Art. 6.

262 Buckling of Nato,

Finite-0 If I arefrc Met hod 263

Cb. 6

The fourth mixed difference with respect to x and y is obtained by applying

the operator for the second difference in the x direction [Eq. (6,89)) to the
second difference in the y direction rEq. (6.91)), Thus

6.7 FINITE-DIFFERENCE METHOD

APPLIED TO PLATE BUCKLING

*(

In Article 2.10 the finite-difference technique was used to approximate the

buckling load of a column. The same method is also applicable to plate-buckling
problems. To extend the finite-difference method from one-dimensional to twodimensional problems. it is necessary for us to obtain expressions for difference
ratios corresponding to partial derivatives. Specific-ally, we are interested in the
partial derivatives that appear in the plate equation.

Difference Ratios for Partial Derivatives

Consider a plate represented by a network of discrete points as shown in Fig.
6-13. The points are evenly spaced a distance b apart in both the x and y

[(

(
)

(
)]

Critical Load of a Biaxially Compressed Plate

To illustrate the analysis of a plate by means of the finite-difference
technique, let us calculate the critical load of the biaxially compressed plate
shown in Fig. 6-14. The plate is assumed to be square and the edges of the
N

Fig. 6-14 Simply supported plate

uniformly compressed in x and y

d i r e c t i o n s .
Y

plate are taken as simply supported. Acting on each edge is a uniformly

distributed compression force of magnitude = N. Taking the
coordinate axes as indicated in the figure, the differential equation of bending
is

Fig. 6-13 Finite-difference mesh in twa d imensions.

directions, According to Eqs. (238) and (2.80). the second and fourth differences with respect to x of a function w(x, y) at point (j, k) are
(6.89)
(

a n d (

(6.94)

This equation is obtained from the general equation of plate bending under
the action of in-plane forces [Eq. (6.37)) by dropping the nonexistent shear
forces N, and changing the sign of the axial forces. The boundary conditions
for a simply supported plate were shown in Article 6.3 to be

(6.90)

Similarly, the second and fourth differences with respect to y are y

are
(

(6.91)
(6.92)
To formulate the governing difference relations, each side of the plate is