69003

THE BUCKLING OF FLAT PLATES UNDER NON-UNIFORM COMPRESSION

SYMMETRIC DISTRIBUTIONS DUE TO INITIAL OR THERMAL STRESS

1. NOTATION

a plate length m in
b plate width m in
E Young’s modulus N/m2 lbf/in2
fb elastic buckling stress of plate under uniform compression N/m2 lbf/in2

fc value of f x at plate centre-line N/m2 lbf/in2

f cb value of f c at which plate first buckles N/m2 lbf/in2

fe value of f x at plate edge N/m2 lbf/in2

fx axial stress on plate at distance y from plate edge, positive in N/m2 lbf/in2
compression
K elastic buckling stress coefficient for uniform loading defined
by f b = KE  --t-
2
 b
t plate thickness m in
x,y reference axes of plate
ν Poisson’s ratio
Both SI and British units are quoted but any coherent system of units may be used.

2. NOTES

This Data Item provides a method of checking the elastic stability of rectangular plates subject to stresses
that are compressive at the centre-line and distributed parabolically across the width. The data are valid
only for distributions, such as those arising from initial or thermal strain, that do not vary along the length
of the plate. This Item is not therefore applicable to external load distributions that diffuse rapidly into the
plate.

Figure 1 gives values of K plotted against a/b for various edge conditions, assuming ν = 0.3 . For
values of ν that are appreciably different, K should be multiplied by 0.91/(1– ν2 ).

Figure 2 shows the variation of f cb /f b with f e /f c for the same range of edge conditions.

Figure 3 presents the family of parabolas f x /f c corresponding to various values of f e /f c . The general
expression for these distributions is
fx f e 4y   f 
---- = ---- + ------  1 – --y-  1 – ---e- .
fc fc b b  f c
Issued January 1969
With Amendment A
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When calculating f b allowance should be made for possible variations with temperature in the modulus of
the plate material. Where temperatures are non-uniform, the value of E selected should be appropriate to
the mean temperature of the middle two thirds of the plate.

The value of f cb can be obtained for problems involving non-parabolic distributions by dividing f x by f c
and then selecting an appropriate curve from Figure 3. The curve chosen should be a close fit over the
middle two thirds of the plate width. The value of f e /f c for this curve is used in place of the actual value
of f e /f c in determining f cb .

A more accurate solution for distributions that are non-parabolic can be obtained from the equations in the
Derivation.

3. DERIVATION

Using the Rayleigh-Ritz energy method, and assuming the buckling mode is the same as that of a plate
under uniform compression, it can be shown that

a b
∫ ∫
2
( ∂w/∂x ) dxdy
f cb 0 0
------- = ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ,
fb a b
∫0 ∫0
2
( f x /f c ) ( ∂w/∂x ) dxdy

where w is the normal displacement of the plate.

The accuracy of this expression has been confirmed by finite element analysis. It can be simplified further
by assuming wave forms appropriate to the conditions of panel edge restraint, so that:

where the panel sides are simply-supported (Cases (i) and (ii) of Figure 1)

f cb b
------- = ------------------------------------------------------- ,
b
fb πy
0
∫
2 ( f x /f c ) sin2 ------ dy
b

and where the panel sides are clamped (Cases (iii) and (iv) of Figure 1)

f cb 3b
------- = ------------------------------------------------------- .
b
fb πy
0
∫
8 ( f x /f c ) sin4 ------ dy
b

This method of analysis is discussed in the following reference:

BENOY, M.B. An energy solution to the buckling of rectangular plates under non-uniform
in-plane loading. Jl R. aeronaut. Soc., Vol. 73, pp. 974-977, November 1969.

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4. EXAMPLE

During deceleration from supersonic flight, transient thermal compressive stresses are set up in an aircraft
panel. It is required to determine whether or not, at any time during the deceleration, buckling occurs.

The panel is made from DTD 5070 material, it has ends clamped and sides simply-supported, and the
principal dimensions are

a = 12 in, b = 6.5 in, t = 0.080 in.

It is necessary to check the stability of the panel under a number of temperature and stress distributions,
corresponding to various points in time. One of these stress distributions is illustrated below. It has
f c = 7000 lbf/in2, f e /f c = 0.2 , and the mean temperature in the middle of the plate is 100°C.

For the purpose of analysis this stress distribution is compared with the curves of Figure 3 (as shown above),
and an equivalent parabola is assumed having f e /f c = 0.6 .

Reference to material properties data indicates that at 100°C the elastic modulus of DTD 5070 falls to 97
6
per cent of its room temperature value, given as 10.6 × 10 lbf/in2.

6 6
Hence, E = 0.97 × 10.6 × 10 = 10.3 × 10 lbf/in2.

From Figure 1, at a/b = 12/6.5 = 1.85 ,

K = 4.57 ,

2
6  0.080
so that f b = 4.57 × 10.3 × 10  ------------- = 7130 lbf/in2
 6.5 

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From Figure 2, at f e /f c = 0.6

f cb
------- = 1.055 .
fb
Thus f cb = 1.055 × 7130 = 7520 lbf/in2.

The panel is therefore found to be stable since f c = 7000 lbf/in2, and the process is repeated for other
potentially critical stress distributions.

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11

Side

End
10 b

8
(iv) Ends and sides clamped

Asymptotic
to 6.31

(iii) Ends simply-supported,

6
sides clamped

K (ii) Ends clamped,

sides simply-supported
5

4
Asymptotic
to 3.62

(i) Ends and sides simply-supported

0
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
a
b

FIGURE 1

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fc
b fc
y
y b
fx
xx fx
a a fe fe

1.4

fcb
fb

1.3

(i) Ends and sides simply-supported

(ii) Ends clamped,
sides simply-supported
1.2

(iii) Ends simply-supported,

sides clamped
(iv) Ends and sides clamped
1.1

1.0

0.9

0.8
−1.0 −0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5
fe
fc

FIGURE 2

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1.4
fe fe
fc fc

1.2 1.4 1.4

1.2 1.2
1.0 1.0
1.0
0.8 0.8
0.6 0.6
0.8 0.4 0.4
0.2 0.2
0 0
0.6

0.4 −0.2 −0.2

fx −0.4
−0.4
fc −0.6 −0.6
Compression
0.2 −1.0 −1.0

0.0
0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1.0
y
b
−0.2
Tension

−0.4

−0.6

−0.8

−1.0
Plate edge Centre-line Plate edge
of plate

FIGURE 3

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THE PREPARATION OF THIS DATA ITEM

The work on this particular Data Item was monitored and guided by the Aerospace Structures Committee
which first met in 1940 and now has the following membership:

Chairman
Prof. W.S. Hemp – University of Oxford

Vice-Chairman
Mr F. Tyson – Handley Page Ltd

Members
Mr H.L. Cox – National Physical Laboratory
Mr K.H. Griffin – College of Aeronautics
Mr N.F. Harpur – British Aircraft Corporation (Filton) Ltd
Mr P.J. McKenzie – Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd, Kingston
Dr G.G. Pope – Royal Aircraft Establishment
Mr I.C. Taig – British Aircraft Corporation (Preston) Ltd
Mr A.W. Torry – Hawker Siddeley Aviation Ltd, Hatfield.

The members of staff of the Engineering Sciences Data Unit concerned were

Mr A.G.R. Thomson – Head of Mechanics of Solids Group

Mr M.B. Benoy – Mechanics of Solids Group.