72019

With Amendments A and B

December 1994
Supersedes ESDU Struct. 02.01.01,
Struct. 02.01.19 to 21
and Struct. 02.01.38 to 45
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

Buckling of flat isotropic plates under

uniaxial and biaxial loading

Associated software: ESDUpac A8147

Endorsed by
The Royal Aeronautical Society
 72019
ESDU DATA ITEMS

Data Items provide validated information in engineering design and analysis for use by, or under the supervision of,
professionally qualified engineers. The data are founded on an evaluation of all the relevant information, both published and
unpublished, and are invariably supported by original work of ESDU staff engineers or consultants. The whole process is
subject to independent review for which crucial support is provided by industrial companies, government research
laboratories, universities and others from around the world through the participation of some of their leading experts on ESDU
Technical Committees. This process ensures that the results of much valuable work (theoretical, experimental and
operational), which may not be widely available or in a readily usable form, can be communicated concisely and accurately
to the engineering community.
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

We are constantly striving to develop new work and review data already issued. Any comments arising out of your use of our
data, or any suggestions for new topics or information that might lead to improvements, will help us to provide a better service.

THE PREPARATION OF THIS DATA ITEM

The work on this particular Data Item, which supersedes Data Items Nos Struct 02.01.01, Struct 02.01.19 to 21 and Struct
02.01.38 to 45, was monitored and guided by the Aerospace Structures Committee, which first met in 1940 and now has the
following membership:

Chairman
Mr J.H. van der Sloot — Fokker B.V., Schiphol, The Netherlands

Vice-Chairman
Mr J.K. Bennett — Independent

Members
Dr P. Bartholomew — Royal Aerospace Establishment
Mr A. Dickson — British Aerospace Defence Ltd
Mr K. Fitzsimons — Westland Helicopters Ltd
Mr P.J. Mitchelmore — Independent
Mr B. Popham — British Aerospace Space Systems Ltd
Mr M.S. Pressnell — University of Hertfordshire
Professor A. Rothwell — Technische Universiteit Delft, The Netherlands
Mr P. Stocking — Cranfield University
Mr K. van Katwijk* — European Space Agency, Noordwijk, The Netherlands.
*
Corresponding Member

The technical work involved in the assessment of the available information and the construction and subsequent development
of the Data Item was undertaken by

Mr M.E. Grayley — Director and Head of Strength Analysis Group.

 72019
BUCKLING OF FLAT ISOTROPIC PLATES UNDER UNIAXIAL AND BIAXIAL
LOADING

CONTENTS
Page
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

1. NOTATION 1

2. NOTES 2

3. DERIVATION 4

4. EXAMPLES 4
4.1 Elastic Restraint Against Rotation – Longitudinal Loading 4
4.2 Simply-Supported Plate, Biaxially Loaded, with Correction for Plasticity Effects 5

i
 72019
BUCKLING OF FLAT ISOTROPIC PLATES UNDER UNIAXIAL AND BIAXIAL
LOADING

1. NOTATION

Ar cross-sectional area of transverse member m2 in2

ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

a plate length in x-direction m in

b plate width in y -direction m in
E Young’s modulus in compression of plate material N/m2 lbf/in2
fn stress at which E t = ½E , (see Item No. 76016) N/m2 lbf/in2

fx stress in x-direction at which buckling occurs allowing N/m2 lbf/in2

for plasticity
f xe , f ye combination of compressive stresses in x - and N/m2 lbf/in2
y-directions at which plate first buckles assuming linear
elasticity
f0 elastic buckling stress of a long simply-supported plate N/m2 lbf/in2
under uniaxial compression defined by

π2 E  t 2
f 0 = -------------------------  ---
3 ( 1 – ν )  b
2

M elastic stiffness per unit length against rotation of edges (N m/rad)/m (lbf in/rad)/in
parallel to x -axis
m material characteristic, (see Item No. 76016)
N elastic stiffness per unit length against lateral movement (N/m)/m (lbf/in)/in
of edges parallel to x-axis
s number of half waves into which plate buckles along
length
t plate thickness m in
η plasticity reduction factor defined by f x = ηf xe
µL elastic edge lateral restraint coefficient defined by
Nb
µ L = -------
Et
µR elastic edge rotational restraint coefficient defined by
2
12M ( 1 – ν )b
µ R = -------------------------------------
3
Et
ν Poisson’s ratio for plate material
Both SI and British units are quoted but any coherent system of units may be used.
Issued August 1972
With Amendments A and B, December 1994
1
 72019
2. NOTES

This Item gives the elastic buckling stresses of flat isotropic plates under combinations of in-plane direct
loadings. Data are given in non-dimensional form for several combinations of the basic edge conditions,
namely clamped, simply-supported and free edges, and for longitudinally loaded plates with elastic restraint
on the unloaded edges. Data are also provided to correct the buckling stress for the effects of plasticity.

