Elasto-plastic response of uniformly loaded sector plates: full-section yield model predictions and spread of plasticity

The governing equations for an elasto-plastic large deflection analysis of pressure loaded sector plates, based on the Ilyushin full-section yield criterion and the flow theory of plasticity, are presented. An outline of the solution of these equations using a finite difference implementation of the dynamic relaxation algorithm is given. Numerical results are presented for uniformly loaded slender and stocky sector plates with a 60° sector angle. In particular, first yield data are presented as well as the results of two parameter studies. The first study shows the effects of flexural and in-plane edge conditions on the deflections and stress resultants/couples at the centre of the sector plate and the second contrasts the spread of plasticity in slender sector plates with simply supported and clamped in-plane fixed edges.