Linear Plate Theory Research Articles

A Method for Analyzing Transverse Stress in Link Slabs of Simply Supported Steel–Concrete Composite Bridges

The cracking of link slabs in jointless bridges presents significant challenges due to the complexity of their stress conditions. This study focused on analyzing the transverse stresses in link slabs of jointless steel–concrete composite bridges. Utilizing linear elasticity theory and partial differential equations of plates, the deflection and stress distribution functions for the link slabs were determined. The validity of these analytical solutions was confirmed through comparisons with finite element models and load tests. Results from both the load tests and the finite element model indicate that the upper face of the girder end link slabs experiences maximum tensile stresses in both transverse and longitudinal directions. The stress values obtained from the analytical method align well with these results, showing that the total stress, when considering transverse stresses, reaches 107% of the longitudinal stresses alone. Furthermore, a 40% reduction in longitudinal girder spacing or a 50% increase in girder end length can lead to link slab stresses of 128% and 145% of the longitudinal stresses, respectively. This finding suggests that even loads lower than those designed based solely on longitudinal stresses can result in cracking. Therefore, it is recommended that transverse stresses be considered in the design of link slabs for jointless bridges. Relying solely on conventional longitudinal stress analyses may underestimate actual stress conditions and contribute to the formation of cracks.

On the boundary conditions for a thin circular plate conjugated to a massive body

The problem of deformation under the action of uniform pressure of a circular plate coupled with a massive base is considered, while the condition for the coupling of the plate with the base is modeled using boundary conditions of the generalized elastic embedding type, i.e. the relationship between the bending moment and forces at the edge of the plate with displacements and rotation angles through the compliance matrix. The main goal of the work is to study the influence of the elasticity of the embedding on the elastic response of the plate. The solution to the problem was obtained in the formulation of the linear theory of plates, the theory of membranes in the approximation of homogeneity of longitudinal forces, and the Foppl — von Karman theory, also in the approximation of the assumption of homogeneity of longitudinal forces. The values of the coefficients of the compliance matrix were obtained using the finite element method for the auxiliary problem and compared with the values of the coefficients obtained for related problems by analytical methods. Numerical results were obtained for an aluminum wafer on a silicon base. The obtained solution was compared with the solution obtained for the rigid embedment condition for all three models used. It is shown that in the case of large deflections (several plate thicknesses), taking into account the compliance of the embedment becomes essential.

Vacuum insulated glazing (VIG) units under wind load—part 1: global deformation and stresses on the outer glass surfaces

This paper presents the first part of a study on the effect of wind loads on Vacuum Insulated Glass (VIG) units. The study provides background information on VIG and relevant Standards, explains the numerical modelling process, and discusses the implications of the results in relation to European and North American codes and Standards. The focus of the study is on vertical windows and façade installations in low-rise buildings (< 25 m) commonly found in residential buildings. The mechanical behaviour of VIG was analysed using the Finite Element Method (FEM) with respect to various design parameters such as glass pane size, glass thickness, surface pressure magnitude, and edge boundary conditions. The study analysed global deformation as well as the stresses on the outer glass surfaces. The VIG features such as pillar geometry and contact dynamics, and material non-linear effects, were explicitly modelled. In addition, monolithic glass plates were also modelled, and the FEM results of the monolithic cases were in reasonable agreement with an analytical solution obtained from linear thin plate theory. These results highlight the limit of linear behaviour in monolithic plate bending. The centre-of-pane deflection of the VIG was in good agreement with the FEM and analytical solutions of the equivalent thickness monolithic pane, for sample sizes below 800 × 800 mm. However, for larger glass sizes, a deviation was found, and the VIG exhibited a higher plate stiffness than the equivalent thickness monolithic pane. The simulations also showed that the stresses in the glass panes are highly dependent on the edge of glass boundary condition. Finally, the results demonstrated that with appropriate design choices, the VIG can satisfy the Standards requirements for wind load and glass design in both Europe and North America.

