Simplified Analytical Methods of Elastic Plates

This book presents simplified analytical methodologies for static and dynamic problems concerning various elastic thin plates in the bending state and the potential effects of dead loads on static and dynamic behaviors. The plates considered vary in terms of the plane (e.g. rectangular or circular plane), stiffness of bending, transverse shear and mass. The representative examples include void slabs, plates stiffened with beams, stepped thickness plates, cellular plates and floating plates, in addition to normal plates. The closed-form approximate solutions are presented in connection with a groundbreaking methodology that can easily accommodate discontinuous variations in stiffness and mass with continuous function as for a distribution. The closed-form solutions can be used to determine the size of structural members in the preliminary design stages, and to predict potential problems with building slabs intended for human beings’ practical use.