International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

Nonlinear bending of ReissnerMindlin plates with free

edges under transverse and in-plane loads and resting
on elastic foundations
Hui-Shen Shen
Department of Civil Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 1954 Hua Shan Road, Shanghai 200030,
People+s Republic of China
Received 29 September 1997; received in revised form 12 May 1998

Abstract
A nonlinear bending analysis is presented for a rectangular ReissnerMindlin plate with free edges
subjected to combined transverse partially distributed load and compressive edge loading and resting on
a two-parameter (Pasternak-type) elastic foundation. The formulations are based on the ReissnerMindlin
plate theory considering the first-order shear deformation effect, and including the plate-foundation interaction. The analysis uses a mixed Galerkin-perturbation technique to determine the loaddeflection curves and
loadbending moment curves. Numerical examples are presented that relate to the performances of
moderately thick rectangular plates with free edges subjected to combined loading and resting on Pasternaktype elastic foundations from which results for Winkler elastic foundations are obtained as a limiting case.
The influence played by a number of effects, among them foundation stiffness, transverse shear deformation,
loaded area, the plate aspect ratio and initial compressive load are studied. Typical results are presented in
dimensionless graphical form.  1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Large deflection; Combined loading; ReissnerMindlin plate with free edges; Pasternak-type elastic foundation; Galerkin-perturbation method

1. Introduction
In the bending analysis of plates resting on a continuous medium, such as footings, mat
foundations, and concrete pavements of roads and airfields, the problem is usually simplified and
analyzed as a rectangular thick plate with free edges supported by an elastic foundation. These
plates are often subjected to combinations of transverse and in-plane loads. Static calculations of
such plates resting on elastic foundations are difficult problems and the difficulties increase when
taking into account the nonlinear deflections of the plate.
0020-7403/99/$ see front matter  1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
PII: S 0 0 2 0 - 7 4 0 3 ( 9 8 ) 0 0 0 6 0 - 5

846

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

Many linear bending studies for simply supported thick plates subjected to transverse loads and
resting on elastic foundations are available in the literature, see, for example, [16], whereas
relatively few studies have been made for thick plates with free edges and resting on elastic
foundations. The linear bending analyses for thick plates with free edges subjected to partially
distributed loads and resting on a Winkler elastic foundation have been made by Henwood et al.
[7] and Yettram et al. [8] using the Fourier series method, and by Shi et al. [9] using the
superposition method.
It has been reported in Ref. [10] that the small deflection theory can be valid for isotropic plates
only if
 /t)0.4, where
 is the maximum deflection of the plate and t is the plate thickness. In
reality, many plates are subjected to high load levels that may result in nonlinear loaddeflection
relationships due to large deformations of the plate. Investigations involving the application of the
shear deformation plate theory on nonlinear bending of thick plates can be found in Refs. [1114].
The only large deflection solutions available for isotropic and orthotropic thin plates subjected to
uniform lateral pressure and resting on an elastic foundation are those due to Refs. [1518]. In all
the foregoing studies [1118], the four edges of the plate are assumed to be simply supported or
clamped or their combinations. Recently, Qu and Liang [19] gave a nonlinear bending analysis for
a rectangular moderately thick plate with free edges and resting on a Winkler elastic foundation
using the Galerkin method, but their solutions were based on the classical plate theory (CPT) and
the transverse shear deformations of the plate were not taken into account. To the best of the
authors knowledge, there is no literature covering the nonlinear deflection behavior of moderately
thick plates, i.e. shear deformable plates, with free edges subjected to combined transverse and
in-plane compressive loads and resting on two-parameter elastic foundations.
A recent approach for the postbuckling analysis of a simply supported, moderately thick plate
with or without elastic foundations was developed [20, 21]. Stable equilibrium configurations were
determined by a deflection-type perturbation technique. The present study extends the previous
work to the case of nonlinear deflection produced by transverse partially distributed loads
combined with or without initial compressive loads. The formulations are based on the Reissner
Mindlin plate theory considering the first-order shear deformation effect, and including the
plate-foundation interaction. The analysis uses a mixed Galerkin-perturbation technique to determine the loaddeflection curves and loadbending moment curves. Numerical examples are
presented that relate to the performances of moderately thick rectangular plates with free edges
subjected to combined loading and resting on two-parameter elastic foundations from which
results for Winkler elastic foundations are obtained as a limiting case.