The bubble effect on the thermal expansion coefficient of few-layer MoS2

The thermal expansion coefficient of van der Waals layered structures plays an important role in governing the thermal stability of high-performance electronic devices. Meanwhile, bubbles are frequently observed in the van der Waals layered structures due to the weak inter-layer interaction and the extremely small bending stiffness of the layered structure, but the effect of bubbles on the thermal expansion coefficient for layered structures remains unclear. We derive an analytic formula for the bubble effect on the length variation of the MoS2 layer. In the analytic derivation, the MoS2 layer is described by three mechanics models, including the elastic membrane theory, the nonlinear plate theory, and the linear plate theory. The gas inside the bubble is described by two types of state equations, including the ideal gas law and the generalized van der Waals equation. It is found that the nonlinear plate theory with the generalized van der Waals equation gives the most accurate description for the bubble effect, since MoS2 has a moderate bending stiffness. The analytic formula shows that the bubble can cause strong thermal contraction for few-layer MoS2 with increasing temperature. The analytic predictions are verified by comprehensive molecular dynamic simulations for few-layer MoS2 with different layer numbers and different gas molecule numbers. These results shall be valuable for understanding the thermal stability of functional devices based on the van der Waals layered structure.

Interaction of a Flexural-Gravity Wave with a Vertical Rigid Plate Built in a Floating Elastic Plate

The linear two-dimensional problem of interaction between an hydroelastic wave propagating along an elastic floating ice plate with built-in vertical rigid plate is studied. The fluid under the ice is inviscid and incompressible. The fluid depth is finite. The deflection of the ice plate is described by the linear theory of thin elastic plates. The flow under the ice is potential. The total velocity potential is decomposed into the potential of the incident wave, even potential caused by the vertical motion of the rigid plate, and an odd potential caused by the rotation of the rigid plate. The vertical mode method is used. The third potential is obtained by solving a mixed boundary-value problem numerically using Chebyshev polynomials. The solution is validated by analysis of its convergence. The first and second potentials, and the corresponding deflections and strains of the ice plate, are obtained analytically. The motions of the rigid plate, as well as deflection and strains in the floating plate, are numerically analyzed. It is shown that the rotation of the rigid plate due to the incident wave is the main factor of increasing strains in the ice plate.

Accurate closed-form eigensolutions of three-dimensional panel flutter with arbitrary homogeneous boundary conditions

Highly accurate closed-form eigensolutions for flutter of three-dimensional (3D) panel with arbitrary combinations of simply supported (S), glide (G), clamped (C) and free (F) boundary conditions (BCs), such as cantilever panels, are achieved according to the linear thin plate theory and the first-order piston theory as well as the complex modal analysis, and all solutions are in a simple and explicit form. The iterative Separation-of-Variable (iSOV) method proposed by the present authors is employed to obtain the highly accurate eigensolutions. The flutter mechanism is studied with the benefit of eigenvalue properties from mathematical senses. The effects of boundary conditions, chord-thickness ratios, aerodynamic damping, aspect ratios and in-plane loads on flutter properties are examined. The results are compared with those of Kantorovich method and Galerkin method, and also coincide well with analytical solutions in literature, verifying the accuracy of the present closed-form results. It is revealed that, (A) the flutter characteristics are dominated by the cross section properties of panels in the direction of stream flow; (B) two types of flutter, called coupled-mode flutter and zero-frequency flutter which includes zero-frequency single-mode flutter and buckling, are observed; (C) boundary conditions and in-plane loads can affect both flutter boundary and flutter type; (D) the flutter behavior of 3D panel is similar to that of the two-dimensional (2D) panel if the aspect ratio is up to a certain value; (E) four to six modes should be used in the Galerkin method for accurate eigensolutions, and the results converge to that of Kantorovich method which uses the same mode functions in the direction perpendicular to the stream flow. The present analysis method can be used as a reference for other stability issues characterized by complex eigenvalues, and the highly closed-form solutions are useful in parameter designs and can also be taken as benchmarks for the validation of numerical methods.

Dynamical response of a floating plate to water waves using a smoothed particle hydrodynamics algorithm for nonlinear elasticity

In this work, a newly developed Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) algorithm for nonlinear elasticity is combined with an incompressible SPH fluid solver to investigate the dynamics of a floating plate under impacts of regular water waves with a high steepness. Two scenarios of the plate's rigidity are investigated. The simulation results show that deformations of the stiffer plate mainly occur in a simple bending mode with small amplitudes, and the plate is almost submerged by a strong fluid flow over its surface. In the other scenario, the plate deforms more complexly with much higher deformation amplitudes but experiences a much weaker overwash. The more flexible plate is less resistant to wave motions and converts more wave energy into elastic deformations, and therefore, the overwash is less severe. A strong overflow exerts a pressure force onto the plate that alters the plate's dynamics and adds a viscous (damping) effect on the plate's elastic vibrations, especially in high-frequency modes. A rigorous examination of the numerical convergence and validation using the linear thin plate theory is also carried out. The new SPH algorithm for nonlinear elasticity shows its stability and reliability in evaluating finite and large elastic deformations. Therefore, it is promising for simulating elastic structures in fluid–structure interaction problems.