Figures 1 and 2 provide data on the elastic buckling stresses of plates subjected to uniaxial loading when
the unloaded sides have either lateral or rotational restraint, represented by the restraint coefficients µ L
and µ R , respectively, acting along them. Figure 3 relates to long plates ( a/b greater than about 3) having
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

any combination of these restraints. The combination µ L = 0 , µ R = 0 corresponds to

simply-supported edges, whilst µ L = 0 , µ R = ∞ corresponds to edges clamped against rotation. When
a plate is elastically restrained in a lateral direction, the application of a longitudinal load induces loads in
the direction of restraint. This effect is allowed for in Figures 1 and 3.

Figures 4 to 9 give elastic buckling data for plates with their shorter edges clamped or simply-supported
and their longer edges clamped, free or simply-supported. Figures 4 and 5 are for uniaxial loading and
Figures 6 to 9 for biaxial loading.

Table 2.1 explains the abbreviations used for the edge restraints and Table 2.2 summarises the edge and
loading conditions treated and will enable the user to locate the required figure readily.

The plate buckles into s half waves in the x -direction and the value of s is indicated on the figures. The
plate buckles into one half-wave across its width except for some biaxial loading cases where a/b < 1 . In
these cases it is advisable to interchange a and b to ascertain the number of transverse buckles.

Lateral restraint occurs when transverse members of cross section A r are attached to the ends, of width b ,
of the plate. The restraint provided by such members is transmitted to the plate along the sides of length a
and, when averaged over the plate length, it can be represented by N = EA r /ab , where the value of E
is appropriate to the transverse members.

For a uniaxially loaded plate, the plasticity reduction factor, η , may be obtained from Figure 10 and applied
directly to the elastic buckling stress f xe . The following approach is recommended when the plate is
subjected to biaxial loading.

It is first necessary to determine from one of Figures 6 to 9 the stress f xe necessary to buckle the plate for
a given value of f ye . Figure 10 must then be read, in the following three stages, using a value of stress ratio
f ye /f xe calculated from the buckling curve results.

(a) Construct a vertical line at the value of f xe /f n to intersect the line f ye /f xe = 0 .

(b) Traverse horizontally until the required stress ratio is reached.

(c) Construct a second vertical line from this point to intersect the curve of the required value of m
and read the plasticity reduction factor, η , directly.

Provided Figure 10 is used without extrapolation of the f ye /f xe construction, the errors in the plasticity
reduction factor for biaxially loaded plates are not expected to exceed 5 per cent. These errors are
conservative for negative ratios but non-conservative for positive ratios. Also for a positive ratio the error
is likely to be reduced below the value for a similar negative ratio.

2
 72019
For the free edge cases of Figure 5, a value of ν of 0.3 has been assumed. Values of ν different from this
are unlikely to result in errors in f xe of greater than 5 per cent.

The elastic buckling loads provided by this Data Item may be computed using the program of ESDUpac
A8147. The program is available in two formats: (a) a Fortran source code with example input and output
files, and (b) an executable program for PCs. Both versions can be found on the Compact Disc and on disk
in the Sub-series Software Volume. The program deals with any combination of in-plane loads acting on
panels with symmetrical combinations of clamped and simply-supported edges. Up to 50 loading cases can
be examined in a single run. ESDUpac A8147 is associated with Data Item No. 81047 “Buckling of flat
rectangular plates (isotropic, orthotropic and laminated composite plates and sandwich panels)”.
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

TABLE 2.1

Edge Restraints Abbreviations

Simply-supported SS
Clamped C
Free F
Elastic restraint in lateral direction ( µ L ) ERL
Elastic restraint in rotation ( µ R ) ERR
Elastic restraint in lateral direction and in rotation ( µ L and µ R ) ERLR

