Plate

Plate may refer to a range of objects, which have in common being thin and flat relative to their surroundings or context:

Science

Plate (structure)

A plate is a structural element which is characterized by two key properties. Firstly, its geometric configuration is a three-dimensional solid whose thickness is very small when compared with other dimensions. Secondly, the effects of the loads that are expected to be applied on it only generate stresses whose resultants are, in practical terms, exclusively normal to the element's thickness.

Thin plates are initially flat structural members bounded by two parallel planes, called faces, and a cylindrical surface, called an edge or boundary. The generators of the cylindrical surface are perpendicular to the plane faces. The distance between the plane faces is called the thickness (h) of the plate. It will be assumed that the plate thickness is small compared with other characteristic dimensions of the faces (length, width, diameter, etc.). Geometrically, plates are bounded either by straight or curved boundaries. The static or dynamic loads carried by plates are predominantly perpendicular to the plate faces.

Structural steel

Structural steel is a category of steel used as a construction material for making structural steel shapes. A structural steel shape is a profile, formed with a specific cross section and following certain standards for chemical composition and mechanical properties. Structural steel shapes, sizes, composition, strengths, storage practices, etc., are regulated by standards in most industrialized countries.

Structural steel members, such as I-beams, have high second moments of area, which allow them to be very stiff in respect to their cross-sectional area.

Common structural shapes

The shapes available are described in many published standards worldwide, and a number of specialist and proprietary cross sections are also available.