A hierarchy of multilayered plate models

We derive a hierarchy of plate theories for heterogeneous multilayers from three dimensional nonlinear elasticity by means of Γ-convergence. We allow for layers composed of different materials whose constitutive assumptions may vary significantly in the small film direction and which also may have a (small) pre-stress. By computing the Γ-limits in the energy regimes in which the scaling of the pre-stress is non-trivial, we arrive at linearised Kirchhoff, von Kármán, and fully linear plate theories, respectively, which contain an additional spontaneous curvature tensor. The effective (homogenised) elastic constants of the plates will turn out to be given in terms of the moments of the pointwise elastic constants of the materials.

Numerical Analysis of Piezoelectric Signal of PVDF Membrane Flapping Wing in Flight

As an organic piezoelectric material, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) can be utilized to fabricate thin film with high mechanical properties, and this film can be used to form flapping wing membrane. This type of wing with piezoelectric effect can solve the problems of the flight conditions measurement of flapping-wing micro aerial vehicles (FMAVs) in practical flapping flight. This study focuses on analysing the voltage outputs generated by PVDF membrane, and proposes two output voltage signal characteristics that can be used to deduce the flight conditions of FMAV, i.e. the voltage wave scale and voltage wave phase difference. The linear plate theory and unsteady aerodynamics coupling with piezoelectric equation are adopted to calculated the voltages generated by inertia and aerodynamic forces. The reasons and applications of scale and phase difference are analysed and discussed, and practical examples are demonstrated to illustrate specific impacts on these two signals.

Application of a layerwise theory for efficient topology optimization of laminate structure

This research applies a layerwise theory to topologically optimize laminate composite. As laminate composite structures are consisted of many thin layers, some limitations exist in analyzing and optimizing based on linear plate or shell theory. To overcome these limitations and problems, various layerwise theories have been developed. Thus, more accurate solutions can be efficiently obtained by these layerwise theories. In this research, one of the layerwise theory is applied to topologically optimize laminate structures. In the forward analysis for structural displacements, it is possible to efficiently conduct a numerical analysis and the sensitivity analysis in topology optimization. By solving several numerical examples, we observed that the directions of optimal layouts are different from each other depending on the type of load applied. Also, various design shapes were drawn to complement the difference in stiffness due to the rotation of each layer. In addition, an analysis of how the various combinations of angles and their position affect the stiffness was also discussed in this study.

Frequency response and resonance of a thin fluid film bounded by elastic sheets with application to mechanical filters

We study steady-state oscillations of a thin viscous film bounded by two elastic sheets, excited by traveling pressure waves over its upper surface. The fluid within the cell is bounded by two asymmetric elastic sheets which are connected to a rigid surface via distributed springs. The fluid is modeled by the unsteady thin film lubrication approximation and the sheets are modeled by the linearized plate theory. Modal analysis yields the frequency response of the configuration as a function of three parameters: the fluidic Womersley number and the ratio of solid stress to viscous pressure for each of the sheets. These ratios, analogous to the Capillary number, combine the effects of fluid viscosity and the sheets inertia, bending and tension. The resonance frequencies of the configuration include the resonance frequency of the upper sheet, the resonance frequency of both sheets, and a new resonance frequency related to the interaction between the fluidic motion parallel to the elastic solids and the relative elastic displacements. Near the resonance frequency of the upper sheet, the fluid pressure is identical in amplitude and phase to the external excitation. For configurations where both sheets are near resonance, small changes in frequency yield significant modification of the fluidic pressure. The amplitude ratio of the fluidic pressure to the external pressure is presented vs. frequency for several characteristic solid and fluid properties, yielding a bandpass filter behaviour. The results presented here suggest fluid embedded structures may be utilized as protective surfaces and mechanical filters.

