Umudike Journal of Engineering and Technology

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike


BENDING ANALYSIS OF RECTANGULAR THIN PLATES SUBJECTED TO VARYING LOAD USING ENERGY APPROACH

Ibearugbulem, O. M.
Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria

Ettu, L. O.
Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria

Anya, C. U.
Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria

Chukwudi, P. E.
Department of Civil Engineering, Federal Polytechnic Nekede, Owerri, Nigeria



ABSTRACT

This work conducted a bending analysis of a thin simply supported rectangular plate subjected to varying loads using energy approach. The varying load considered is a triangular transverse load (hydrostatic). It was achieved by the application of the displacement field, kinematic and constitutive relations. The constitutive relations were substituted in the strain energy equation and then the total potential energy function was obtained as the difference between the strain energy of the plate and the external work done by the varying load. The potential energy function was minimized with respect to the deflection function and this gave the deflection equation in a polynomial form. This deflection is a function of two orthogonal deflection functions in the directions of x and y. It was later simplified as a product of the amplitude of deflection, A, and shape function, h. The formula for the amplitude of deflection was obtained by minimizing the total potential energy function with respect to the amplitude. The deflection shape function equation for the plate was derived. Based on the deflection equation obtained, the formulas for the in-plane stresses, moments and shear forces were derived. Numerical applications were performed using aspect ratio, β (that is b/a) ranging from 1.0 to 2.0. The Poisson’s ratio used is 0.3. Results obtained in this present work were compared with those of a previous work done by Timoshenko and Woinowsky-Krieger, the percentage difference of the central deflection coefficients ranges from 2.82 to 4.89 as the aspect ratio increases from 1.0 to 2.0. It was observed that the percentage differences are within acceptable ranges. Hence, Energy approach with orthogonal polynomial deflection function can be used to carry out bending analysis on thin plate subjected to varying loads.


Keywords: Thin Plates, Varying Loads, Energy Approach, Bending Analysis


https://doi.org/10.33922/j.ujet_v9i2_4
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Published
Monday, November 06, 2023

Issue
Vol.9 No.2, December 2023

Article Section
GENERAL

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