Deflections in Plates
Deflections in Plates
(OP)
I am analyzing the top of a 144" long, 36" wide, and 10 gage thick rectangular steel tank as shown in the attached sketch. There are 2-1/2" deep by 34" long stiffeners evenly spaced and welded to the underside of the plate. The edge restraints prevent vertical movement and movement parallel to the edge, but allow movement perpendicular to the edge. The top plate is loaded with a 3 psi upward load. The results show much larger stresses and deflections between the last stiffener and the restrained end of the plate. This does not make sense, but I do not know what the problem is.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?






RE: Deflections in Plates
Any thoughts?
RE: Deflections in Plates
That being said. Does your FEA package allow for non-linear FEA? Thin plates with large deflections are non-linear problems and are more complex than linear static analysis.
If you don't have access to a non-linear FEA package. You might have some success with traditional hand calcs based on Timoshenko's Theory of Plates and Shells. You may be able to find the formulas online.
-Dustin
Professional Engineer
Certified SolidWorks Professional
Certified COSMOSWorks Designer Specialist
Certified SolidWorks Advanced Sheet Metal Specialist
RE: Deflections in Plates
Rob Stupplebeen
RE: Deflections in Plates
The problems may be due to my inexperience with SolidWorks Simulation.
Shaggy PE: I did post it on the other forum. Thanks. The version of simulation we see does not have nonlinear analysis, but it does have large deflection capability.
stupplebeen: Used the same boundary condition for oppossite sides. Tired symmetry but Simulation crashed.
RE: Deflections in Plates
Eric
RE: Deflections in Plates
All the edges have the same retraint but the deflections in the two end regions are not the same. The deflections in one of the end regions is more than double the other.
RE: Deflections in Plates
Best regards,