2. Analytical formulation
Consider a moderately thick plate of length a, width b and thickness t which rests on a twoparameter elastic foundation. The four edges of the plate are all free. The plate is subjected to
a transverse partially distributed load q in the shaded region, as shown in Fig. 1, combined with
in-lane compressive loads P in the X-direction and P in the -direction. The foundation is
V
W
assumed to be an attached foundation in which the plate cannot separate from the elastic medium.
Let M , M and
 be the plate displacements parallel to a right-hand set of axes (X, , Z), where X is
longitudinal and Z is perpendicular to the plate. Then the loaddisplacement relationship of the

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

847

Fig. 1. A ReissnerMindlin plate subjected to a transverse partially distributed load.

foundation is assumed to be p"KM

 !KM

 , where p is the force per unit area, KM is the



Winkler foundation stiffness and KM is a constant showing the effect of the shear interactions of the

vertical elements, and
 is the Laplace operator in X and . t and t are the mid-plane rotations
W
V
of the normals about the and X-axes, respectively. Let
M (X, ) and FM (X, ) be the deflection
and the stress function for the stress resultants, and denoting differentiation by a comma, so that
N "FM
N "FM
and N "!FM .
V
WW W
VV
VW
VW
From the ReissnerMindlin plate theory considering the first-order shear deformation effect,
including the plate-foundation interaction, the governing differential equations are
 "(
 , FM )#q,
M !K

(t )# (t )#K


 W
 V
(t )# (t )# ()"0,
 V
 W

(t )# (t )# ()"0,
 V
 W


FM "! Et(

 ,
 ),

where
*

,
( )"!D

*X
*

,
( )"!D

*

*
1!l *
( )"iGt!D
#
,

*X
2 *
*
,
( )"iGt

*X

1#l
*
( )" ( )"!
D
,


2
*X*

(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)

848

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

( )"iGt!D


1!l *
*
#
,
2 *X *

*
,
( )"iGt

*
*
*
#
,

"
*X *

*
*
*

"
#2
#
,
*X
*X* *
*
*
* *
* *
!2
#
,
( )"
*X* *X* * *X
*X *

(5)

In which D is flexural rigidity and D"Et/12(1!l). E is Youngs modulus, G is the shear

modulus and l is Poissons ratio. Also i is the shear factor, which accounts for the non-uniformity
of the shear strain distribution through the plate thickness, and for Reissner plate theory i"5/6
while for Mindlin plate theory i"n/12.
If all four edges of the plate are free, the boundary conditions are
X"$a/2;

*t
*t
V#l W "0,
M
 "D
V
*X
*

*t
*t
1!l
V# W "0,
D
M
 "
VW
*
*X
2

*

"0,
Q "iGt t #
V *X
V
>@

 \@ N V d#pV tb"0

(6a)
(6b)
(6c)
(6d)

"$b/2;

*t
*t
M
 "D l V# W "0,
W
*X
*

*t
*t
1!l
V# W "0,
D
M
 "
VW
*
*X
2

*

"0,
Q "iGt t #
W *
W
>?

 \? N W dX#pW ta"0,

where p and p are average stresses in the X- and -directions.

V
W

(6e)
(6f )
(6g)
(6h)

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

849

Eqs. (1)(6) are the governing equations describing the required nonlinear deflection of the shear
deformable plate.

