Int. J. of Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 2020, vol.25, No.4, pp.

84-95
DOI: 10.2478/ijame-2020-0051

ELASTIC BUCKLING ANALYSIS OF UNIAXIALLY COMPRESSED

CCCC STIFFENED ISOTROPIC PLATES

V.T. IBEABUCHI*
Department of Civil Engineering
Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike
NIGERIA
E-mail: [email protected]

O.M. IBEARUGBULEM
Department of Civil Engineering
Federal University of Technlogy Owerri
P.M.B. 1526, Owerri, Imo State, NIGERIA

C. EZEAH and O.O. UGWU

Department of Civil Engineering
Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike
P.M.B. 1010, Abakaliki, NIGERIA

This paper reports a research study that investigated buckling of stiffened rectangular isotropic plates
elastically restrained along all the edges (CCCC) under uniaxial in-plane load, using the work principle approach.
The stiffeners were assumed to be rigidly connected to the plate. Analyses for critical buckling of stiffened plates
were carried out by varying parameters, such as the number of stiffeners, stiffness properties and aspect ratios.
The study involved a theoretical derivation of a peculiar shape function by applying the boundary conditions of
the plate on Taylor Maclaurin’s displacement function and substituted on buckling equation derived to obtain
buckling solutions. The present solutions were validated using a trigonometric function in the energy method
from previous works. Coefficients, K, were compared for various numbers of stiffeners and the maximum
percentage difference obtained within the range of aspect ratios of 1.0 to 2.0 is shown in Figs 2 - 7. A number of
numerical examples were presented to demonstrate the accuracy and convergence of the current solutions.

Key words: buckling, governing equation, polynomial function, uniaxially stiffened plate, work principle
method.

1. Introduction

Stiffened plates are a critical class of structural elements widely used in aerospace, marine, nuclear,
mechanical and structural engineering (Zhang and Lin [1]). Research in stiffened plate construction has
gained attention in recent years as a result of its economic and structural benefits. The advantage of
stiffening a plate lies in achieving an economical, lightweight design. A number of methods have been
suggested from literature for the prediction of the global buckling load of stiffened plates.
A numerical approach such as the conventional finite element method is a versatile method and has
been widely used in the study of stiffened plates to obtain approximate solutions as in Guo and Harik [2],
Wang and Yuan [3].The FEM is computationally efficient for predicting buckling coefficients irrespective of
boundary conditions, stiffeners shapes and orientation. However, it requires great computational efforts and

*
To whom correspondence should be addressed
Elastic buckling analysis of uniaxially compressed… 85

lengthy simulation time, due to the large number of finite units involved. Bisagni and Vescovini [4]
presented an analytical formulation for local buckling and post-buckling analysis of stiffened laminated
panels and noted that the FEM procedure is somewhat slowed down by the mesh generation time. In recent
work, Deng et al. [5] noted that in the design of stiffened system that it is not efficient to employ the FEM
during the preliminary design stage, since the dimensions of the stiffened panels and stiffeners are not
finalized to be optimally designed. Hence, the need for analytical formulations which gives exact solutions.
The analytical solutions for buckling are presented in [4, 6-9]. A number of researchers have used
both single and double Fourier series as displacement functions to evaluate the values of buckling
coefficients for stiffened systems, but no theoretical solutions exist for more complicated boundary
conditions of stiffened plates as in Nildem [10], Bisagni and Vescovini [4]. Analytical methods such as the
energy method from literature covered only few cases of edge supports. Most researchers have applied a
trigonometric shape function in analyzing stiffened plates with all edges simply supported. However, it is
difficult to apply the trigonometric shape function in analyzing stiffened plates with complex boundary
conditions.
ANSI/AISC 360-16 [11] recommended elastic and inelastic analyses as two approaches to the direct
analysis method in solving stability problems. Hence, the main objective of this work is to present solutions
for buckling analysis of stiffened rectangular isotropic plates elastically restrained along all the edges using
the work principle and polynomial function intended for design of stiffened systems in accordance with
AASHTO [12] specifications.

