Hamiltonian system-based analytic thermal buckling solutions of orthotropic rectangular plates

Abstract

New analytic solutions for the thermal buckling of orthotropic rectangular plates are presented using the symplectic superposition method (SSM). The SSM deals with higher-order partial differential equations within the Hamiltonian framework, distinguishing it from conventional methods in the Lagrangian framework. The solution procedure involves dividing the original problem into two subproblems, utilizing the techniques in the symplectic space, like separating variables and symplectic eigen expansion, to achieve analytic solutions, and using superposition to obtain the final solutions. One notable advantage of the SSM is the absence of predetermined assumptions, which is a departure from conventional semi-inverse methods. The new analytic solutions under challenging non-Lévy-type boundary conditions (BCs) were rarely addressed in prior research due to their complex mathematical characteristics, which reveals the main novelty. Comprehensive thermal buckling results are provided for isotropic/orthotropic plates under various BCs, validated by those from the finite element method with a maximum difference being 2.7374% and literature with a maximum difference being 5.9201%. Parameter analyses quantify the effects of BCs, aspect ratio, and thickness-to-length ratio on critical buckling temperatures and mode shapes.