Optimization theory application to slitted plate bending problems

The bending of a thin elastic plate having a slanted through slit is investigated. To describe the contact of the slit edges in the deformed state we introduce a non-penetration condition and set the bending problem as a variational one. From the numerical point of view this variational statement makes it possible to consider the slit plate bending problem as a constrained minimization problem and to apply various minimization algorithms to find the plate deformed state and the contact efforts along the slit. The computational examples obtained by using the interior point technique are given. (c) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.