A Bending-Gradient model for thick plates,Part II: Closed-form solutions for cylindrical bending of laminates

In the first part (Lebée and Sab, 2010a) of this two-part paper we have presented a new plate theory for out-of-plane loaded thick plates where the static unknowns are those of the Kirchhoff–Love theory (3 in-plane stresses and 3 bending moments), to which six components are added representing the gradient of the bending moment. The new theory, called Bending-Gradient plate theory is an extension to arbitrarily layered plates of the Reissner–Mindlin plate theory which appears as a special case when the plate is homogeneous. Moreover, we demonstrated that, in the general case, the Bending-Gradient model cannot be reduced to a Reissner–Mindlin model. In this paper, the Bending-Gradient theory is applied to laminated plates and its predictions are compared to those of Reissner–Mindlin theory and to full 3D (Pagano, 1969) exact solutions. The main conclusion is that the Bending-Gradient gives good predictions of deflection, shear stress distributions and in-plane displacement distributions in any material configuration. Moreover, under some symmetry conditions, the Bending-Gradient model coincides with the second-order approximation of the exact solution as the slenderness ratio L/h goes to infinity.     

On the Generalization of Reissner Plate Theory to Laminated Plates,Part II: Comparison with the Bending-Gradient Theory

In the first part of this two-part paper (Lebée and Sab in On the generalization of Reissner plate theory to laminated plates, Part I: theory, doi: 10.1007/s10659-016-9581-6, 2015), the original thick plate theory derived by Reissner (J. Math. Phys. 23:184–191, 1944) was rigorously extended to the case of laminated plates. This led to a new plate theory called Generalized-Reissner theory which involves the bending moment, its first and second gradients as static variables. In this second paper, the Bending-Gradient theory (Lebée and Sab in Int. J. Solids Struct. 48(20):2878–2888, 2011 and 2889–2901, 2011) is obtained from the Generalized-Reissner theory and several projections as a Reissner–Mindlin theory are introduced. A comparison with an exact solution for the cylindrical bending of laminated plates is presented. It is observed that the Generalized-Reissner theory converges faster than the Kirchhoff theory for thin plates in terms of deflection. The Bending-Gradient theory does not converge faster but improves considerably the error estimate.     

On the Generalization of Reissner Plate Theory to Laminated Plates,Part I: Theory

This is the first part of a two-part paper presenting the generalization of Reissner thick plate theory (Reissner in J. Math. Phys. 23:184–191, 1944) to laminated plates and its relation with the Bending-Gradient theory (Lebée and Sab in Int. J. Solids Struct. 48(20):2878–2888, 2011 and in Int. J. Solids Struct. 48(20):2889–2901, 2011). The original thick and homogeneous plate theory derived by Reissner (J. Math. Phys. 23:184–191, 1944) is based on the derivation of a statically compatible stress field and the application of the principle of minimum of complementary energy. The static variables of this model are the bending moment and the shear force. In the present paper, the rigorous extension of this theory to laminated plates is presented and leads to a new plate theory called Generalized-Reissner theory which involves the bending moment, its first and second gradients as static variables. When the plate is homogeneous or functionally graded, the original theory from Reissner is retrieved. In the second paper (Lebée and Sab, 2015), the Bending-Gradient theory is obtained from the Generalized-Reissner theory and comparison with an exact solution for the cylindrical bending of laminated plates is presented.     

Homogenization of thick periodic plates: Application of the Bending-Gradient plate theory to a folded core sandwich panel

In a previous paper from the authors, the bounds from Kelsey et al. (1958) were applied to a sandwich panel including a folded core in order to estimate its shear forces stiffness (Lebée and Sab, 2010b). The main outcome was the large discrepancy of the bounds. Recently, Lebée and Sab (2011a) suggested a new plate theory for thick plates – the Bending-Gradient plate theory – which is the extension to heterogeneous plates of the well-known Reissner–Mindlin theory. In the present work, we provide the Bending-Gradient homogenization scheme and apply it to a sandwich panel including the chevron pattern. It turns out that the shear forces stiffness of the sandwich panel is strongly influenced by a skin distortion phenomenon which cannot be neglected in conventional design. Detailed analysis of this effect is provided.     

Differential quadrature element method for static analysis of Reissner–Mindlin polar plates

In this paper, a new numerical technique, the differential quadrature element method (DQEM) , has been developed for static analysis of the two-dimensional polar Reissner–Mindlin plate in the polar coordinate system by integrating the domain decomposition method (DDM) with the differential quadrature method (DQM) . The detailed formulations for the sectorial DQEM plate bending element and the compatibility conditions between each element are presented. The convergence properties and the accuracy of the DQEM for bending of thick polar plates are investigated through a number of numerical computations. Consequently, the DQEM has been successfully applied to analyze several annular sector plates with discontinuous loading and boundary conditions and cutouts to illustrate the simplicity and flexibility of this method for solving Reissner–Mindlin plates in polar coordinate system which are not solvable directly using the differential quadrature method. The numerical results are verified by the existing exact solutions or the FEM solutions obtained using the software package ANSYS (Version 5.3) .     

