Example

Program: RFEM 5

Category: Geometrically Linear Analysis, Isotropic Linear Elasticity, Plate

Verification Verification Example: 0073 – Analysis of Plates Subjected to Different Load Types

0073 – Analysis of Plates Subjected to Different Load Types

Description
A simply supported rectangular plate with side lengths lx and ly is subjected to different load types.
Assuming only small deformation theory and neglecting self-weight, determine the deflection at
l
its centroid uz ( l2x ; 2y ) for each load type.

Material Linear Elastic Modulus of

E 50.000 GPa
Elasticity

Poisson's
𝜈 0.200 −
Ratio

Geometry Rectangle Thickness t 0.200 m

Larger edge
lx 2.000 m
length

Shorter edge
ly 1.000 m
length

Load Uniform Pressure p1 10.000 MPa

Hydrostatic Maximal
p2 20.000 MPa
Pressure

Over a Part Pressure p3 40.000 MPa

x-position x3 1.500 m

y-position y3 0.750 m

x-dimension dx3 0.500 m

y-dimension dy3 0.250 m

Concentrated Force F4 50.000 MN

x-position x4 1.500 m

y-position y4 0.750 m

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Verification Example: 0073 – Analysis of Plates Subjected to Different Load Types

p1 p2

x x
z z
lx lx
x x
y y

ly ly

p3 F4

x x
z z
lx lx
x x
y y
y3 y4
ly dx3 ly
dy3

x3 x4

Figure 1: Problem Sketch

Analytical Solution
Governing differential equation of the plate subjected to the transversal load pz (x, y) has the
following form [1]:

∂4 uz ∂4 u ∂4 uz p (x, y)
+2 2 z2 + = z (73 – 1)
∂x 4 ∂x ∂y ∂y 4 D

where D is the flexural rigidity of the plate:

Et 3
D= (73 – 2)
12(1 − 𝜈 2 )

By Navier's method the deflected plate surface uz (x, y) and the transversal load pz (x, y) can be
expressed by a double Fourier series with coefficients Umn and Pmn :

∞ ∞
m𝜋x n𝜋y
uz (x, y) = ∑ ∑ Umn sin sin (73 – 3)
m=1 n=1
lx ly
∞ ∞
m𝜋x n𝜋y
pz (x, y) = ∑ ∑ Pmn sin sin (73 – 4)
m=1 n=1
lx ly

Umn can be obtained by substituting (73 – 3) and (73 – 4) into (73 – 1):

Pmn
Umn = 2
(73 – 5)
2 n2
D𝜋 4 ( ml 2 + ly2 )
x

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Verification Example: 0073 – Analysis of Plates Subjected to Different Load Types

Substituting (73 – 5) into (73 – 3), an analytical solution for the deflection of the plate can be
obtained:

1 ∞ ∞ Pmn m𝜋x n𝜋y

uz (x, y) = ∑∑ 2
sin sin (73 – 6)
D𝜋 4 m=1 n=1 m2 n2 lx ly
( lx2 + ly2 )

Uniformly Distributed Pressure

When the plate is subjected to uniformly distributed pressure, the coefficient Pmn takes the follow-
ing form:

16p1
Pmn = (73 – 7)
𝜋 2 mn

for positive odd integers m and n. Substituting (73 – 7) into (73 – 6), the deflection surface of
the simply supported rectangular plate under uniformly distributed pressure can be derived:

16p1 1 m𝜋x n𝜋y

uz1 (x, y) = ∑ ∑ 2
sin sin (73 – 8)
D𝜋 6 2 n2 lx ly
m=1,3,5,... n=1,3,5,... mn ( ml 2 + ly2 )
x

Finally, evaluation at the plate centroid:

l ly
uz1 ( x , ) ≈ 2.916 mm (73 – 9)
2 2

Hydrostatic Pressure
When the plate is subjected to hydrostatic pressure, Pmn takes the following form:

lx ly
4 m𝜋x n𝜋y
Pmn = ∫ ∫ pz (x, y) dxdy (73 – 10)
lx ly lx ly
0 0

p2 x
Knowing that pz = lx , the equation (73 – 10) can be rewritten as follows:

lx ly
4p m𝜋x n𝜋y
Pmn = 2 2 ∫ x sin dx ∫ sin dy (73 – 11)
lx ly lx ly
0 0

Evaluating the integral in (73 – 11) the coefficient Pmn can be significantly simplified:

8p2 cos m𝜋
Pmn = − (73 – 12)
mn𝜋 2

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Verification Example: 0073 – Analysis of Plates Subjected to Different Load Types

By substituting (73 – 12) into (73 – 6), the deflection surface of the simply supported rectangular
plate subjected to the hydrostatic pressure can be derived:

8p2 (−1)m+1 m𝜋x n𝜋y

uz2 (x, y) = ∑ ∑ 2
sin sin (73 – 13)
D𝜋 6 2 n2 lx ly
m=1,2,3,... n=1,2,3,... mn ( ml 2 + ly2 )
x

Deflection of the plate at its centroid can be easily evaluated as:

l ly
uz2 ( x , ) ≈ 2.916 mm (73 – 14)
2 2

Uniformly Distributed Pressure Over Part of the Plate

When only a part of the plate is subjected to uniformly distributed pressure, the coefficient Pmn
takes the following form:

x3 +dx 3 /2 y3 +dy 3 /2
4p m𝜋x m𝜋y
Pmn = 3 ∫ ∫ sin sin dxdy (73 – 15)
lx ly lx ly
x3 −dx 3 /2 y3 −dy 3 /2

which evaluates as:

16p3
Pmn = H (73 – 16)
𝜋 2 mn mn

where

m𝜋x3 n𝜋y3 m𝜋dx3 n𝜋dy3

Hmn = sin sin sin sin (73 – 17)
lx ly 2lx 2ly

for all integers m and n. By substituting (73 – 16) into (73 – 6), the deflection surface of the simply
supported rectangular plate having its part subjected to the uniformly distributed pressure can
be derived:

16p3 Hmn m𝜋x n𝜋y

uz3 (x, y) = ∑ ∑ 2
sin sin (73 – 18)
D𝜋 6 2 n2 lx ly
m=1,2,3,... n=1,2,3,... mn ( ml 2 + ly2 )
x

Deflection of the plate at its centroid can be easily evaluated as:

l ly
uz3 ( x , ) ≈ 0.776 mm (73 – 19)
2 2

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Verification Example: 0073 – Analysis of Plates Subjected to Different Load Types

Concentrated Force
When the plate is subjected to the concentrated force, Pmn can be derived analogously to the
previous case considering that p4 = d Fd4 where dx4 → 0 and dy4 → 0:
x4 y4

16F4 m𝜋x4 n𝜋y4 m𝜋dx4 n𝜋dy4

Pmn = sin sin sin sin (73 – 20)
𝜋 2 mndx4 dy4 lx ly 2lx 2ly

However, to be able to apply the limit approach, the equation (73 – 20) must be modified. By
multiplying and dividing the equation (73 – 20) by lx ×ly the following expression can be obtained:

nu�dy 4
4F m𝜋x4 n𝜋y4 sin mu�d
2l sin
x4

= lim ⎛ ⎞
2ly
Pmn ⎜ 4 sin sin
x
mu�dx 4 nu�dy 4
⎟ (73 – 21)
lx →0,ly →0 lx ly lx ly
⎝ 2lx 2ly ⎠

which after modification becomes

4F4 m𝜋x4 n𝜋y4

Pmn = sin sin (73 – 22)
lx ly lx ly

By substituting (73 – 22) into (73 – 6), the deflection surface of the simply supported rectangular
plate subjected to the concentrated force can be derived:

4F4 sin mu�x 4 nu�y4

l sin l m𝜋x n𝜋y
uz4 (x, y) = ∑ ∑
x y
2
sin sin (73 – 23)
D𝜋 4 lx ly 2 n2 lx ly
m=1,2,3,... n=1,2,3,... ( ml 2 + ly2 )
x

Deflection of the plate at its centroid can be easily evaluated as:

l ly
uz4 ( x , ) ≈ 7.848 mm (73 – 24)
2 2

RFEM 5 Settings

• Modeled in version RFEM 5.07.01

• Element size is lFE = 0.010 m
• Geometrically linear analysis is considered
• Number of increments is 1
• Kirchhoff plate theory is used

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Verification Example: 0073 – Analysis of Plates Subjected to Different Load Types

Results

Structure File Load Type

0073.01 Uniformly Distributed Pressure

0073.02 Hydrostatic Pressure

0073.03 Uniformly Distributed Pressure Over Part of Plate

0073.04 Concentrated Force

Figure 2: Uniformly Distributed Pressure

Figure 3: Hydrostatic Pressure

Figure 4: Uniformly Distributed Pressure Over Part of the Plate

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Verification Example: 0073 – Analysis of Plates Subjected to Different Load Types

Figure 5: Concentrated Pressure

Load Type Analytical Solution RFEM 5

l l
uz ( l2x , 2y ) uz ( l2x , 2y ) Ratio
[-]
[mm] [mm]

Uniformly Distributed 2.916 2.917 1.000

Load

Hydrostatic Pressure 2.916 2.917 1.000

Uniformly Distributed 0.776 0.776 1.000

Partial Pressure

Concentrated Force 7.848 7.848 1.000

References
[1] SZILARD, R. Theories and Application of Plate Analysis: Classical Numerical and Engineering
Method. Hoboken, New Jersey.

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