THEORY OF PLATES AND SHELLS

BASIC EQUATIONS

1. State of stress at a point

2. State of strain at a point
3. Stress – strain relationships
4. Displacements & strain – displacement relationships
5. Equilibrium equations
6. Strain compatibility equations
1. State of stress at a point

Consider the following body/structural member:

Pi – applied forces
Rj – possible support forces

An isolated section:

x – axis is normal to the

imaginary plane passing
through point Q
 ∆𝐅𝐱𝐱
Average distributed force per unit area (average stress) 𝛔𝐱𝐱 = ; where ΔA = ΔyΔz
∆𝐀

∆𝑭𝒙𝒙 𝒅𝑭𝒙𝒙
Stress at a point is obtained as ΔA → 0, that is: 𝝈𝒙𝒙 = 𝐥𝐢𝐦 = (normal stress)
∆𝑨→𝟎 ∆𝑨 𝒅𝑨

Total force on the entire exposed surface in x –direction: 𝑭𝒙𝒙 = ‫𝑨𝒅 𝒙𝒙𝝈 𝑨׬‬

𝒅𝑭𝒙𝒚 𝒅𝑭𝒙𝒛
Similarly: 𝝉𝒙𝒚 = and 𝝉𝒙𝒛 = - these are tangential (shear) stresses
𝒅𝑨 𝒅𝑨

Hence: 𝑭𝒙𝒚 = ‫ 𝑨𝒅 𝒚𝒙𝝉 𝑨׬‬and 𝑭𝒙𝒛 = ‫𝑨𝒅 𝒛𝒙𝝉 𝑨׬‬

Note: To describe the state of stress at point Q completely, it would be necessary to examine
other surfaces by making different planar slices

Stresses on the surface whose normal is in the y-direction will be:

𝝈𝒚, 𝝉𝒚𝒛 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝝉𝒚𝒙 .

Third orthogonal slice is made perpendicular to z-axis and respective stresses are:

𝝈𝒛, 𝝉𝒛𝒙 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝝉𝒛𝒚 .

Through coordinate transformation ,

it can be shown that this is sufficient
to determine the state of stress on
any surface intersecting point Q
State of stress at a point using three mutually orthogonal planes can be described by nine
distinct values of stress, in matrix form:

𝜎𝑥 𝜏𝑥𝑦 𝜏𝑥𝑧
𝜎 = 𝜏𝑦𝑥 𝜎𝑦 𝜏𝑦𝑧
𝜏𝑧𝑥 𝜏𝑧𝑦 𝜎𝑧

Furthermore, by considering element of finite dimension:

𝐹ഥ𝑥 , 𝐹ഥ𝑦 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐹ഥ𝑧 are

body forces per
unit volume.
Taking moments about z-axis (passing through the centre of mass:

∆𝑥 ∆𝑥 ∆𝑦 ∆𝑦
𝜏𝑥𝑦 ∆𝑦∆𝑧 + 𝜏𝑥𝑦 + ∆𝜏𝑥𝑦 ∆𝑦∆𝑧 − 𝜏𝑦𝑧 ∆𝑧∆𝑥 − 𝜏𝑦𝑥 + ∆𝜏𝑦𝑥 ∆𝑧∆𝑥 =0
2 2 2 2

Then, dividing by ∆𝑥∆𝑦∆𝑧 and simplifying:

∆𝜏𝑥𝑦 ∆𝜏𝑦𝑥
𝜏𝑥𝑦 + 2
= 𝜏𝑦𝑥 + 2

As ∆𝑥, ∆𝑦, ∆𝑧 → 0; ∆𝜏𝑥𝑦 → 0 and ∆𝜏𝑦𝑥 → 0. Hence: 𝝉𝒙𝒚 = 𝝉𝒚𝒙

Similarly: 𝝉𝒚𝒛 = 𝝉𝒛𝒚 and 𝝉𝒛𝒙 = 𝝉𝒙𝒛

Hence, only six quantities are necessary to establish state of stress at a point:

𝜎𝑥 𝜏𝑥𝑦 𝜏𝑥𝑧
𝜎 = 𝜏𝑥𝑦 𝜎𝑦 𝜏𝑦𝑧
𝜏𝑥𝑧 𝜏𝑦𝑧 𝜎𝑧
2. State of strain at a point

Stresses acting on a rectangular parallelepiped ∆𝑥∆𝑦∆𝑧 cause changes in size and in shape.

Normal stresses cause change in size, while shear stresses cause change in shape.

Consider 𝜎𝑥 : Element increases in size in x – direction, and

decreases in y - and z – directions;

Rate of increase in length is known as normal strains:

(𝜀𝑥, 𝜀𝑦, 𝜀𝑧 )

∆𝑥 ′ −∆𝑥
That is: 𝜀𝑥 = ; ∆𝑥 ′ = ∆𝑥 + 𝜀𝑥 ∆𝑥
∆𝑥

And similarly:

∆𝑦 ′ −∆𝑦
𝜀𝑦 = ; ∆𝑦 ′ = ∆𝑦 + 𝜀𝑦 ∆𝑦
∆𝑦

∆𝑧 ′ −∆𝑧
𝜀𝑧 = ; ∆𝑧 ′ = ∆𝑧 + 𝜀𝑧 ∆𝑧
∆𝑧
Shear stresses causes change in shape.
Shear strains 𝛾𝑥𝑦 is a measure of
Consider 𝜏𝑥𝑦 :
deviation of the stressed element from a
rectangular parallelepiped to
rhombohedron.