3. Analytical method and asymptotic solutions

Introducing the dimensionless quantities (in which the alternative forms k and k are not


needed until the numerical examples are considered)
x"nX/a, y"n/b, b"a/b, c"nD/aiGt, (l , l )"(1!l, 1#l)/2,
 
"
 [12(1!l)]/t, F"FM /D, (t , t )"(t , t ) a[12(1!l)]/nt,
V W
V W
(Q , Q )"(Q , Q ) a[12(1!l)]/niGt,
V W
V W
(M , M , M )"(M
 ,M
 ,M
 ) a[12(1!l)]/nDt,
V W VW
V W VW
(K , k )"(a, b) K /nD, (K , k )"(a, b)K /nD,
 
 

j "qa[12(1!l)]/nDt, (j , j )"(p b, p a)t/4nD,
O
V W
V
W

(7)

enables the nonlinear Eqs. (1)(4) to be written in dimensionless form as

(t )# (t )#K !K
"b(, F)#j ,
 V
 W


O

(8)

(t )# (t )# ()"0,
 V
 W


(9)

(t )# (t )# ()"0,
 V
 W


(10)

F"! b(, ),


(11)

where
*
( )"!
,

*x
*
( )"!b

,

*y

*
*
( )"1!c
#l b
,


*x
*y
*
( )" ,

*x
*
( )" ( )"!l c b
,



*x*y

850

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

*
*
( )"1!c l
#b
,

 *x
*y
*
( )"b
,

*y
*
*
,

" #b
*y
*x
*
*
*
#b
,

" #2b
*x*y
*y
*x
*
*
* *
* *
!2
#
.
( )"
*x*y *x*y *y *x
*x *y

(12)

The boundary conditions of Eq. (6) become

x"$n/2:

*t
*t
V#lb W "0,
M"
V
*x
*y

*t
*t
M "l b V# W "0,
VW

*y
*x

(13a)

(13b)

*
"0,
Q" t#
V
V
*x

(13c)

*F
1 >n/2
b
dy#4j b"0,
V
*y
n
\n/2

(13d)

y"$n/2;




*t
*t
M " l V#b W "0,
W
*x
*y

*t
*t
M "l b V# W "0,
VW

*y
*x

(13e)

(13f )

*
"0,
Q " t #b
W
W
*y

(13g)

1 >n *F
dx#4j "0
W
*x
n
n
\ 

(13h)

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

851

Applying Eqs. (8)(13), the nonlinear response of an initially compressed ReissnerMindlin plate
with free edges resting on a two-parameter elastic foundation is now determined by a mixed
Galerkin-perturbation technique. The essence of this procedure, in the present case, is to assume
that
(x, y, e)" e H w (x, y), F(x, y, e)" e H f (x, y),
H
H
H
H
t (x, y, e)" e H t (x, y), t (x, y, e)" e H t (x, y),
V
VH
W
WH
H
H
j " e Hj ,
(14)
O
H
H
where e is a small perturbation parameter and the first term of w (x, y) is assumed to have the form
H
w (x, y)"A#A cos 2x#A cos 2y#A cos 2x cos 2y#a x#a y.
(15)







Substituting Eq. (14) into Eqs. (8)(11), collecting the terms of the same order of e, gives a set of
perturbation equations. By using Eq. (15) to solve these perturbation equations of each order, and
satisfying the boundary condition of Eq. (13), the amplitudes of the terms w (x, y), f (x, y), t (x, y)
H
H
VH
and t (x, y) are determined step by step, and j can be determined by the Galerkin procedure. As
WH
H
a result up to third-order asymptotic solutions can be obtained as
w"e[A#A cos 2x#A cos 2y#A cos 2x cos 2y#a x#a y],






#e[A#A cos 2x#A cos 2y#A cos 2x cos 2y#A cos 2x cos 4y





#A cos 2x cos 6y#A cos 4x#A cos 4x cos 2y#A cos 4x cos 4y




#A cos 4x cos 6y#A cos 4y#A cos 6x#A cos 6x cos 2y




#A cos 6x cos 4y#A cos 6y#a x#a y]#O(e),




t "e[C sin 2x#C sin 2x cos 2y#c x]
V



#e[C sin 2x#C sin 2x cos 2y#C sin 2x cos 4y#C sin 2x cos 6y




#C sin 4x#C sin 4x cos 2y#C sin 4x cos 4y#C sin 4x cos 6y




#C sin 6x#C sin 6x cos 2y#C sin 6x cos 4y#c x]#O(e),




t "e[D sin 2y#D cos 2x sin 2y#d y]
W



#e[D sin 2y#D cos 2x sin 2y#D cos 2x sin 4y#D cos 2x sin 6y




#D cos 4x sin 2y#D cos 4x sin 4y#D cos 4x sin 6y#D sin 4y




#D cos 6x sin 2y#D cos 6x sin 4y#D sin 6y#d y]#O(e),





(16)