Voltage-Induced Wrinkling in a Constrained Annular Dielectric Elastomer Film

Wrinkles can be often observed in dielectric elastomer (DE) films when they are subjected to electrical voltage and mechanical forces. In the applications of DEs, wrinkle formation is often regarded as an indication of system failure. However, in some scenarios, wrinkling in DE does not necessarily result in material failure and can be even controllable. Although tremendous efforts have been made to analyze and calculate a variety of deformation modes in DE structures and devices, a model which is capable of analyzing wrinkling phenomena including the critical electromechanical conditions for the onset of wrinkles and wrinkle morphology in DE structures is currently unavailable. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate controllable wrinkling in annular DE films with the central part being mechanically constrained. By changing the ratio between the inner radius and outer radius of the annular films, wrinkles with different wavelength can be induced in the films when externally applied voltage exceeds a critical value. To analyze wrinkling phenomena in DE films, we formulate a linear plate theory of DE films subjected to electromechanical loadings. Using the model, we successfully predict the wavelength of the voltage-induced wrinkles in annular DE films. The model developed in this paper can be used to design voltage-induced wrinkling in DE structures for different engineering applications.

Dynamic response of geometrically nonlinear, elastic rectangular plates under a moving mass loading by inclusion of all inertial components

Dynamic deformations of beams and plates under moving objects have extensively been studied in the past. In this work, the dynamic response of geometrically nonlinear rectangular elastic plates subjected to moving mass loading is numerically investigated. A rectangular von Karman plate with various boundary conditions is modeled using specifically developed geometrically nonlinear plate elements. In the available finite element (FE) codes the only way to distinguish between moving masses from moving loads is to model the moving mass as a separate entity. However, these procedures still do not guarantee the inclusion of all inertial effects associated with the moving mass. In a prepared finite element code, the plate elements are developed using the conventional nonlinear methods, i.e., Total Lagrangian technique, but all inertial components associated with the travelling mass are taken into account. Since inertial components affect the mass, damping, and stiffness matrices of the system as the moving mass traverses the plate, appropriate time increments shall be selected to avoid numerical instability. The dynamic response of the plate induced by the moving mass is evaluated and compared to previous studies. Also, unlike the existing FE programs, the different inertial components of the normal contact force between the moving mass and the plate are computed separately to substantiate the no-separation assumption made for the moving mass. Also, it is observed that for large moving mass velocities, the peak plate deformation occurs somewhere away from the plate center point. Under the two extreme in-plane boundary conditions considered in this study, it is shown that if the geometrical nonlinearity of plate is accounted for, the deformations obtained would be less than the case with classical linear plate theory.

Second-order linear plate theories: Partial differential equations, stress resultants and displacements

By combining the uniform-approximation technique with the pseudo-reduction approach, a consistent second-order plate theory is developed with recourse to neither kinematical assumptions nor to shear-correction factors by truncation of the elastic energy. The governing partial differential equations and the expressions for the stress resultants are compared with those of other authors. Free coefficients of the resulting displacement “ansatz” are determined a posteriori, in order to satisfy three-dimensional boundary conditions and local equilibrium equations.

A novel explicit solution for twisting control of smart laminated cantilever composite plates/beams using inclined piezoelectric actuators

In the present work, a novel explicit analytical solution is proposed for obtaining twisting deformation and optimal shape control of smart laminated cantilever composite plates/beams using inclined piezoelectric actuators. The linear piezoelectricity and plate theories are adapted for the analysis. A novel double integral multivariable Fourier transformation method and discretised higher order partial differential unit step function equations are employed. For the first time, an exact solution is developed to analyse electro-mechanical twisting moments in smart composite structures. Since there are no published benchmark results for verification, a series of simple, accurate and robust finite element (FE) analysis models and realistic electro-mechanical coupled FE procedures are developed for the effective prediction of the structural behaviour of the smart laminated piezo-composite structures under arbitrary loads. In addition to the novelty of the explicit solution, more comprehensive FE simulations of smart structures and step-by-step guidelines are discussed. The effect of various parameters including electro-mechanical twisting coupling, layup thickness, actuators size, placement, and inclination angle, electrical voltage, stacking sequence, and geometrical dimension are taken into account. The comparison of results shows an excellent agreement. Unlike the earlier studies, the proposed method does not require the characteristic and trial deflection function to be predetermined.

Edge wrinkling in elastically supported pre-stressed incompressible isotropic plates

The equations governing the appearance of flexural static perturbations at the edge of a semi-infinite thin elastic isotropic plate, subjected to a state of homogeneous bi-axial pre-stress, are derived and solved. The plate is incompressible and supported by a Winkler elastic foundation with, possibly, wavenumber dependence. Small perturbations superposed onto the homogeneous state of pre-stress, within the three-dimensional elasticity theory, are considered. A series expansion of the plate kinematics in the plate thickness provides a consistent expression for the second variation of the potential energy, whose minimization gives the plate governing equations. Consistency considerations supplement a constraint on the scaling of the pre-stress so that the classical Kirchhoff-Love linear theory of pre-stretched elastic plates is retrieved. Moreover, a scaling constraint for the foundation stiffness is also introduced. Edge wrinkling is investigated and compared with body wrinkling. We find that the former always precedes the latter in a state of uni-axial pre-stretch, regardless of the foundation stiffness. By contrast, a general bi-axial pre-stretch state may favour body wrinkling for moderate foundation stiffness. Wavenumber dependence significantly alters the predicted behaviour. The results may be especially relevant to modelling soft biological materials, such as skin or tissues, or stretchable organic thin-films, embedded in a compliant elastic matrix.

