A Static Flexure of Thick Isotropic Plates Using Trigonometric Shear Deformation Theory

A Trigonometric Shear Deformation Theory (TSDT) for the analysis of isotropic plate, taking into account transverse shear deformation effect as well as transverse normal strain effect, is presented. The theory presented herein is built upon the classical plate theory. In this displacement-based, trigonometric shear deformation theory, the in-plane displacement field uses sinusoidal function in terms of thickness coordinate to include the shear deformation effect. The cosine function in terms of thickness coordinate is used in transverse displacement to include the effect of transverse normal strain. It accounts for realistic variation of the transverse shear stress through the thickness and satisfies the shear stress free surface conditions at the top and bottom surfaces of the plate. The theory obviates the need of shear correction factor like other higher order or equivalent shear deformation theories. Governing equations and boundary conditions of the theory are obtained using the principle of virtual work. Results obtained for static flexural analysis of simply supported thick isotropic plates for various loading cases are compared with those of other refined theories and exact solution from theory of elasticity.