(17)

(18)

852

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

y
x
n 
n 
!b x!
#B cos 2x
F"!B !b #e !B y!
4
4


 2
 2

#B cos 2y#Bcos 2x cos 2y#B cos 4x#B cos 4y#B cos 2x cos 4y






#Bcos 4x cos 2y #O(e),



(19)

and
j "ej #ej #O(e)
(20)
O


Note that all coefficients in Eqs. (16)(19) are related and can be written as functions of A , so that

Eqs. (16) and (20) can be re-written as
"(x, y)(A e)#(x, y)(A e)#2 ,


and

(21)

j "j (A e)#j (A e)# 2

O
O

O

From Eqs. (21) and (22) the loaddeflection relationship can be written as

(22)






qa
qa 
#2 .
"A
#A
U Dt
U Dt
t

(23)

Similarly, the loadbending moment relationships can be written as









M
 a
qa
qa 
V "A
#2 ,
#A
Dt
+V Dt
+V Dt

(24)

qa
qa 
M
 a
W "A
#2 ,
#A
Dt
+W Dt
+W Dt

(25)

in Eqs. (23)(25) all coefficients are given in detail in the Appendix.

Eqs. (23)(25) can be employed to obtain numerical results for the loaddeflection curves and
loadbending moment curves of initially compressed ReissnerMindlin plates with free edges and
resting on two-parameter elastic foundations. Usually, the compressive loads in the X- and
-directions vary proportionally, so that p "ap , where a is a constant. The loaddeflection
W
V
curves and loadbending moment curves for such plates under any combination of p and p can
V
W
be obtained simply by varying a. The relationships between lateral load and transverse shear
resultants (Q and Q ) can easily be found by applying Eqs. (16)(18). As expected, there are four
V
W
special cases: (1) if P "P "0, Eqs. (23)(25) reduce to the solutions of ReissnerMindlin plates
W
V
with free edges subjected to the transverse load alone and resting on two-parameter elastic
foundations; (2) if K "0, Eqs. (23)(25) reduce to the solutions of initially compressed

ReissnerMindlin plates with free edges resting on Winkler elastic foundations; (3) if a "b "0


and 2a "a, 2b "b. Eqs. (23)(25) are valid for nonlinear bending analysis of initially compressed



H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

853

ReissnerMindlin plates with free edges subjected to a uniformly distributed load over the entire
plate and resting on a two-parameter elastic foundation; and (4) if the plate is thin enough, then
c approaches to zero, Eqs. (23)(25) are brought into a form suitable for the solutions of von
Karman plate.

4. Numerical examples and comments

A nonlinear bending analysis has been presented for a ReissnerMindlin plate with free edges
subjected to the combined action of transverse partially distributed load and in-plane compressive
loads and resting on a two-parameter elastic foundation. In the numerical analysis, asymptotic
solutions up to third-order were used. A number of examples were solved to illustrate their
application to the performance of moderately thick plates resting on Winkler or two-parameter
elastic foundations. For all of the examples, E"3.5;10 MN/m and l"0.15 (except for Figs.
2 and 3). The transverse shear correction factor is considered to be i"5/6. Typical results are
presented in dimensionless graphical form. In all figures
 /t and M b/Et mean the dimensionV
less forms of, respectively, the central deflection and bending moment of the plate, i.e. at the point
(x, y)"(0, 0).
As part of the validation of the present method, the small deflection behavior for a square thick
plate with free edges subjected to central patch load (a "b "0) only and resting on a Winkler


elastic foundation is compared in Fig. 2 with Fourier Series solutions given by Henwood et al. [7]
and the superposition solutions given by Shi et al. [9], using their computing data, i.e.
E"300.0 MN/m, l"0.35, K "50.0 MN/m, a"b"1.0 m, t"0.4 m, a "b "0.5 m and



q "1.0 N/m. They show that, in the linear bending case, the deflection
 along the X-axis is in

reasonable agreement with that of Shi et al. [9], whereas the bending moment M along the X-axis
V
is lower than that of Shi et al. [9], when 0.2(X(0.8 m. Note that the Fourier series solutions of
Henwood et al. [7] gave non-zero bending moment M at the plate edge X"1 m. In addition, the
V
loaddeflection curves of a moderately thick rectangular plate with free edges subjected to partially

Fig. 2. Comparison between present solution and other thick plate solutions: (a) deflection; (b) bending moment.

