principally with the bending strains. It also
follows from this that the normal strain in the thickness
direction (z) resulting from the transverse bending can
also be neglected.
iv. The stress (z) normal to the middle plane is very
small compared to the other two normal stress
components (x and y) and hence may be neglected.
Slope and curvature
of bent plate
 Deflection of the middle surface of the plate

w
Slope of middle surface in x is
x w
Slope of middle surface in y is
y
 the..difference..in..slope...between
a...and ...a1
w w
dw  dx  dy
x y

Corresponding ....slope
w w dx w dy w w
    cos   sin 
n x dn y dn x y
for...slope..to... max ..differenta te..with.. ..andequate..to..0

 w / y 
tan  1   
 w / x 
 for.. min imum..slope..equate..the..eqn...to..0
 w / x 
tan  2   
 w / y 

Maximum..value..of ..slope..after
..getting ..the..value..of ..alpha
2 2
w  w   w 
     
n  x   y 

 tan  1   tan  2   1

Condition of orthogonality
 1   w  2w
Curvature    2
rx x  x  x
relarionships
1   w  2w
     2
ry y  y  y

1   w 
  
rn n  n 

     1
  cos   sin  , we det er min e as
n  x y  rn
1  1 1 1 
 cos  
2
sin 2  sin  
2

rn  rx rxy ry 

 1  1 1 1 
 sin  
2
sin 2  cos  
2

rt  rx rxy ry 


If we add as per below

1 1
 ...then
rn rt
we..get..
1 1 1 1
  
rn rt rx ry

1   w 
  
rnt t  n 
 Strain – Curvature Relations

When the plate is subjected to bending, then the

strains caused at a distance z from the neutral or
middle plane can be related to the curvatures of the
surface. If we consider xz and yz planes of the
plate and denote and as the curvature of
the surface along these planes, then the strains in x
and y directions can be determined from the
following equation.
 z 2w
x    z 2
Strain curvature rx x
relationship z 2w
y    z 2
ry y

w u
 zx   0
Strain x z
displacement w v
 yz   0
relationship y z
w
z  0
z

w
u  z  c1  x, y 
Integrating and x
equating to zero w
v  z  c 2  x, y 
w  w( x, y ) y
 modified Strain 2w
x   z 2
displacement x
relationship after 2w
y   z 2
placing u and v y
values 2w
 xy  2z
xy

Moment – Curvature Relations

h / 2 h / 2


h / 2
x zdzdy  M x dy, 
h / 2
y zdxdz  M y dx

h / 2 h / 2


h / 2
xy zdydz  M xy dy, 
h / 2
yx zdxdz  M yx dx
M x   D11 D12 0     2 w / x 2 
    2 
M y    D12 D22 0     w / y 
2

   0 0 D66   2 2 w / xy 
M
 xy    

Ex h3
D 11 
12 1  v xy v yx 
Ey h3
D 22 
12 1  v xy v yx 
E y v xy h 3
D 12 
12 1  v xy v yx 
G xy h 3
D 66 
12
For an isotropic Material
Eh 3
D  D11  D22 

12 1  v p
2

Eh3v
D12  Dv 
121  v 2 p 
1  v Eh 3
D66   D 
Rectangular Plate  2  241  v p 
By summing in z Direction
 Q x   Q y 
Qx  dx dy  Q x dy   Q y  dy dx  Q y dx  qdxdy  0
 x   y 
Q x Q y
 q0
x y

By summing in x Direction M xy M y
  Qy  0
x y
Plane element acted upon by internal forces and external load
By summing in y Direction
M xy M x
  Qx  0
y x
M x M xy
Qx  
x y
M y M xy
Qy  
y x
2M x  2 M xy  2 M y
2   q  M x   D11 D12 0     2 w / x 2 
x 2
xy y 2
    2 
 y   D12
M D 22 0     2
w / y 
M   0 0 D 66   2 2 w / xy 
 xy    
4w 4w 4w
D11  2 D 12  2D 66  2 2  D 22 q
x 4
x y y 4

q
  w
2 2

D
 2 2 
Where    2  2  is the Laplacian operator
2

 x y 
For an isotropic material

3
Eh
D  D11  D 22 

12 1  v 2

3
Eh v
D12  D v 

12 1  v 2

1 v 
3
Eh
D 66   D 
 2  24 1  v 
  2w 2w 
M x  M y   D 1  v p   2  
2 
 x y 

Mx  My
M 
1  vp

 2w 2w  M
 2  
2 
 x y  D

 2M 2M 
 2    q
2 
 x y 
  3w 3w 
Q x   D 11   D 12  2D 66  
 x 3
xdy 2 
 3w 3w 
Q y   D 22   D 12  2D 66  2 
 y 3
x dy 

 2
Q x  D  w
x

Q y  D  2 w
y
Consider three eqns of equilibrium

  x  yx  zx
  X0
x y z

  xy  y  zy
 Fy  0,   Y0
x y z

  xz  yz  z
 Fz  0,   Z0
x y z
 In order to find out Shear stresses in z direction

Consider I st Eq.

  x  yx  zx
  X0 Put body forces =0
x y z
 x  yx  zx
(  ) 
x y z
Integrate from any interior point z to h/2 and after putting the
values by considering shear stress at z=h/2 is zero
 
2
2z
 1{ } 
3Qx h
 zx   
2h  
 In order to find out Shear stresses in z direction

Consider I st Eq.

  x  yx  zx
  X0 Put body forces =0
x y z
 x  yx  zx
(  ) 
x y z
Integrate from any interior point z to h/2 and after putting the
values by considering shear stress at z=h/2 is zero
 
2
2z
 1{ } 
3Qx h
 zx   
2h  
Similarly

 
2
2z
 1{ } 
3Q y h
 yz   
2h  
 
 
Even though the normal stresses in z direction is neglected but
can be obtained as under

  xz  yz  z
 Fz  0,   Z 0
x y z
 z   zx  yz
 (  )
z x y
Now we know the followings
 zx and yz
Integrate from any interior point z to h/2 and the top plate is
subjected to intensity q where as bottom of plate is free from load