DYNAMIC RESPONSE OF REISSNER–MINDLIN PLATES UNDER THERMOMECHANICAL LOADING AND RESTING ON ELASTIC FOUNDATIONS

This paper deals with the dynamic response of Reissner–Mindlin plates exposed to thermomechanical loading and resting on a Pasternak-type elastic foundation. The mechanical loads consist of transverse partially distributed impulsive loads and in-plane edge loads while the temperature field is assumed to exhibit a linear variation through the thickness of the plate. The formulations are based on the Reissner–Mindlin plate theory, considering the first order shear deformation effect and including the plate–foundation interaction and thermal effects. The Modal Superposition Approach and State Variable Approach are both used to determine the dynamic response of the plate. Some subset problems such as buckling, free vibration and static bending are also discussed and the solutions are given in closed form. The numerical illustrations concern moderately thick plates with all four edges simply supported and resting on Pasternak-type elastic foundations with the Winkler elastic foundations being a limiting case. Effects of foundation stiffness, transverse shear deformation, plate aspect ratio, shape and duration of impulsive load, loaded area, and initial membrane stress as well as thermal bending stress on the dynamic response of Reissner–Mindlin plates are studied.