854

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

distributed load only and resting on a Winkler elastic foundation are compared in Fig. 3 with
solutions of CPT given by Qu and Liang [19], using their computing data, i.e. E"3.5;
10 MN/m, l"0.15, KM "140.0 MN/m, a"3.5 m, b"4.0 m, t"0.34 m, a "0.17 m,


a "0.51 m, b "0.595 m, b "1.075 m, and q "1.29 MN/m. In Fig. 3 qN "n;(q a/Dt). They





show that, in the small deflection case, the present results using the ReissnerMindlin first-order
shear deformation plate theory (FSDPT) are in good agreement with their classical counterparts,
whereas in the large deflection case the present results, both FSDPT and CPT, are lower than that
of Qu and Liang [19].
Fig. 4 gives the loaddeflection curves and loadbending moment curves of a square moderately
thick plate subjected to central patch load combined with initial compressive load P and either
V
resting on Winkler or two-parameter elastic foundations. The dimensionless uniaxial compression
is defined by P /P in which P is the critical buckling load for the plate under uniaxial
V AP
AP

Fig. 3. Comparisons of loaddeflection curves of a rectangular moderately thick plate on a Winkler elastic foundation.

Fig. 4. Effect of foundation stiffness on the large deflection behavior of a moderately thick plate: (a) loaddeflection; (b)
loadbending moment.

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

855

compression in the X-direction. The stiffnesses are (k , k )"(2.0, 0.2) for the two-parameter elastic
 
foundation, and (k , k )"(2.0, 0.0) and (k , k )"(1.0, 0.0) for the Winkler elastic foundations. It
 
 
can be seen that the foundations stiffness has a significant effect on nonlinear deflection of the plate.
Fig 5 gives the loaddeflection curves and loadbending moment curves for the same plate
under the different values of initial compressive load P shown, when the plate is subjected to
V
central patch load and supported by a two-parameter elastic foundation. Clearly, the initial
compressive stress affects nonlinear bending behavior of the plate significantly.
Fig. 6 gives the loaddeflection curves and loadbending moment curves of square thick plates
with different width-to-thickness ratio b/t ("10.0, 5.0) subjected to central patch load combined
with initial compressive load P and resting on a two-parameter elastic foundation. In Fig. 6 the
V

Fig. 5. Effect of initial compressive load on the large deflection behavior of a moderately thick plate: (a) loaddeflection;
(b) loadbending moment.

Fig. 6. Effect of plate b/t on the large deflection behavior of moderately thick plates: (a) loaddeflection; (b) loadbending
moment.

856

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

results based on FSDPT are also compared with the CPT solutions. It can be found that the central
deflection is increased, but the bending moment is decreased by decreasing the plate width-tothickness ratio b/t.
Fig. 7 shows the effect of plate aspect ratio b ("1.0, 1.5) on nonlinear behavior of moderately
thick plates under central patch load combined with initial compressive load P and resting on
V
a two-parameter elastic foundation. Then Fig. 8 shows the effect of loaded area parameter
(a /a"b /b"0.25, 0.35, 0.5) on nonlinear behavior of a square moderately thick plate resting on


a two-parameter elastic foundation. Note that a /a"b /b"0.5 means uniformly distributed load


over the entire plate.
Fig. 9 shows the effect of biaxial load ratio a ("0.0, 0.5, 1.0) on nonlinear behavior of a square
moderately thick plate under combined loading case and resting on a two-parameter elastic

Fig. 7. Effect of plate aspect ratio on the large deflection behavior of moderately thick plates: (a) loaddeflection; (b)
loadbending moment.

Fig. 8. Effect of loaded area on the large deflection behavior of a moderately thick plate: (a) loaddeflection; (b)
loadbending moment.

