On the use of finite strip method for buckling analysis of moderately thick plate by refined plate theory and using new types of functions

Abstract

A numerical method is developed for the buckling analysis of moderately thick plate with different boundary conditions. The procedure use the finite strip method in conjunction with the refined plate theory (RPT). Various refined shear displacement models are employed and compared with each other. These models account for parabolic, hyperbolic, exponential, and sinusoidal distributions of transverse shear stress, and they satisfy the condition of no transverse shear stress at the top and bottom surfaces of the plates without using a shear correction factor. The number of independent unknown functions involved here is only four, as compared to five functions in the shear deformation theories of Mindlin and Reissner. The numerical results of present theory are compared with the results of the first-order and the other higherorder theories reported in the literature. From the obtained results, it can be concluded that the present study predicts the behavior of rectangular plates with good accuracy.