Higher-order crack tip fields for functionally graded material plate with transverse shear deformation

The crack tip fields are investigated for a cracked functionally graded material (FGM) plate by Reissner’s linear plate theory with the consideration of the transverse shear deformation generated by bending. The elastic modulus and Poisson’s ratio of the functionally graded plates are assumed to vary continuously through the coordinate y, according to a linear law and a constant, respectively. The governing equations, i.e., the 6th-order partial differential equations with variable coefficients, are derived in the polar coordinate system based on Reissner’s plate theory. Furthermore, the generalized displacements are treated in a separation-of-variable form, and the higher-order crack tip fields of the cracked FGM plate are obtained by the eigen-expansion method. It is found that the analytic solutions degenerate to the corresponding fields of the isotropic homogeneous plate with Reissner’s effect when the in-homogeneity parameter approaches zero.

On a Consistent Dynamic Finite-Strain Plate Theory and Its Linearization

This paper develops a dynamic finite-strain plate theory consistent with three-dimensional Hamilton’s principle under general loadings with a fourth-order error. Starting from the three-dimensional field equations for a compressible hyperelastic material and by a series expansion about the bottom surface, we deduce a vector dynamic plate equation with three unknowns, which exhibits the local momentum-balance structure. Associated weak formulations are considered, in connection with various boundary conditions. Then, by linearization, we provide a novel linear plate theory for orthotropic materials, which takes into account both stretching and bending effects. For isotropic materials, it is further modified to a refined linear plate theory, leading to higher-order results under certain circumstances. To verify the present plate theory, an exhaustive study of the free vibration and static bending problems is carried out. Comparing with the available exact three-dimensional solutions for these problems, it is shown that the plate theory indeed provides correct asymptotic results for displacements and stresses distributions. The advantages of this linear plate theory include (i) its simplicity (as simple as the Kirchhoff-Love theory), (ii) high accuracy for frequencies and deflections, as well as capability of capturing the distributions of all concerned quantities, and (iii) applicability for general loadings.

THE EFFECT OF SUPPORT PLATE ON DRILLING-INDUCED DELAMINATION

Delamination is considered as a major problem in drilling of composite materials, which degrades the mechanical properties of these materials. The thrust force exerted by the drill is considered as the major cause of delamination; and one practical approach to reduce delamination is to use a back-up plate under the specimen. In this paper, the effect of exit support plate on delamination in twist drilling of glass fiber reinforced composites is studied. Firstly, two analytical models based on linear fracture mechanics and elastic bending theory of plates are described to find critical thrust forces at the beginning of crack growth for drilling with and without back-up plate. Secondly, two series of experiments are carried out on glass fiber reinforced composites to determine quantitatively the effect of drilling parameters on the amount of delamination. Experimental findings verify a large reduction in the amount of delaminated area when a back-up plate is placed under the specimen.

Structure and energetics of interlayer dislocations in bilayer graphene

We present a general hybrid model based upon the continuum generalized Peierls-Nabarro model (with density functional theory parametrization) to describe interlayer dislocations in bilayer systems. In this model, the bilayer system is divided into two linear elastic 2D sheets. The strains in each sheet can be relaxed by both elastic in-plane deformation and out-of-plane buckling; this deformation is described via classical linear elastic thin plate theory. The interlayer bonding between these two sheets is described by a three-dimensional generalized stacking-fault energy (GSFE) determined from first principle calculations and based upon the relative displacement between the sheets. The structure and energetics of various interlayer dislocations in bilayer graphene was determined by minimizing the elastic and bonding energy with respect to all displacements. The dislocations break into partials, and pronounced buckling is observed at the partial dislocation locations to relax the strain induced by their edge components. The partial dislocation core width is reduced by buckling. An analytical model is also developed based upon the results obtained in numerical simulation. We develop an analytical model for the bilayer structure and energy and show that these predictions are in excellent agreement with the numerical results.