• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.89-104
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• 2001

This paper reviews the author's work on the development of relationships between solutions of the Kirchhoff (classical thin) plate theory and the Mindlin (first order shear deformation) thick plate theory. The relationships for deflections, stress-resultants, buckling loads and natural frequencies enable one to obtain the Mindlin plate solutions from the well-known Kirchhoff plate solutions for the same problem without much tedious mathematics. Sample thick plate solutions, deduced from the relationships, are presented as benchmark solutions for researchers to use in checking their numerical thick plate solutions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.569-595
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• 2014

In this paper, a novel semi-energy finite strip method (FSM) is developed based on the concept of first order shear deformation theory (FSDT) in order to attempt the post-buckling solution for thin and relatively thick functionally graded (FG) plates under uniform end-shortening. In order to study the effects of through-the-thickness shear stresses on the post-buckling behavior of FG plates, two previously developed finite strip methods, i.e., semi-energy FSM based on the concept of classical laminated plate theory (CLPT) and a CLPT full-energy FSM, are also implemented. Moreover, the effects of aspect ratio on initial post-buckling stiffness of FG rectangular plates are studied. It has been shown that the variation of the ratio of initial post-buckling stiffness to pre-buckling stiffness ($S^*/S$) with respect to aspects ratios is quite independent of volume fractions of constituents in thin FG plates. It has also been seen that the universal curve representing the variation of ($S^*/S$) with aspect ratio of a FG plate demonstrate a saw shape curve. Moreover, it is revealed that for the thin FG plates in contrast to relatively thick plates, the variations of non-dimensional load versus end-shortening is independent of ceramic-metal volume fraction index. This means that the post-buckling behavior of thin FG plates and the thin pure isotropic plates is similar. The results are discussed in detail and compared with those obtained from finite element method (FEM) of analysis. The study of the results may have a great influence in design of FG plates encountering post-buckling behavior.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.253-271
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• 2012

To analyze the bending and transverse shear effects of laminated composite plates, a thirteen nodes triangular element will be presented. The suggested formulations consider a parabolic variation of the transverse shear strains through the thickness. As a result, there is no need to use shear correction coefficients in computing the shear stresses. The proposed element can model both thin and thick plates without any problems, such as shear locking and spurious modes. Moreover, the effectiveness of $w_{,n}$, as an independent degree of freedom, is concluded by the present study. To perform the accuracy tests, several examples will be solved. Numerical results for the orthotropic materials with different boundary conditions, shapes, number of layers, thickness ratios and fiber orientations will be presented. The suggested element calculates the deflections and stresses more accurate than those available in the literature.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.83 no.6
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• pp.757-770
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• 2022

In this paper, the vibration of a moderately thick plate to a moving mass is investigated. Pasternak foundation with a variable subgrade modulus is considered to tackle the shortcomings of Winkler model, and an analytical-numerical solution is proposed based on the eigenfunction expansion method. Parametric studies by using both CPT (Classical Plate Theory) and FSDT (First-Order Shear Deformation Plate Theory) are carried out, and, the differences between them are also highlighted. The obtained results reveal that utilizing FSDT without considering the rotary inertia leads to a smaller deflection in comparison with CPT pertaining to a thin plate, while it demonstrates a greater response for plates of higher thicknesses. Moreover, it is shown that CPT is unable to properly capture the variation of the plate thickness, thereby diminishing the accuracy as the thickness increases. The outcomes also indicate that the presence of a foundation contributes more to the dynamic response of thin plates in comparison to moderately thick plates. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the performance of the moving force approach for a moderately thick plate, in contrast to a thin plate, appears to be acceptable and it even provides a much better estimation in the presence of a foundation.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.783-800
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• 2011

This paper addresses the finite strip formulations for the stability analysis of viscoelastic composite plates with variable thickness in the transverse direction, which are subjected to in-plane forces. While the finite strip method is fairly well-known in the buckling analysis, hitherto its direct application to the buckling of viscoelastic composite plates with variable thickness has not been investigated. The equations governing the stiffness and the geometry matrices of the composite plate are solved in the time domain using both the higher-order shear deformation theory and the method of effective moduli. These matrices are then assembled so that the global stiffness and geometry matrices of a moderately thick rectangular plate are formed which lead to an eigenvalue problem that is solved to determine the magnitude of critical buckling load for the viscoelastic plate. The accuracy of the proposed model is verified against the results which have been reported elsewhere whilst a comprehensive parametric study is presented to show the effects of viscoelasticity parameters, boundary conditions as well as combined bending and compression loads on the critical buckling load of thin and moderately thick viscoelastic composite plates.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.79-90
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• 2004

