A consistent second-order plate theory for monotropic material

Mathematical homogenization (or averaging) of composite materials, such as fibre laminates, often leads to non-isotropic homogenized (averaged) materials. Especially the upcoming importance of these materials increases the need for accurate mechanical models of non-isotropic shell-like structures. We present a second-order (or: Reissner-type) theory for the elastic deformation of a plate with constant thickness for a homogeneous monotropic material. It is equivalent to Kirchhoff's plate theory as a first-order theory for the special case of isotropy and, furthermore, shear-deformable and equivalent to R. Kienzler's theory as a second-order theory for isotropy, which implies further equivalences to established shear-deformable theories, especially the Reissner-Mindlin theory and Zhilin's plate theory. Details of the derivation of the theory will be published in a forthcoming paper [3]. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)