A homogenized Reissner–Mindlin model for orthotropic periodic plates: Application to brickwork panels

This paper describes a new procedure for the homogenization of orthotropic 3D periodic plates. The theory of Caillerie [Caillerie, D., 1984. Thin elastic and periodic plates. Math. Method Appl. Sci., 6, 159–191.] – which leads to a homogeneous Love–Kirchhoff model – is extended in order to take into account the shear effects for thick plates. A homogenized Reissner–Mindlin plate model is proposed. Hence, the determination of the shear constants requires the resolution of an auxiliary 3D boundary value problem on the unit cell that generates the periodic plate. This homogenization procedure is then applied to periodic brickwork panels.A Love–Kirchhoff plate model for linear elastic periodic brickwork has been already proposed by Cecchi and Sab [Cecchi, A., Sab, K., 2002b. Out-of-plane model for heterogeneous periodic materials: the case of masonry. Eur. J. Mech. A-Solids 21, 249–268 ; Cecchi, A., Sab, K., 2006. Corrigendum to A comparison between a 3D discrete model and two homogenised plate models for periodic elastic brickwork [Int. J. Solids Struct., vol. 41/9–10, pp. 2259–2276], Int. J. Solids Struct., vol. 43/2, pp. 390–392.]. The identification of a Reissner–Mindlin homogenized plate model for infinitely rigid blocks connected by elastic interfaces (the mortar thin joints) has been also developed by the authors Cecchi and Sab [Cecchi A., Sab K., 2004. A comparison between a 3D discrete model and two homogenised plate models for periodic elastic brickwork. Int. J. Solids Struct. 41/9–10, 2259–2276.]. In that case, the identification between the 3D block discrete model and the 2D plate model is based on an identification at the order 1 in the rigid body displacement and at the order 0 in the rigid body rotation.In the present paper, the new identification procedure is implemented taking into account the shear effect when the blocks are deformable bodies. It is proved that the proposed procedure is consistent with the one already used by the authors for rigid blocks. Besides, an analytical approximation for the homogenized shear constants is derived. A finite elements model is then used to evaluate the exact shear homogenized constants and to compare them with the approximated one. Excellent agreement is found. Finally, a structural experimentation is carried out in the case of masonry panel under cylindrical bending conditions. Here, the full 3D finite elements heterogeneous model is compared to the corresponding 2D Reissner–Mindlin and Love–Kirchhoff plate models so as to study the discrepancy between these three models as a function of the length-to-thickness ratio (slenderness) of the panel. It is shown that the proposed Reissner–Mindlin model best fits with the finite elements model.     

An improved theory of laminated Reissner–Mindlin plates

Theories of laminated plates have been proposed that, although they lead to different plate equations, are based as ours on the assumptions that the three-dimensional deformation of each layer is of Reissner–Mindlin type and that displacement and traction vectors are continuous across layer interfaces. The distinctive feature of our present theory is that reactive stresses are associated with the internal constraints implicit in the assumed kinematics, and exploited to obtain an improved evaluation of the stress field in the three-dimensional layered body for which we propose a two-dimensional model. Application to equilibrium problems for rectangular and circular plates gives results that are in good agreement with the exact three-dimensional solutions of Levinson type we derived in a companion paper.     

A new twelve DOF quadrilateral element for analysis of thick and thin plates

A simple quadrilateral 12 DOF plate bending element based on Reissner–Mindlin theory for analysis of thick and thin plates is presented in this paper. This element is constructed by the following procedure:

• 1.the variation functions of the rotation and shear strain along each side of the element are determined using Timoshenko's beam theory; and
• 2.the rotation, curvature and shear strain fields in the domain of the element are then determined using the technique of improved interpolation.

The proposed element, denoted by ARS-Q12, is robust and free of shear locking and, thus, it can be employed to analyze very thin plate. Numerical examples show that the proposed element is a high performance element for thick and thin plates.     

How to use reactive stresses to improve plate-theory approximations of the stress field in a linearly elastic plate-like body

All plate theories allow for an approximate evaluation of the stress field in the associated three-dimensional plate-like bodies. We here show how such an approximation can be bettered by an appropriate use of the reactive stress fields that maintain in the three-dimensional body the kinematical constraints implicit in the formulation of a given plate theory. In particular, we discuss transversely extensible, linearly elastic plates and Reissner–Mindlin plates, two theories where the built-in second-order internal constraints turn out to be of importance to improve the evaluation of the stress fields in the corresponding three-dimensional bodies. In addition to arguing our point of view in general, we work out a few explicit examples, both analytically and numerically.     