A high precision shear deformable triangular element has been proposed for bending analysis of triangular plate. The element has twelve nodes at the three sides and four nodes inside the element. Initially the element has thirty-five degrees of freedom, which has been reduced to thirty by eliminating the degrees of freedom of the internal nodes through static condensation. Plates having different boundary conditions, side ratios (b/a) and thickness ratios (h/a = 0.001, 0.1 and 0.2) have been analyzed using the proposed shear locking free element. Concentrated and uniformly distributed transverse loads have been used for the analysis. The formulation is made based on first order shear deformation theory. For validation of the present element and formulation few results of thin triangular plate have been compared with the analytical solutions. Results for thick plate have been presented as new results.

• Bulletin of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 1981

The buckling of stiffened plates is considered using a finite element method. In this paper stiffened plates are treated as orthotropic plates and by appling Mindlin's plate theory the effects of shear deformation to buckling loads are considered. In general, it is found that for moderately thick plates Mindlin's plate theory gives lower buckling load than those obtained using classical thin plate theory.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.70 no.1
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• pp.113-123
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• 2019

In the classical stability investigation of rectangular plates the classical thin plate theory (CPT) is often employed, so omitting the transverse shear deformation effect. It seems quite clear that this procedure is not totally appropriate for the investigation of moderately thick plates, so that in the following the first shear deformation theory proposed by Meksi et al. (2015), that permits to consider the transverse shear deformation influences, is used for the stability investigation of simply supported isotropic rectangular plates subjected to uni-axial and bi-axial compression loading. The obtained results are compared with those of CPT and, for rectangular plates under uniaxial compression, a novel direct formula, similar to the conventional Bryan's expression, is found for the Euler stability stress. The accuracy of the present model is also ascertained by comparing it, with model proposed by Piscopo (2010).

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.43-68
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• 2007

Using the Mindlin-Reissner plate theory, many quadrilateral plate bending elements have been developed so far to analyze thin and moderately thick plate problems via displacement based finite element method. Here new formulation has been made to analyze thin and moderately thick plate problems using force based finite element method called Integrated Force Method (IFM). The IFM is a novel matrix formulation developed in recent years for analyzing civil, mechanical and aerospace engineering structures. In this method all independent/internal forces are treated as unknown variables which are calculated by simultaneously imposing equations of equilibrium and compatibility conditions. In this paper the force based new bilinear quadrilateral plate bending element (MQP4) is proposed to analyze the thin and moderately thick plate bending problems using Integrated Force Method. The Mindlin-Reissner plate theory has been used in the formulation of this element which accounts the effect of shear deformation. Standard plate bending benchmark problems are analyzed using the proposed element MQP4 via Integrated Force Method to study its performance with respect to accuracy and convergence, and results are compared with those of displacement based 4-node quadrilateral plate bending finite elements available in the literature. The results are also compared with the exact solutions. The proposed element MQP4 is free from shear locking and works satisfactorily in both thin and moderately thick plate bending situations.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.213-229
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• 2003

A high precision shear deformable triangular element has been proposed for free vibration analysis of composite trapezoidal plates. The element has twelve nodes at the three sides and four nodes inside the element. Initially the element has fifty-five degrees of freedom, which has been reduced to forty-eight by eliminating the degrees of freedom of the internal nodes through static condensation. Plates having different side ratios (b/a), boundary conditions, thickness ratios (h/a=0.01, 0.1 and 0.2), number of layers and fibre angle orientations have been analyzed by the proposed shear locking free element. Trapezoidal laminate with concentrated mass at the centre has also been analyzed. An efficient mass lumping scheme has been recommended, where the effect of rotary inertia has been included. For validation of the present element and formulation few results of isotropic trapezoidal plate and square composite laminate have been compared with those obtained from open literatures. The numerical results for composite trapezoidal laminate have been given as new results.