THE DESIGN OF PLATE PANELS SUBJECT TO IN-PLANE SHEAR AND BIAXIAL COMPRESSION

Existing and additional elastoplastic numerical analysis is used to define strength/slenderness relations for column strips and for square plates in uniaxial compression. These relations are then used as input to a design model which enables the strength of rectangular plates under longitudinal, transverse and biaxial compression to be determined. The interaction relations are validated by reference to additional numerical data, and the model is used to generate interaction curves for a range of geometries. Strength/slenderness relations are also given for shear, and combinations of shear and uniaxial or biaxial compression are treated by a simple interaction formula. Alternative single stress component strength data con if required be used as input to the interaction relations. Stress/strain curves for square plates under various combinations of direct and shear stress are presented. Interaction relations are compared with existing design methods, which are variously found to be conservative in some respects and non-conservative in others.