Thick Lévy plates re-visited

This paper is concerned with the bending problem of Lévy plates which are simply supported on two opposite edges with any combination of simply supported, clamped or free conditions at the remaining two edges. This study attempts to solve thick Lévy plate problems in a novel way by establishing bending relationships that allow the prediction of Mindlin plate results using the corresponding Kirchhoff solutions. Based on the concept of load equivalence, these relationships obviate the need for complicated thick plate analyses that involve significant computation time and effort. Numerical plate solutions are then determined from these relationships and the validity of these results is verified using other known results and those generated using the abaqus software. It is through this study that the only analytical Mindlin plate solutions by Cooke and Levinson (Int. J. Mech. Sci. 25 (1983) 207) are found to contain errors. In this study, it is found that there are important distinctions between the Mindlin and Reissner plate theories. These differences will also be substantiated by numerical comparison.     

A two-dimensional model for linear elastic thick shells

In this paper, a two-dimensional model for linear elastic thick shells is deduced from the three-dimensional problem of a shell thickness 2ε, ε > 0. From different scalings on the tangent and normal components of the displacement u^ε as widely used in recent works, the limit displacement appears to be Kirchhoff–Love displacement of a different type. It contains additional terms to those found in the Reissner–Mindlin model and satisfies more general equations containing the classical terms found in the literature and some new terms related to the third fundamental form. Such terms could not be well handled in the usual framework. Shear stresses across the thickness are also computed. This model appears to be appropriate to handle stiffened shells which, in fact, cannot be considered uniformly as shallow shells. As a by-product it also lays the mathematical background to justify the Reissner–Mindlin model for plates and will probably contribute to a better understanding of the locking phenomenon encountered in computational mechanics.     

An asymptotic Reissner–Mindlin plate model

A mathematical study via variational convergence of a periodic distribution of classical linearly elastic thin plates softly abutted together shows that it is not necessary to use a different continuum model nor to make constitutive symmetry hypothesis as starting points to deduce the Reissner–Mindlin plate model.     

Exact characteristic equations for some of classical boundary conditions of vibrating moderately thick rectangular plates

The dimensionless equations of motion are derived based on the Mindlin plate theory to study the transverse vibration of thick rectangular plates without further usage of any approximate method. The exact closed form characteristic equations are given within the validity of the Mindlin plate theory for plates having two opposite sides simply supported. The six distinct cases considered involve all possible combinations of classical boundary conditions at the other two sides of rectangular plates. Accurate eigenfrequency parameters are presented for a wide range of aspect ratio η and thickness ratio δ for each case. The three dimensional deformed mode shapes together with their associated contour plots obtained from the exact closed form eigenfunctions are also presented. Finally, the effect of boundary conditions, aspect ratios and thickness ratios on the eigenfrequency parameters and vibratory behavior of each distinct cases are studied in detail. It is believed that in the present work, the exact closed form characteristic equations and their associated eigenfunctions, except for the plates with four edges simply supported, for the rest of considered six cases are obtained for the first time.     

Axisymmetric bending analysis of thick functionally graded circular plates using fourth-order shear deformation theory

In the present article, axisymmetric bending and stretching of functionally graded (FG) circular plates subjected to uniform transverse loading based on fourth-order shear deformation plate theory (FOST) have been studied. Using a fourth-order shear deformation theory, the solutions for deflection and rotation functions of FG plates are presented in terms of the corresponding quantities for a homogeneous plate using the classical plate theory (CPT), from which solutions one can easily obtain the FOST solutions for axisymmetric bending of FG circular plates. It is assumed that the effective mechanical properties of the functionally graded plates through the thickness are continuous functions of the volume fractions of the constituent parts which are themselves defined by a power-law function. Numerical results for maximum deflection and shear stress are presented for various percentages of ceramic–metal volume fractions. These results are also compared with those obtained from the first-order shear deformation plate theory of Mindlin (FST), the third-order shear deformation plate theory of Reddy (TST) as well as the exact three-dimensional elasticity solution. It is found that although the maximum deflections obtained using FOST and TST are close to each other, the through-thickness shear stress is predicted more accurately by the FOST formulation than by the TST.     

