Section 6.

6.6 Plate Problems in Polar Coordinates

6.6.1 Plate Equations in Polar Coordinates

To examine directly plate problems in polar coordinates, one can first transform the
Cartesian plate equations considered in the previous sections into ones in terms of polar
coordinates.

First, the definitions of the moments and forces are now

h / 2 h / 2 h / 2
Mr    z
h / 2
rr dz , M     z  dz,
h / 2
M r   z  dz
h / 2
r (6.6.1)

and

h / 2 h / 2
Vr     zr dz , V     z dz (6.6.2)
h / 2 h / 2

The strain-curvature relations, Eqns. 6.2.27, can be transformed to polar coordinates using
the transformations from Cartesian to polar coordinates detailed in §4.2 (in particular,
§4.2.6). One finds that {▲Problem 1}

2w
 rr   z
r 2
 1 w 1  2 w 
    z   2 
2 
(6.6.3)
 r r r  
 1 w 1 2w 
 r   z  2  
 r  r r 

The moment-curvature relations 6.2.31 become {▲Problem 2}

2w  1 w 1  2 w 
M r  D  2     2 
2 
 r  r r r  
 1 w 1  2 w  2w
M   D   2 
2 
   (6.6.4)
 r r r   r 2 
 1 w 1  2 w 
M r   D1     2  
 r  r r 

The governing differential equation 6.4.9 now reads

2
 2 1  1 2  q
 2   2  w   (6.6.5)
 r r r r  2  D

Solid Mechanics Part II 164 Kelly

 Section 6.6

The shear forces in terms of deflection, Eqn 6.4.12, now read {▲Problem 3}

   2 w  1 w 1  2 w  1    2 w  1 w 1  2 w 
Vr  D  2    2  , V  D
2   2    2  (6.6.6)
2 
r  r  r r r   r    r  r r r  

Finally, the stresses are {▲Problem 4}

12 z 12 z 12 z
 rr   3
M r ,     3 M  ,  r  3 M r (6.6.7)
h h h

and

3Vr   z 2  3V   z 2 
 zr   1    ,  z   1     (6.6.8)
2h   h / 2   2h   h / 2  

The differential equation 6.6.5 can be solved using a method similar to the Airy stress
function method for problems in polar coordinates (the Mitchell solution), that is, a
solution is sought in the form of a Fourier series. Here, however, only axisymmetric
problems will be considered in detail.

6.6.2 Plate Equations for Axisymmetric Problems

When the loading and geometry of the plate are axisymmetric, the plate equations given
above reduce to

d 2w 1 dw 
M r  D 2  
 dr r dr 
 1 dw d 2w
M   D   (6.6.9)
 r dr dr 2 
M r  0

2
 d2 1 d  1 d  d  1 d  dw   q(r )
 2   w  r  r     (6.6.10)
 dr r dr  r dr  dr  r dr  dr   D

d  d 2 w 1 dw 
Vr  D  2  , V  0 (6.6.11)
dr  dr r dr 

12 z 12 z
 rr   3
M r ,     3 M  ,  r  0 (6.6.12)
h h

and

Solid Mechanics Part II 165 Kelly

 Section 6.6

3Vr   z 2 
 zr   1    ,  z  0 (6.6.13)
2h   h / 2  

Note that there is no twisting moment, so the problem of dealing with non-zero twisting
moments on free boundaries seen with rectangular plate does not arise here.

6.6.3 Axisymmetric Plate Problems

For uniform q, direct integration of 6.6.10 leads to

qr 4 1 1
w  A r 2 ln r  1  B r 2  C ln r  D (6.6.14)
64 D 4 4

with

qr 3 1 1 1
 A r 2 ln r  1  B r  C
dw

dr 16 D 4 2 r
2 2
3qr 1 1 1
 A 2 ln r  1  B  C 2
d w
2
 (6.6.15)
dr 16 D 4 2 r
3
d w 3qr 1 1 1
3
  A  2C 3
dr 8D 2 r r

and

 d 3 w 1 d 2 w 1 dw  qr A
Vr  D  3  2
 2   D (6.6.16)
 dr r dr r dr  2 r

There are two classes of problem to consider, plates with a central hole and plates with no
hole. For a plate with no hole in it, the condition that the stresses remain finite at the plate
centre requires that d 2 w / dr 2 remains finite, so A  C  0 . Thus immediately one has
Vr  qr / 2 . The boundary conditions at the outer edge r  a give B and D .