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

857

Fig. 9. Effect of biaxial load ratio on the large deflection behavior of a moderately thick plate: (a) loaddeflection; (b)
loadbending moment.

foundation. As expected, these results show that the central deflection and bending moment are
decreased by decreasing the plate aspect ratio or loaded area, and are increased by increasing the
ratio between the biaxial stresses.
In Figs. 49, a "b "0 and in Figs. 47 and 9, the loaded area parameter a /a"b /b"0.25;




and in Figs. 48, the biaxial load ratio a"0; and in Figs. 4, 5 and 79, the plate width-to-thickness
ratio b/t"10.0; and in Figs 59, the two-parameter elastic foundation stiffness is characterized by
(k , k )"(2.0, 0.2).
 
5. Conclusions
Nonlinear deflection behavior of a ReissnerMindlin plate with free edges subjected to the
combined action of transverse partially distributed load and in-plane compressive loads and
resting on a two-parameter elastic foundation has been studied by a mixed Galerkin-perturbation
method. The nonlinear bending of such plates subjected to the transverse load alone is treated as
a limiting case. A parametric study of moderately thick plates with free edges and resting on
Winkler or two-parameter elastic foundations has been carried out. The results presented herein
show that the characteristics of nonlinear deflection are significantly influenced by foundation
stiffness, loaded area, the plate aspect ratio and the amount of initial compressive load. In contrast
the plate transverse shear deformation has rather less effect.

Appendix
In Eqs. (23)(25)
A"C  (x, y), A"C  (x, y)!C  (x, y),
U

U


A "nC M (x, y), A "n[C M (x, y)!C M (x, y)],
 V
 V
 V
+V
+V

858

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

A "nC M (x, y), A "n[C M (x, y)!C M (x, y)],
 W
 W
 W
+W
+W
(x, y)"a #a
cos 2x#a
cos 2y#cos 2x cos 2y#a x#a y,





(x, y)"a #a
cos 2x#a
cos 2y#a
cos 2x cos 2y#a
cos 2x cos 4y





#a
cos 2x cos 6y#a
cos 4x#a
cos 4x cos 2y#a
cos 4x cos 4y




#a
cos 4x cos 6y#a
cos 4y#a
cos 6x#a
cos 6x cos 2y




#a
cos 6x cos 4y#a
cos 6y#a x#a y,




M (x, y)"b
cos 2x#b
cos 2y#b
cos 2x cos 2y#2a #2lba ,
V





M (x, y)"b
cos 2x#b
cos 2y#b
cos 2x cos 2y#b
cos 2x cos 4y
V




cos 2x cos 6y#b
cos 4x#b
cos 4x cos 2y#b
cos 4x cos 4y
#b




#b
cos 4x cos 6y#b
cos 4y#b
cos 6x #b
cos 6x cos 2y




#b
cos 6x cos 4y#b
cos 6y#2a #2lba ,




M (x, y)"c
cos 2x#c
cos 2y#c
cos 2x cos 2y#2la #2ba
W





M (x, y)"c
cos 2x#c
cos 2y#c
cos 2x cos 2y#c
cos 2x cos 4y
W




#c
cos 2x cos 6y#c
cos 4x#c
cos 4x cos 2y#c
cos 4x cos 4y




#c
cos 4x cos 6y#c
cos 4y#c
cos 6x #c
cos 6x cos 2y




#c
cos 6x cos 4y#c
cos 6y#2la #2ba ,
(A1)




where
C "(C /B )/6n, C "(1!l)(C /C )(C /B )/18n,

 

   
C "(1!l)(C /B )/18n,

 
P
B
B "C 1!  V , B "B #aB ,





P
B
 
n
B "2#4a #4a a # (a #a )a ,
 


 
3 

n
B "2b#4ba #4ba a # (a #a )a b,


 
 
3 
16
16b
C "
(a #a )a #
(a #a )a #8(1#b)g
 1#4c 
  1#4cb 
 

#K C #K C ,
 
 

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

859

C " #a #a #2a a #2a a #C ,

 


 
 