基于平面偶应力-Reissner/Mindlin板比拟的偶应力有限元

偶应力理论的有限元列式面临本质性的C1连续性困难. 平面偶应力理论和Reissner/Mindlin板弯曲理论之间的比拟关系表明这两个理论系统的有 限元的同一性，而R/M板有限元并不存在C1连续性困难. 因此，研究将R/M板单元转化为具有一般位移自由度的平面偶应力单元的一般方法. 根据这一方法，将典型的8节点Serendipity型R/M板单元Q8S转化为一个4节点12 自由度的四边形平面偶应力单元，数值结果表明该单元具有良好的精度和收敛性     

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 the refined first-order shear deformation plate theory of Kármán type

A new refined first-order shear-deformation plate theory of the Kármán type is presented for engineering applications and a new version of the generalized Kármán large deflection equations with deflection and stress functions as two unknown variables is formulated for nonlinear analysis of shear-deformable plates of composite material and construction, based on the Mindlin/Reissner theory. In this refined plate theory two rotations that are constrained out in the formulation are imposed upon overall displacements of the plates in an implicit role. Linear and nonlinear investigations may be made by the engineering theory to a class of shear-deformation plates such as moderately thick composite plates, orthotropic sandwich plates, densely stiffened plates, and laminated shear-deformable plates. Reduced forms of the generalized Kármán equations are derived consequently, which are found identical to those existe in the literature. Foundation item: the National Natural Science Foundation of China (59675027) Biography: Zhang Jianwu (1954-)     

ON THE REFINED FIRST-ORDER SHEAR DEFORMATION PLATE THEORY OF KARMAN TYPE

ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＴｈｅｕｓｅｏｆｌａｍｉｎａｔｅｄｃｏｍｐｏｓｉｔｅｓｉｎｔｈｉｎ＿ｗａｌｌｅｄｓｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅｓｉｎｃｒｅａｓｅｓｓｏｔｈａｔｅｆｆｅｃｔｓｏｆｔｒａｎｓｖｅｒｓｅｓｈｅａｒｄｅｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎｓｃａｎｎｏｔｂｅｎｅｇｌｅｃｔｅｄａｎｄｉｎｖｏｋｅｑｕｉｔｅｃｏｍｐｌｅｘｅｓｉｎｎｏｎｌｉｎｅａｒａｎａｌｙｓｉｓ.Ｉｔｉｓｗｅｌｌ＿ｋｎｏｗｎｔｈａｔｔｈｅｎｏｎｌｉｎｅａｒａｎａｌｙｓｉｓｏｆｌａｍｉｎａｔｅｄｐｌａｔｅｓａｎｄｓｈｅｌｌｓｃｏｕｎｔｉｎｇｆｏｒｔｒ…     

Development of an analytical framework for viscoelastic corrugated-core sandwich plates and validation against FEM

In this study, an analytical procedure for the bending problem of a viscoelastic sandwich plate with a corrugated core is presented. Reissner–Mindlin plate theory and N-termed Prony series are employed to define the elastic and time-dependent contributions of the governing equations, respectively. Three different corrugation patterns, i.e., rectangular, trapezoidal, and triangular, are examined. Moreover, the structure is analyzed under both simply support and clamp boundary conditions. The calibrated material parameters of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) for the Generalized Maxwell rheological model are employed to show the viscoelastic response of the structure. A 3D finite element simulation of the problem is also conducted to confirm the accuracy of the analytical formulation. The two well-known creep and stress relaxation phenomena of the viscoelastic materials are examined for the mentioned corrugation cores and both boundary conditions analytically and numerically. The time-dependent dimensionless deflection and resultant von Mises stress distributions are provided. Besides, the variation of the results with various rise-times and applied load are studied in detail. The von Mises stress contours of the upper surface of the structure at the end of the creep test are also presented. The finite element method outcomes verify the analytical results with excellent compatibility. The proposed analytical procedure can be used as an efficient tool to study the effects of various parameters such as material, geometrical constants, and corrugation pattern on bending of viscoelastic sandwich plates with corrugated core problems for design and optimization, which involves a high number of simulations.

     

A new trigonometric shear deformation theory for isotropic,laminated composite and sandwich plates

A new trigonometric shear deformation theory for isotropic and composite laminated and sandwich plates, is developed. The new displacement field depends on a parameter “m”, whose value is determined so as to give results closest to the 3D elasticity bending solutions. The theory accounts for adequate distribution of the transverse shear strains through the plate thickness and tangential stress-free boundary conditions on the plate boundary surface, thus a shear correction factor is not required. Plate governing equations and boundary conditions are derived by employing the principle of virtual work. The Navier-type exact solutions for static bending analysis are presented for sinusoidally and uniformly distributed loads. The accuracy of the present theory is ascertained by comparing it with various available results in the literature. The results show that the present model performs as good as the Reddy’s and Touratier’s shear deformation theories for analyzing the static behavior of isotropic and composite laminated and sandwich plates.