Axisymmetric bending of thick circular plates (Q908736)

This paper describes the axisymmetric bending of clamped thick circular plates under a central point load using a simple higher-order shear deformation theory of plates presented by the authors and \textit{S. T. Chow} [(*) Comput. Struct. 30, No.4, 945-952 (1988; Zbl 0669.73036)] which assumes that the in-plane rotation tensor does not vary across the plate thickness. The theory has one variable less than that given by \textit{J. N. Reddy} [J. Appl. Mech. 51, 745-752 (1984; Zbl 0549.73062)] yet accounts for a cubic variation of the in-plane stresses and a parabolic variation of the transverse shear stresses with zero values at the free surfaces. It may be shown that the assumption in the theory is exact for cylindrical bending of rectangular plates and axisymmetric bending of circular plates. The governing equations can be uncoupled in the unknown variables and are consequently remarkably simple for obtaining exact solutions. In (*), the authors have shown that the present theory gives results comparable to those from Reissner's, Mindlin's and Reddy's theories for the bending of thick rectangular plates for various boundary conditions. In this study, maximum deflections and stresses from the present theory for the axisymmetric bending of clamped circular plates subjected to a central point load are compared with those from Reissner's theory. It is shown, in particular, that the present theory leads to a finite central deflection for this problem in contrast to the unrealistic infinite values from Reissner's and Mindlin's theories.