An evaluation of the elastic-plastic analyses of steel plates loaded by uniaxial in-plane compression

Abstract The review considers recent finite-element, finite difference, dynamic relaxation, and energy methods for the analysis of plates, accounting for welding residual stresses and initial out-of-flatness. The principles of each method, and the approximations made, are described. Load-shortening curves for 16 representative cases are compared, and the differences are identified and their likely causes described. Changes to the shape of the residual stress pattern, the use of simplified full-section yield criteria, and failure to account for residual out-of-balance loads at the end of an increment are found to be the major causes of differences. The strengths obtained from these detailed solutions are also compared with approximate solutions based on large-deflection, elastic analysis.