Pointwise errors in the classical and in Reissner's linear theory of plates, especially for concentrated loads

Abstract

An infinite, horizontal, elastically isotropic plate is subjected to a distributed vertical, axisymmetric load, part of which is a body force and part of which is a surface traction. The resulting 3-dimensional stresses and displacements are found with the aid of Love's stress function and Hankel transforms. From these, the sum of the principal stress couples, the average rotation of radial fibers, and the average vertical deflection are computed and compared against the predictions of classical and Reissner's shear-deformation plate theory. Remarkably, the elasticity and plate theory predictions for the stress couples and the rotation agree if Poisson's ratio is zero. In general, for smoothly varying loads, the predictions of Reissner's theory are closer than those of classical theory to the predictions of elasticity theory. However, if a part of the load is (nearly) concentrated, then it is shown that the singularities in the sum of the principal stress couples and in the rotation predicted by Reissner's theory are too strong (because his theory accounts for normal stress effects based on smoothly varying loads). Moreover, if the concentrated part of the external load is a uniformly distributed line load through the thickness, then classical theory predicts the correct singularity in these variables, although with an erroneous strength. On the other hand, Reissner's theory correctly predicts the logarithmic singularity in the average vertical deflection (for any type of concentrated load), although with an erroneous strength.