C "2(1#b)#4a #4ba #4a a #4ba a #C ,



 
 


C "g a #g a # g a #g a #g a #g a
 
 
 

 
    
#g a #(g a ! g a # g a )a #(g a
 
 
        
! g a # g a )a #C a #C a # C a
      
 
    
#C a #C a #C a #C a #(C ! C
 
 
 
 
  
# C )a #(C ! C # C )a #K C #K C
     
 
 
  
4b
#
a a
a a #ba a #a #ba ! (1#b)a
 

 

1#b    

#a #ba #(a ! a # a )a #(a ! a

  


     
n
# a )a b# (a a #ba a )
 
  
90  

n
# (a #a )(a #aba )(C /B )(P /P ),
 
   V 
3 
C "(a ! a # a )a #(a ! a # a )a #C ,
     


     
i
g "
#K #K i!i(C /B )(P /P ), (i"2, 4, 6)
G 1#ci


  V AP
jb
g "
#K #K jb!a jb(C /B )(P /P ), ( j"2. 4, 6)
H 1#cjb


  V AP
g "(i#jb)g #K #K (i#jb)!(i#a jb)(C /B )(P /P ), (i, j"2, 4, 6)
GH
GH


  V AP
1#l c(i#jb)

g "
, (i, j"2, 4, 6)
GH [1#c(i#l jb)][1#c(l i#jb)]!l ci jb



1
1
(1#lb)(1#4cb)g ,
a " (l#b)(1#4c)g , a "

 lb

 l
2
2
a " bg , a "
g ,
 l

 lb 
C "4a #4a a #4ba a #4ba a


 
 
 
2b
4b
(a #a #2a a )a #
a ,
#

   (4#b) 
(1#b) 

860

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

C "4ba #4ba a #4a a #4a a



 
 
 
4b
2b
#
(a #a #2a a )a #
a ,

   (1#4b) 
(1#b) 
C "1#b#8a #8ba #8a a a #8ba a a



  
  
4b
4b
4b
(a #a )(a #a #2a a )#
a #
a ,
#







(1#4b)
(4#b) 
(1#b)
16b
8b
(a #a #2a a )#
a a ,
C "ba #

 

 (1#b) 
(4#b)  
8b
16b
C "a #
(a #a #2a a )#
a a ,

 (1#b) 

 
(1#4b)  
18b
a ,
C "!

(4#b) 
18b
C "!
a ,

(1#4b) 

1
4b
C "!
6a #4a a #
(a #a #2a a )a


  (1#b) 

  
g


18b
4b
(4a #a )a #
a
,
#

  (4#b) 
(1#4b)




1
4b
a "!
1#
a
,

g
(1#4b) 

4b
1
6ba #4ba a #
(a #a #2a a )a
a "!

  (1#b) 

  

g


4b
18b
#
(a #4a )a #
a
,



(4#b)
(1#4b) 

16
b
b
a "!
#
a a
,

g
(1#4b) (4#b)  

1
2b
a "!
a ,

g
(1#4b) 


4b
1
b#
a
,
a "!

(4#b) 
g


H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

861

2b
1
a "!
a ,

(4#b) 
g


1#16c
a "!
!(4l#b)g a #4(l#b)g a !(4l#9b)g a
,

 
 
 
4l

1#16cb
a "!
!(1#4lb)g a #4(1#lb)g a !(9#4lb)g a
,

 
 
 
4lb

1#36c
!(9l#b)g a #(9l#4b)g a
,
a "!
 
 

9l

1#36cb
a "!
!(1#9lb)g a #(4#9lb)g a
,

 
 
9lb
1
a "
(ba a !C ) ,
 2g
 


1#4c
[!(l#b)g a #(l#4b)g a !(l#9b)g a ] ,
a "!
 
 
 

l
1#4cb
a "!
[!(1#lb)g a #(4#lb)g a !(9#lb)g a ] ,

 
 
 
lb
1
a "!

2(1!l)



4
16
36
!
a #
a !
a
1#4c  1#16c  1#36c 



4b
16b
36b
!l !
a #
a !
a
1#4cb  1#16cb  1#36cb 
1
a "!