TABLE 2.2

Edge Side
Applied Restraint Conditions Restraint Coefficients Figure
Loading Number
Ends (b) Sides (a) µL µR

Uniaxial SS ERL 0 to ∞ 0 1
SS ERLR 0 to ∞ ∞ 1
SS SS 0 0 2
SS ERR 0 0 to ∞ 2
SS C 0 ∞ 2
SS ERLR 0 to ∞ 0 to ∞ 3
C SS – – 4
C C – – 4
SS F, S S – – 5
SS F, C – – 5
Biaxial SS SS – – 6
SS C – – 7
C SS – – 8
C C – – 9

3
 72019
3. DERIVATION

This section lists selected sources that have assisted in the preparation of this Item.

1. COX, H.L. Buckling of a flat rectangular plate under axial compression and its
behaviour after buckling. ARC R & M 2041, 1945.
2. LIBOVE, C. Charts for critical combinations of longitudinal and transverse
STEIN, M. direct stress for flat rectangular plates. NACA ARR L6A05, 1946.
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

3. STOWELL, E.Z. A unified theory of plastic buckling of columns and plates. NACA
Rep. 898, 1948.
4. TIMOSHENKO, S. Theory of elastic stability. Second edition, McGraw-Hill, New
York, 1961.
5. BULSON, P.S. The stability of flat plates. Chatto and Windus, London, 1970.

4. EXAMPLES

4.1 Elastic Restraint Against Rotation – Longitudinal Loading

It is required to find the elastic buckling stress of a 300 × 200 × 5 mm plate, elastically restrained against
rotation but free in translation along its longer edges and simply-supported on its shorter edges. The true
restraint lies between the two limit cases of M = 10 000 (N m/rad)/m and M = 18 000 (N m/rad)/m
and the material properties are E = 69 000 MN/m2 and ν = 0.33 .

2
12 × 10 000 × ( 1 – 0.33 ) × 0.2
Case (i) µ R = ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- = 2.48
6 3 –9
69 000 × 10 × 5 × 10
2
12 × 18 000 × ( 1 – 0.33 ) × 0.2
and case (ii) µ R = ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- = 4.46 .
6 3 –9
69 000 × 10 × 5 × 10

Thus, for a/b = 1.5 , interpolation from Figure 2 gives,

for case (i),

f xe /f 0 = 1.22

and, for case (ii),

f xe /f 0 = 1.28 .

2 2
π × 69 000  5 
Now, f 0 = -------------------------------- ×  --------- = 159 MN/m2
3 ( 1 – 0.33 )  200
2

so that, for case (i), the buckling stress is

1.22 × 159 = 194 MN/m2

4
 72019
and, for case (ii), the buckling stress is

1.28 × 159 = 204 MN/m2.

The true value of f xe lies between these two stresses.

4.2 Simply-Supported Plate, Biaxially Loaded, with Correction for Plasticity Effects

It is required to determine the stresses that, when applied to the short sides of a plate, will cause buckling
when, firstly, the long sides are subjected to a compressive stress of 80 MN/m2 and, secondly, they are
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

subjected to a tensile stress of 80 MN/m2. The plate sides are all simply-supported and its dimensions are
390 × 200 × 7.5 mm. The material properties are E = 72 400 MN/m2, f n = 405 MN/m2, ν = 0.34
and m = 16 .

2 2
π × 72 400  7.5 
Thus, f 0 = -------------------------------- ×  --------- = 379 MN/m2
2
3 ( 1 – 0.34 )  200

giving, for case (i),

f ye /f 0 = 0.211 (compressive)

and, for case (ii),

f ye /f 0 = – 0.211 (tensile).

Thus, for a/b = 1.95 , interpolation from Figure 6 gives,

for case (i),

f xe /f 0 = 0.7 so that f xe = 265 MN/m2 (compressive)

and, for case (ii),

f xe /f 0 = 1.2 so that f xe = 455 MN/m2 (compressive).

It is possible to correct these stresses for the effects of plasticity as described in Section 2. It is first necessary
to calculate the stress ratios f ye /f xe and f xe /f n as follows.

For case (i),

f ye /f xe = 0.301 and f xe /f n = 0.654 ,

and, for case (ii),

f ye /f xe = – 0.176 and f xe /f n = 1.123 .

