A Partially Built-in Plate under Uniform Load

A thin plate has the form of the infinite strip ?∞<x<∞, 0≤y≤aand has the edge y=abuilt-in. The edge y=0 has its right half 0<x<∞ built-in while the left half ?∞<x<0 is free. The whole plate is now subjected to a uniform load p ₀applied to its upper surface. What is the resulting deflection of the plate and what are the induced moment and shear resultants? We present a solution to this classical problem based on eigenfunction expansions. In the right and left halves of the strip, the deflection can be expanded as separate eigenfunction expansion series, but these are difficult to match across the line x=0 because of the singularity at (0,0) induced by the boundary conditions. We adopt the novel technique of expanding the field near the centre of the strip in its correct form as a series of Williams polar eigenfunctions, and then linking this expansion to the right and left eigenfunction expansions by using a special form of elastic reciprocity. These right and left reciprocity conditions give two infinite systems of linear equations satisfied by the polar expansion coefficients, and we prove that these equations are sufficient to determine these coefficients. Further applications of reciprocity give closed form expressions for the right and left eigenfunction expansion coefficients so that the whole solution is then determined. The method yields accurate results using small systems of linear equations. We present numerical results for the deflection of the plate and the induced moment and shear resultants.