The two-dimensional,linear, orthotropic plate: The traction problem

In 13] we extended the analysis of Ciarlet and Destuynder 5] to the clamped orthotropic plate. For the present paper we shall apply these methods to the orthotropic plate under traction. In particular, we shall be considering the type of problem posed in Friedrichs and Dressler 10] for the isotropic plate and make use of the fact that the variational problem will split just as was the case for the partial differential equation formulation. With the present approach we shall be able to produce a proper convergence analysis for the formal asymptotics used in Friedrichs and Dressler.