A three-dimensional solution for rectangular plate bending free of transversal normal stresses

Abstract

A new Navier-type three-dimensionally exact solution for small deflections in bending of linear elastic isotropic homogeneous rectangular plates of constant thickness is presented. In this solution the transversal normal stresses identically vanish, and the loading is a volume force with a distribution across the plate thickness being a characteristic of the solution. The presented solution can be used for the evaluation of approximate plate theories and numerical solutions which comprise the assumption of transversal normal stresses vanishing in the whole plate. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.