5
 72019
Following the three stages (a), (b) and (c) outlined in Section 2 for the application of Figure 10, with a
material constant of m = 16 , the plasticity reduction factors to be applied to f xe are obtained.

Thus, for case (i),

η = 1.0 , giving f x = 1.0 × 265 = 265 MN/m2,

and, for case (ii),
η = 0.815 , giving f x = 0.815 × 455 = 371 MN/m2.
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

It is important to note that the constructions used to determine η do not involve in either case any
extrapolation of the f ye /f xe curves, thus restricting any errors in η .

6
 72019
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

FIGURE 1 UNIAXIAL COMPRESSION. ENDS SIMPLY-SUPPORTED, SIDES ELASTICALLY RESTRAINED

AGAINST LATERAL MOTION AND EITHER FIXED OR FREE IN ROTATION

7
 72019
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

FIGURE 2 UNIAXIAL COMPRESSION. ENDS SIMPLY-SUPPORTED, SIDES ELASTICALLY

RESTRAINED AGAINST ROTATION BUT FREE TO MOVE LATERALLY

8
 72019
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

FIGURE 3 UNIAXIAL COMPRESSION OF LONG PLATES. ENDS SIMPLY-SUPPORTED, SIDES

ELASTICALLY RESTRAINED AGAINST ROTATION AND LATERAL MOTION

9
 ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

10
FIGURE 4 UNIAXIAL COMPRESSION. ENDS CLAMPED
72019
 ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

11
FIGURE 5 UNIAXIAL COMPRESSION. ENDS SIMPLY-SUPPORTED
72019
 ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

12
FIGURE 6 BIAXIAL COMPRESSION. ENDS AND SIDES SIMPLY-SUPPORTED
f0
fye
72019
 ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

13
FIGURE 7 BIAXIAL COMPRESSION. ENDS SIMPLY-SUPPORTED, SIDES CLAMPED
72019
 ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

14
FIGURE 8 BIAXIAL COMPRESSION. ENDS CLAMPED, SIDES SIMPLY-SUPPORTED
72019
 ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

15
FIGURE 9 BIAXIAL COMPRESSION. ENDS AND SIDES CLAMPED
72019
 ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.
16

72019
FIGURE 10 PLASTICITY REDUCTION FACTOR
 72019
KEEPING UP TO DATE

Whenever Items are revised, subscribers to the service automatically receive the material required to update the appropriate
Volumes. If you are in any doubt as to whether or not your ESDU holding is up to date, please contact us.

Please address all technical engineering enquiries and suggestions to:

ESDU International plc Tel: 020 7490 5151 (from the UK)
+44 20 7490 5151 (from outside the UK)
Fax: 020 7490 2701 (from the UK)
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

+44 20 7490 2701 (from outside the UK)

E-Mail: [email protected]
Website: www.esdu.com

For users in the USA, please address all Customer Service and Support enquiries and suggestions to:

IHS Engineering Products Tel: 1 800 525 7052 (toll free number)
and Fax: 1 303 397 2599
Global Engineering Documents Website: www.ihs.com
www.global.ihs.com
 72019
Buckling of flat isotropic plates under uniaxial and biaxial loading
ESDU 72019

ISBN 0 85679 029 X, ISSN 0141-4097

Available as part of the ESDU Series on Structures. For information on all ESDU
validated engineering data contact ESDU International plc, 27 Corsham Street,
London N1 6UA.

Data are provided on the elastic buckling load of flat rectangular isotropic plates
subject to in-plane uniaxial or biaxial loading. Six combinations of clamped and
simply-supported edge conditions and four combinations of simply supported
and elastically restrained against rotation edge conditions are dealt with. Data
ESDU product release: 2005-01. For current status, contact ESDU. Observe Copyright.

are also provided for correcting the elastic buckling stress to account for material
yielding for materials that exhibit a smooth continuous stress-strain curve.

ESDUpac A8147, which is associated with Data Item No. 81047, provides a
computer program for calculating the elastic buckling loading of isotropic plates
subject to uniaxial and biaxial loadings. The program is available compiled
within the ESDUview user-friendly environment.

© ESDU International plc, 2004

All rights are reserved. No part of any Data Item may be reprinted, reproduced, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, optical, electronic or mechanical including photocopying,
recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without permission from ESDU
International plc in writing. Save for such permission all copyright and other intellectual
property rights belong to ESDU International plc.