Chp 5.

Introduction to Theory of plates

Plates :
sheet of material whose thickness is small compared with its
other dimensions but which is capable of resisting bending, in
addition to membrane forces.

Contents

• Investigate the effect of a variety of loading and support

conditions on the small deflection of rectangular plates.

• Two approaches are presented: an ‘exact’ theory based on

the solution of a differential equation and an energy method
relying on the principle of the stationary value of the total
potential energy of the plate and its applied loading.
Pure Bending of Thin Plate

Mx , My are bending moment per

unit length (uniform along y and x
axis)
M > 0 if it’s giving compression on
upper surface and tension in lower
surface.
Neutral plane ( in the middle of
plate) as reference

ρ>0ÎM>0
 Neutral
ρx plane We have

z
z

plane sections remaining plane

Î the direct stresses vary linearly across the thickness of the plate

Mx Mx

σx
z
 Substituting σx and σy

Let (Flexural rigidity)

If w is the deflection of any point on the plate in the z direction

(Knowing Mx and My
Î deflection of w )
If Mx = My = 0

( Opposite curve
direction / antielastic
If My = 0 curve )

If Mx = My = M (Same curve direction) / Synelastic curve

Plate subjected to Bending and Twisting moment

Mxy is a twisting moment intensity

in a vertical x plane parallel to the
y axis, while Myx is a twisting
moment intensity in a vertical y
plane parallel to the x axis.

The first suffix gives the direction

of the axis of the twisting moment.

All M defined in Figure are all

positive.

All M are per unit length

 Mn on two mutually perpendicular
If Mt = 0 (two values of planes / principal moments and
α, differing by their corresponding curvatures
90o) principal curvatures.
 Mxy relates to w ???

On face ABCD

On face ADFE

We know that How to relate v,u with w ???

 Similarly

from

from
 G = E/ (2*(1+υ))

(due to twisting
bending only)

Combined bending and twisting moment

( due to twisting moment)

( due to bending
moment)
 Plate subjected to a distributed transverse load

q is load per unit area

Qx, Qy are shear

force per unit length

Assumptions :
γxy, γyz are neglected
Variation of τxz and
τyz are neglected
 Resultant shear forces Qxδy and Qyδx are assumed to act through
the centroid of faces of the element

We have

Similarly
Equation of equilibrium
 Taking moment equilibrium about x

Taking moment equilibrium about y

Find w

Find direct and

shear stress
With simply supported edges boundary conditions

Simply supported at x = 0
Î w = 0 and M = 0

Why ???
 Built-in / fixed / Clamp edge boundary conditions

fixed at x = 0

Free edge boundary conditions

free at x = 0 All M and Q = 0

Plate subjected to uniform vertical loading with simply supported boundary
conditions

or

2 BC are
Simply supported at all edges
sufficient

in which m represents the

Solution number of half waves in the x
proposed by direction and n the
corresponding number in the
NAVIER y direction.
We can also proposing

After calculation, we find

Find Amn Î determine w completely Î determine stresses and strains

Example
A thin rectangular plate a x b is simply supported along its edges and carries a
uniformly distributed load of intensity q0. Determine the deflected form of the
plate and the distribution of bending moment.

amn = 0 for m,n evens ????

Converge rapidly, few first terms

give satisfactorily solution
By Taking υ = 0.3
Maximum at the center of plate and for
square plate a = b. For five terms it gives
We have these equation in bending subchapter

at z = t/2

for a=b

Similar Procedure to Find Stress ( using Mxy)

Combine bending and in-plane loading of a thin rectangular plate

At the Middle plan due

to bending, stresses = 0

In plane direct and shear forces Nx, Ny,

Nxy ( per unit of length) are added
If stresses due to Nx , Ny and Nxy are small
enough Î superposition of stress due to
bending and twisting
If stress due to Nx, Ny and Nxy are big
enough Î it will affect bending and
twisting moment Î no superposition
 Equilibrium on x axis

Small deflection

After calculation, we found that the governing differential equation for a

thin plate supporting transverse and in-plane loads
Example
Determine the deflected form of the thin rectangular plate of the previous
example if in addition to a uniformly distributed transverse load of intensity qo, it
supports an in-plane tensile force Nx per unit length.

Expression of transverse
load as Fourier’s Series

Boundary
conditions
And we have

Nx > 0 (tension) Î w smaller

Etc, etc ….
Nx < 0 (Compression) Î w higher