𝛾𝑥𝑦 = < 𝐵𝐴𝐷 − < 𝐵′ 𝐴′ 𝐷′ (in radians)

We note that similar to stress, the 9

𝜀𝑥 𝛾𝑥𝑦 𝛾𝑥𝑧 𝜀𝑥 𝛾𝑥𝑦 𝛾𝑥𝑧
components reduce to six – 3 linear
𝜀 = 𝛾𝑦𝑥 𝜀𝑦 𝛾𝑦𝑧 = 𝛾𝑥𝑦 𝜀𝑦 𝛾𝑦𝑧
strains and 3 shear strains
𝛾𝑧𝑥 𝛾𝑧𝑦 𝜀𝑧 𝛾𝑥𝑧 𝛾𝑦𝑧 𝜀𝑧
3. Stress – strain relationships

For linear, homogeneous, isotropic material:

1 𝜏𝑥𝑦
𝜀 𝑥 = 𝐸 𝜎𝑥 − 𝜗 𝜎𝑦 + 𝜎𝑧 𝛾𝑥𝑦 = E – modulus of elasticity
𝐺
(young’s modulus)
1 𝜏𝑦𝑧
𝜀 𝑦 = 𝐸 𝜎𝑦 − 𝜗 𝜎𝑧 + 𝜎𝑥 𝛾𝑦𝑧 = 𝐸
𝐺 ν – Poisson’s ratio 𝐺=
2 1+𝜗
1 𝜏𝑧𝑥
𝜀 𝑧 = 𝐸 𝜎𝑧 − 𝜗 𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦 𝛾𝑧𝑥 = G – shear modulus
𝐺

Expressing stresses in terms of strains::

𝐸
σ𝑥 = 1 − 𝜗 𝜀𝑥 − 𝜗 𝜀𝑦 + 𝜀𝑧 𝜏𝑥𝑦 = 𝐺𝛾𝑥𝑦
1+𝜗 1−2𝜗

𝐸
σ𝑦 = 1 − 𝜗 𝜀𝑦 − 𝜗 𝜀𝑧 + 𝜀𝑥 𝜏𝑦𝑧 = 𝐺𝛾𝑦𝑧
1+𝜗 1−2𝜗

𝐸
σ𝑧 = 1 − 𝜗 𝜀𝑧 − 𝜗 𝜀𝑥 + 𝜀𝑦 𝜏𝑧𝑥 = 𝐺𝛾𝑧𝑥
1+𝜗 1−2𝜗
In matrix notation:

1−𝜗 𝜗 𝜗 0 0 0
𝜗 1−𝜗 𝜗 0 0 0
σ𝑥 𝜀𝑥
𝜗 𝜗 1−𝜗 0 0 0
σ𝑦 𝜀𝑦
𝐸 1 − 2𝜗
σ𝑧 0 0 𝜀𝑧
𝜏𝑥𝑦 = 2 𝛾𝑥𝑦
1 + 𝜗 1 − 2𝜗 0 0 0
𝜏𝑦𝑧 1 − 2𝜗 𝛾𝑦𝑧
0 0 0 0 0
𝜏𝑧𝑥 0 0 0 2 𝛾𝑧𝑥
1 − 2𝜗
0 0
2

𝝈 = 𝑫𝜺
4. Displacement and strain-displacement relationships:

The cumulative effect of the strains caused by varying stresses throughout a structural member cause s
displacements of the points within the member. These displacements are related to the strains.

Considering small-displacement theory and xy-plane:

u, v – displacements of Q in x, y –
direction, resp.

Also u = u(x,y) and v = v(x,y) are

continuous functions
Using Taylor series expansion:

𝜕𝑢 1 𝜕2 𝑢 𝜕𝑣 1 𝜕2 𝑣
𝑢𝐷 = 𝑢 + ∆𝑥 + +⋯ and 𝑣𝐷 = 𝑣 + 𝜕𝑥 ∆𝑥 + +⋯
𝜕𝑥 2! 𝜕𝑥 2 2! 𝜕𝑥 2

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣
For small ∆x: 𝑢𝐷 = 𝑢 + 𝜕𝑥 ∆𝑥 and 𝑣𝐷 = 𝑣 + 𝜕𝑥 ∆𝑥

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣
Similarly: 𝑢𝐵 = 𝑢 + 𝜕𝑦 ∆𝑦 and 𝑣𝐵 = 𝑣 + 𝜕𝑦 ∆𝑦

𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
For small displacement theory: ∆𝑥 ≪ ∆𝑥 + 𝜕𝑥 ∆𝑥, hence Q’D’ = ∆𝑥 + 𝜕𝑥 ∆𝑥
𝜕𝑥

Therefore, the rate of elongation of QD is:

𝜕𝑢
𝑄′ 𝐷′ −𝑄𝐷 ∆𝑥+𝜕𝑥 ∆𝑥 −∆𝑥 𝜕𝑢
𝜀𝑥 = 𝑄𝐷
= ∆𝑥
and hence 𝜀𝑥 = 𝜕𝑥

𝜕𝑣
Similarly, the rate of elongation of QB is: 𝜀𝑦 = 𝜕𝑦
Reduction of angle BQD is defined as shear strain at point Q: i.e. 𝛾𝑥𝑦 = 𝛼 + 𝛽

𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑢
∆𝑥 𝜕𝑣 ∆𝑦 𝜕𝑢
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
Noting: 𝛼 ≈ tan 𝛼 = = and 𝛽 ≈ tan 𝛽 = = 𝜕𝑦
∆𝑥 𝜕𝑥 ∆𝑦

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣
Then: 𝛾𝑥𝑦 = 𝜕𝑦 + 𝜕𝑥

Similarly, if we consider the other planes – i.e. yz and zx:

𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑢
𝜀𝑧 = ; 𝛾𝑦𝑧 = + and 𝛾𝑧𝑥 = +
𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑧

Summarizing: the three linear strains and three shear strains, at a point of the body are related to the
three displacements u, v and w by the following expressions:

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑤
Normal strains: 𝜀𝑥 = 𝜕𝑥 , 𝜀𝑦 = 𝜕𝑦 , 𝜀𝑧 = 𝜕𝑧

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑢
Shear strains: 𝛾𝑥𝑦 = 𝜕𝑦 + 𝜕𝑥 , 𝛾𝑦𝑧 = 𝜕𝑧 + 𝜕𝑦 , 𝛾𝑧𝑥 = + 𝜕𝑧
𝜕𝑥
5. Equilibrium equations

Summation of forces in x-direction:

𝜕𝜎𝑥 𝜕𝜏𝑥𝑦 𝜕𝜏𝑥𝑧

𝜎𝑥 + ∆𝑥 ∆𝑦∆𝑧 + 𝜏𝑥𝑦 + ∆𝑦 ∆𝑧∆𝑥 + 𝜏𝑥𝑧 + ∆𝑧 ∆𝑥∆𝑦 −
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧

−𝜎𝑥 ∆𝑦∆𝑧 − 𝜏𝑥𝑦 ∆𝑧∆𝑥 − 𝜏𝑥𝑧 ∆𝑥∆𝑦 + 𝐹ഥ𝑥 ∆𝑥∆𝑦∆𝑧 = 0

Dividing by ∆𝑥∆𝑦∆𝑧 gives:

𝜕𝜎𝑥 𝜕𝜏𝑥𝑦 𝜕𝜏𝑥𝑧

+ + + 𝐹ഥ𝑥 = 0
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧

Similarly, in y- and z-directions:

𝜕𝜏𝑥𝑦 𝜕𝜎𝑦 𝜕𝜏𝑦𝑧

+ + + 𝐹ഥ𝑦 = 0
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧

𝜕𝜏𝑥𝑧 𝜕𝜏𝑦𝑧 𝜕𝜎𝑧

+ + + 𝐹ഥ𝑧 = 0
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
6. Strain compatibility equations

If u, v and w are given, then strain components are uniquely determined. But, if strain components are
arbitrary determined, the in general the displacement components cannot be uniquely determined.

If displacement components are to be single valued and continuous, then there must exist certain
interrelationships among the strain components known as strain compatibility equations:

𝜕2 𝛾𝑥𝑦 𝜕2 𝜀𝑥 𝜕2 𝜀𝑦 𝜕2 𝛾𝑦𝑧 𝜕2 𝜀𝑦 𝜕2 𝜀𝑧 𝜕2 𝛾𝑧𝑥 𝜕2 𝜀𝑧 𝜕2 𝜀𝑥

= + ; = + ; = +
𝜕𝑥𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 2 𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑧 2 𝜕𝑦 2 𝜕𝑧𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑧 2

𝜕2 𝜀𝑥 𝜕 𝜕𝛾𝑦𝑧 𝜕𝛾𝑧𝑥 𝜕𝛾𝑥𝑦 𝜕2 𝜀𝑦 𝜕 𝜕𝛾𝑦𝑧 𝜕𝛾𝑧𝑥 𝜕𝛾𝑥𝑦 𝜕2 𝜀𝑧 𝜕 𝜕𝛾𝑦𝑧 𝜕𝛾𝑧𝑥 𝜕𝛾𝑥𝑦

2 𝜕𝑦𝜕𝑧 = − + + ; 2 𝜕𝑧𝜕𝑥 = − + ; 2 𝜕𝑥𝜕𝑦 = 𝜕𝑧 + −
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