Deformation of simply supported circular plate by central pressure pulse

Bending of a circular simply supported plate subjected to a central pressure pulse is investigated theoretically; the plate is assumed to be rigid perfectly-plastic and follows the Tresca yield condition. Results are presented for a central pulse of constant pressure and brief duration. If the blast pressure is sufficiently large the radial bending moment changes sign between the region of loading and the periphery of the plate. Previous analyses of pulse loading on a simply supported rigid-plastic plate gave bending moments that satisfied the yield condition only if the pressure magnitude was not very large. The present analysis extends the previous analyses into the range of large pressures.