Calculation Method for Plates with Discrete Variable Thickness Under Uniform Loading or Hydrostatic Pressure

Abstract

The article proposes a new analytical method for the calculation of plates with constant and variable rigidity parameters. This method renders it possible to decrease the weight of the plates working under hydrostatic pressure by using variable thicknesses. Firs, a short overview of existing calculation methods and their results are compared. It is shown that all existing methods depend on boundary conditions. Then is given the theory of the proposed calculation method is described and calculations for plates with constant and variable thickness worked under uniformly loaded forces and hydrostatic pressure are made. The results are compared to the FEM calculations and experimental results obtained by a tensile test machine and special equipment. Calculation results obtained by the proposed analytical method and FEM results are very close. Deviations are not more than <i>11</i>%. Deviations between theoretical calculations and experimental results depend on loading type and design of the test specimens but maximum values are not more than <i>17</i>%. The proposed calculation method does not depend on the boundary conditions and can be used for plate calculations. Especially for plates with difficult design and complex loading.