2(1!l)b



4b
16b
36b
!
a #
a !
a
1#4cb  1#16cb  1#36cb 

4
16
36
!l !
a #
a !
a
1#4c  1#16c  1#36c 
4
a ,
(b , c )"(1, l)
 
1#4c 
4b
a ,
(b , c )"(l, 1)
 
1#4cb 
(b , c )"(1#lb, l#b) 4g ,
 




862

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

i
(b , c )"(1, l)
a , (i"2, 4, 6)
G G
1#ci G
jb
a , ( j"2, 4, 6)
(b , c )"(l, 1)
H H
1#cjb H
(b , c )"(i#ljb, li#jb)g a , (i, j"2, 4, 6)
GH GH
GH GH

(A2)

in the above equations, for the case of a partially distributed load

C "4C (a !a )(b !b )/ab,

 
 









a#a a #a
b#b b #b
 
 a # 1!4 
 
 a #C ,
C " 1!4 




a
b
ab
1
12
2a
2a
C "
sin  n!sin  n
 n (a !a )(b !b ) 4n
a
a

 


1 b b
! 
#
2n b b



sin

2b
2b
 n!sin  n
b
b

sin

2a
2a
1 a a
! 
 n!sin  n a #
 2n a a
a
a



sin


 

2b
2b
 n!sin  n a
,

b
b

n
C " (a #a )

 90 
C "0.0

6 B
n
K
2
C
 # (a #a )!2  (a #ba )#
a "
(a #aba ) 
 n C K




 B
12 
K
K
 




P
V,
P
AP

C "4C (a !a )(b !b )/ab,


 
 









a#a a #a
b#b b #b
 
 a # 1!4 
 
 a #C ,
C " 1!4 




a
b
ab
1
2a
2a
12
sin  n!sin  n
C "
 n (a !a )(b !b ) 4n
a
a

 


b
1 b
! 
#
b
2n b











2b
2b
 n!sin  n a

b
b

sin











sin

2a
2a
1 a
a
 n!sin  n a #
! 
 2n a
a
a
a

sin

2b
2b
 n!sin  n a

b
b

b
1 b
! 
#
b
4n b

sin

4a
4a
1 a
a
! 
 n!sin  n a #
 4n a
a
a
a

sin

4b
4b
 n!sin  n a

b
b

b
1 b
! 
#
b
6n b

sin

6a
6a
1 a
a
! 
 n!sin  n a #
 6n a
a
a
a

sin

6b
6b
 n!sin  n a

b
b

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

1
2a
2a
#
sin  n!sin  n
8n
a
a
1
4a
4a
#
sin  n!sin  n
8n
a
a















863







 

sin

4b
4b
 n!sin  n a

b
b

sin

2b
2b
 n!sin  n a

b
b

2a
2a
1
sin  n!sin  n
#
a
a
12n

sin

6b
6b
 n!sin  n a

b
b

6a
6a
1
sin  n!sin  n
#
a
a
12n

sin

2b
2b
 n!sin  n a

b
b

4a
4a
1
sin  n!sin  n
#
a
a
16n

sin

4b
4b
 n!sin  n a

b
b

1
4a
4a
#
sin  n!sin  n
24n
a
a

sin

6b
6b
 n!sin  n a

b
b

6a
6a
1
sin  n!sin  n
#
a
a
24n

sin

4b
4b
 n!sin  n a
,

b
b

n
C " (a !a ) ,
 90 

C "0.0,

6 C
n
K
 # (a #a )!2  (a #ba ),
a "
 n C K




12
K
 

and for the case of a uniformly distributed load over the entire plate
C "a #a ,



n
C "
(9a #9a #10a a ),
 360


 
n
C " (a #a )(a #ba ),

 

3 
6 B
K
2
C P
 !2  (a #ba )#
a "
(a #aba )  V ,
 n C K



 B
P
K
K
 


 AP
C "a #a ,



n
C "
(9a #9a #10a a ),
 360


 

(A3)

864

H.-S. Shen / International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 (1999) 845864

n
C " (a #a )(a #ba ),

 

3 
K
6 C
 !2  (a #ba ).
a "


 n C K
K
 


(A4)

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