1. Solid Plate – Uniform Bending

The simplest case is pure bending of a plate, M r  M 0 , with no transverse pressure,

q  0 . The plate is solid so A  C  0 and one has w  B r 2 / 4  D . The applied
moment is

 d 2 1 d  1
M 0  D 2    B D1    (6.6.17)
 dr r dr  2

so B  2M 0 / D1    . Taking the deflection to be zero at the plate-centre, the solution is

Solid Mechanics Part II 166 Kelly

 Section 6.6

M0
w r2 (6.6.18)
2 D1   

2. Solid Plate Clamped – Uniform Load

Consider next the case of clamped plate under uniform loading. The boundary conditions
are that w  dw / dr  0 at r  a , leading to

qa 2 qa 4
B , D  (6.6.19)
8D 64 D

and hence

w
q
64 D

r 2  a2 2
(6.6.20)

which is the same as 6.5.10.

The reaction force at the outer rim is Vr (a )  qa / 2 . This is a force per unit length; the
force acting on an element of the outer rim is  qa a  / 2 and the total reaction force
around the outer rim is  qa 2 , which balances the same applied force.

3. Solid Plate Simply Supported – Uniform Load

For a simply supported plate, w  0 and M r  0 at r  a . Using 6.6.9a, one then has
{▲Problem 5}

3   qa 2 5   qa 4
B , D (6.6.21)
1   8D 1   64 D

and hence

q  5  2
w 
64 D  1  


a  r2  a2  r2  (6.6.22)


The deflection for the clamped and simply supported cases are plotted in Fig. 6.6.1 (for
  0.3 ).

Solid Mechanics Part II 167 Kelly

 Section 6.6

r/a
x
0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
0

-1
clamped
64 D

q -2

simply
-3
supported

-4

Figure 6.6.1: deflection for a circular plate under uniform loading

4. Solid Plate with a Central Concentrated Force

Consider now the case of a plate subjected to a single concentrated force F at r  0 . The
resultant shear force acting on any cylindrical portion of the plate with radius r about the
plate-centre is 2rVr (r ) . As r  0 , one must have an infinite Vr so that this resultant is
finite and equal to the applied force F. An infinite shear force implies infinite stresses. It
is possible for the stresses at the centre of the plate to be infinite. However, although the
stresses and strain might be infinite, the displacements, which are obtained from the
strains through integration, can remain, and should remain, finite. Although the solution
will be “unreal” at the plate-centre, one can again use Saint-Venant’s principle to argue
that the solution obtained will be valid everywhere except in a small region near where
the force is applied.

Thus, seek a solution which has finite displacement in which case, by symmetry, the slope
at r  0 will be zero. From the general axisymmetric solution 6.6.15a,

dw 1
C (6.6.23)
dr r 0 r r 0

so C  0 .

From 6.6.16

2rVr r 0
 2A D  F (6.6.24)

Thus A  F / 2D and the moments and shear force become infinite at the plate-centre.

The other two constants can be obtained from the boundary conditions. For a clamped
plate, w  dw / dr  0 , and one finds that {▲Problem 7}

Solid Mechanics Part II 168 Kelly

 Section 6.6

w
F
16D
  
a 2  r 2  2r 2 ln r / a  (6.6.25)

This solution results in ln(r / a ) terms in the expressions for moments, giving
logarithmically infinite in-plane stresses at the plate-centre.

5. Plate with a Hole

For a plate with a hole in it, there will be four boundary conditions to determine the four
constants in Eqn. 6.6.14. For example, for a plate which is simply supported around the
outer edge r  b and free on the inner surface r  a , one has

M r (a )  0, Fr (a )  0
(6.6.26)
w(b)  0, M r (b)  0

6.6.4 Problems
1. Use the expressions 4.2.11-12, which relate second partial derivatives in the Cartesian
and polar coordinate systems, together with the strain transformation relations 4.2.17,
to derive the strain-curvature relations in polar coordinates, Eqn. 6.6.3.

2. Use the definitions of the moments, 6.6.1, and again relations 4.2.11-12, together with
the stress transformation relations 4.2.18, to derive the moment-curvature relations in
polar coordinates, Eqn. 6.6.4.

3. Derive Eqns. 6.6.6.

4. Use 6.2.33, 6.4.15-16 to derive the stresses in terms of moments and shear forces,
Eqns. 6.6.7-8.

5. Solve the simply supported solid plate problem and hence derive the constants 6.6.21.

6. Show that the solution for a simply supported plate (with no hole), Eqn. 6.6.22, can be
considered a superposition of the clamped solution, Eqn. 6.6.20, and a pure bending,
by taking an appropriate deflection at the plate-centre in the pure bending case.

7. Solve for the deflection in the case of a clamped solid circular plate loaded by a single
concentrated force, Eqn. 6.6.25.

Solid Mechanics Part II 169 Kelly