8/13/2019 Plates/Shells - Results

Plates/Shells - Results
When the model is solved, there are several groups of results spreadsheets speci ically for the plates.

Plate Stress Results

Access the Plate Stresses Spreadsheet by selecting the Results Menu and then selecting Plates Stresses.

The plate stresses are listed for the top and bottom of each active plate. The principal stresses sigma1 (σ1) and sigma2 (σ2) are
the maximum and minimum normal stresses on the element at the geometric center of the plate. The Tau Max (tmax) stress is
the maximum shear stress. The Angle entry is the angle between the element's local x-axis, and the direction of the σ1 stress (in
radians). The Von Mises value is calculated using σ1 and σ2, but not σ3 which isn't available for a surface (plate/shell) element,
so this Von Mises stress does not include any transverse shear forces.
The equations are:

The angle, Φ, is the angle in radians between the maximum normal stress and the local x-axis. The direction of the maximum
shear stress, tmax, is ± π/4 radians from the principal stress directions.
The Von Mises stress is a combination of the principal stresses and represents the maximum energy of distortion within the
element. This stress can be compared to the tensile yield stress of ductile materials for design purposes. For example, if a steel
plate has a tensile yield stress of 36ksi, then a Von Mises stress of 36ksi or higher would indicate yielding of the material at
some point in the plate.
The σx , σy , and σxy values used to calculate the stresses are a combination of the plate bending and membrane stresses, thus
the results are listed for the top and bottom surfaces of the element. The “Top” is the extreme iber of the element in the positive
local z direction, and the “Bottom” is the extreme iber of the element in the negative local z direction. The membrane stresses
are constant through the thickness of the element, while the bending stresses vary through the thickness of the element, very
similar to the bending stress distribution in a beam.
For enveloped results the maximum and minimum value at each location is listed. The load combination producing the
maximum or minimum is also listed, in the "LC" column.
Note

See Spreadsheet Operations to learn how to use Find, Sort and other options.
See Model Display Options – Plates to learn how to plot joint results.

Plate Force Results

Access the Plate Forces Spreadsheet by selecting the Results Menu and then selecting Plates Forces.

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8/13/2019 Plates/Shells - Results

The Plate Forces are listed for each active plate. Interpretation of output results is perhaps the most challenging aspect in using
the plate/shell element. The results for the plates are shown for the geometric center of the plate.

The forces (Qx and Qy) are the out-of-plane (also called “transverse”) shears that occur through the thickness of the element.
The Qx shear occurs on the element faces that are perpendicular to the local x-axis, and the Qy shear occurs on the element faces
that are perpendicular to the local y-axis. Qx is positive in the z-direction on the element face whose normal vector is in the
positive x-direction. This is also the σx face. Qy is positive in the z-direction on the element face whose normal vector is in the
positive y-direction. This is also the σy face. The total transverse shear on an element face is found by multiplying the given
force by the width of the element face.
The plate bending moments (Mx, My and Mxy) are the plate forces that induce linearly varying bending stresses through the
thickness of the element. Mx is the moment that causes stresses in the positive x-direction on the top of the element. Likewise,
My is the moment that causes stresses in the positive y-direction on the top of the element. Mx can then be thought of as
occurring on element faces that are perpendicular to the local x-axis, and the My moment occurs on faces that are perpendicular
to the local y axis. To calculate the total Mx or My on the face of an element, multiply the given value by the length of the
element that is parallel to the axis of the moment. For example, looking at the 'Plate Moments' igure above, the total Mx
moment could be obtained by multiplying the given Mx force by the length of side BC (the distance from joint B to joint C). The
total My force can be calculated in the same way by instead using the length of side DC.
The Mxy moment is the out-of-plane twist or warp in the element. This moment can be added to the Mx or My moment to obtain
the 'total' Mx or My moment in the element for design purposes. This direct addition is valid since on either the top or bottom
surface, the bending stresses from Mxy will be going in the same direction as the Mx and My moments.

Note

For the placement of concrete reinforcement, it is helpful to realize that laying reinforcement parallel to the local x-
axis will resist the Mx moment.
A positive Mx or My moment will put the top iber of the plate in tension.

The plane stress forces (Fx , Fy and Fxy) are those forces that occur in the plane of the plate. These forces, which are also called
“membrane” forces, are constant through the thickness of the element. Fx and Fy are the normal forces that occur respectively in
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the direction of the local plate x and y-axes, positive values indicating tension. These forces are reported as a force/unit length.
To get the total force on an element, you would need to multiply the given value by the length of the element that is
perpendicular to the normal force. For example, looking at the 'Plane Stress Forces' igure, the total Fx force could be obtained
by multiplying the given Fx force by the length of side BC (the distance from joint B to joint C).
The Fxy force is the in-plane shear force that occurs along the side of the element. The subscript 'xy' indicates that the shear
occurs on the face of the element that is perpendicular to the x-axis and is pointing in the y-direction. Fyx is the complementary
shear force, where the subscript 'yx' indicates that the shear occurs on the face of the element that is perpendicular to the y-axis
and is pointing in the x-direction. RISA-3D only gives values for Fxy because Fxy and Fyx are numerically equal. The total in-
plane shear can be obtained by multiplying the given force value by the length of the element that is parallel to the shear force.
For example, when looking at the 'Plane Stress Forces' igure, the total Fxy force which is parallel to the local y-axis could be
obtained by multiplying the given Fxy force by the length of side BC.
Note that the plate bending (Qx, Qy, Mx, My, Mxy) and membrane (Fx, Fy, Fxy) results are forces per unit length. For example, a
rectangular element with a B to C length of 10 feet showing a Fx force of 20K would have a total normal force on the B-C face of
the element of 20K (per foot) times 10 feet, or 200K.
For enveloped results the maximum and minimum value is listed. The load combination producing the maximum or minimum
is also listed, in the "LC" column.
Note

See Spreadsheet Operations to learn how to use Find, Sort and other options.
SeeModel Display Options – Plates to learn how to plot joint results.

Plate Corner Force Results

Access the Plate Corner Forces Spreadsheet by selecting the Results Menu and then selecting Plates Corner Forces.

The plate corner forces are the global forces at the corner of each plate and are listed for each active plate.
These are the forces and moments calculated at the corners of the plates, in the GLOBAL directions. These values are obtained
by multiplying the plate's corner displacements with the global stiffness matrix. Unlike the local stresses and forces, which are
very accurate approximations, these corner forces represent EXACT results based on linear elastic theory. Also, the local forces
are listed on a 'per unit length' basis, whereas these global direction corner forces represent the total force on the plate at the
corner in the given direction, in the same way that joint reactions are reported. At any given joint, the corner forces for all plates
connected to that joint should sum to zero (a requirement of equilibrium), assuming no members or boundary conditions are
also present at the joint.
As an example of how to use these corner forces, you can obtain the total shear at a given level in a shear wall by adding the
proper corner forces for the plates at that level. See Plate Modeling Examples to learn how to use the plate corner forces to get
shear wall story shears and moments, as well as slab moments and shears.
For enveloped results the maximum and minimum value is listed. The load combination producing the maximum or minimum
is also listed, in the "lc" column.
Note

See Spreadsheet Operations to learn how to use Find, Sort, Label Marked Lines in Current ViewShow Selected
Lines in Current View and other options.
SeeModel Display Options – Plates to learn how to plot joint results.

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