Sector Steel Plate Analysis Using Finite Difference Method

An investigation of validity of the Finite Difference method to simulate thin sectorial steel plate under the effect of uniform and concentrated loads with different types of boundary conditions was studied in this paper. The differential equation schemes of curved plate were solved by means of the Finite Difference method. Also bending moments Mr , Mϕ and Mrϕ schemes were derived. The effects of curvature, aspect ratio, load type and boundary conditions of the plate were studied. Avery good agreement between the results of deflections and moments obtained by the derived Finite Difference schemes and the result from the Finite Element method of (ABAQUS) computer program for all types of geometry, loading and support conditions.