Plate buckling in the plastic range

Abstract

Using a bifurcation-of-equilibrium approach the buckling of elastic-plastic plates is investigated. The conditions for the onset of buckling are determined for simply supported plates under biaxial loading. The sensitivity of the buckling load predictions to the inclusion of small amounts of shear stresses is examined. Predictions for flow and deformation theories of plasticity are contrasted. Possible out-of-planeness defects are also considered employing non-zero curvatures around the principal axes of the plate. It is shown that flow theory predictions are significantly reduced when small amounts of biaxial and in-plane shear stresses are included in the pre-buckling state as can be produced by experimental set-up.