2. Governing equation

The stiffened plate with all edges clamped and having a stiffener (s) running in longitudinal direction
is shown in Fig.1. In this study, stiffeners are considered as line continuum.

a): Plate with one longitudinal stiffener b): Plate with two longitudinal stiffeners
Fig.1.Stiffened plates with all edges clamped under in - plane load.

The equation presented in Ventsel and Krauthammer [9] that describes the behaviour of a thin elastic
plate under in - plane load along the x – coordinate based on Kirchhoff’s and Venant hypothesis can be
written as

 4 w 4 w 4 w  2w
D  4  2 2 2  4   Nx 2  0 . (2.1)
 x x y y  x

From the principles of the theory of elasticity, the governing equation for a linear continuum on a
plate element is derived as

n
 4 w Ai  2 w 
 EI
 i 4
x
 N x .
bh x 2 
 0, (2.2)
i 0  y ci
86 V.T.Ibeabuchi, O.M.Ibearugbulem, C.Ezeah and O.O.Ugwu

ci is the distance of the stiffeners from the edge y = 0, b and h are the width and thickness of the plate,
respectively.
Applying super position principle, Eqs (2.1) and (2.2) are added to give

n
 4 w 4 w 4 w  2w  4 w A 2w 
D  4  2 2 2  4   Nx 2    EIi bx4  N x . bhi 
x 2  y ci
0. (2.3)
 x x y y  x i 0 

Expressing the independent coordinates whose length in the x and y directions are a and b in the
form of non-dimensional coordinates R and Q, yields

y  bQ; 0  Q  1, (2.4)

x  aR, 0  R  1. (2.5)

As in Timoshenko and Gere [6], let the aspect ratio be represented as

Pa , that is a=Pb. (2.6)

b

Applying Eqs (2.4)- (2.6) in Eq.(2.3) and expanding we obtain

n
1 4 w 2 4 w 4 w 1  4 w 
 .   .  i  
P 4 R 4 P 2 R 2Q 2 Q 4 P 4 i 1  R 4 Q ci


n  2w 
b2 N x  2 w b2 N x
+ . .  . . i  
P 2 D R 2 P 2 D i 1  R 2 Q ci
0 (2.7)

where;

EIi
i  = ratio of bending stiffness rigidity of stiffeners to the plate,
Db

Ai
i  = ratio of cross-sectional area of the stiffeners to the plate.
bh

2.1. Work principle

For the combined action of work done by the compressive and resistive force on the stiffened system
through a distance w, applied in Eq.(2.7) as in [13], we get

 A2  4 H 2 A2 4 H 2 H . H
4
A2
n
 H . 4 H  
 4 .H
 P  R 4

P 2
. H
R 2
Q 2
 A
 Q 4

P 4
.   i
 R 4  
1 i 1  Q ci 
   ei (2.8)
2  b 2 N A2  2 H b2 N x 2
n
 H . 2 H  
 
P 2
. x
D
. H
 R 2

P 2
.
D
. A  i
 R 2  
 i 1  Q ci 
Elastic buckling analysis of uniaxially compressed… 87

where: w is the deflection function, and equals AH; "ei" is the introduced error, “i” is the number of points on
the continuum. Integrating Eq.(2.8) twice with respect to R and Q and minimizing, we obtain

1 1 H 4 H 4 H 2 H . H
4
1  H . 4 H  

n
D  0  .
0  P 2 R 4
 2 H.
R 2Q 2
 P
Q 4

P2
. 
i 1 i


  RQ
R 4 Q ci 
N x cri     . (2.9)
1 1  2
H . H  2
H . H  

n
b 2  
0 0  R 2
  
i 1 i


R 2 Q ci 
 RQ
 

Equation (2.9) is the buckling equation for a rectangular plate stiffened longitudinally.

2.2. Displacement function for CCCC stiffened plate

A formulated polynomial shape function for rectangular plates from Taylor-McLaurin’s series was
introduced in the work of Ibearugbulem et al. [13, 14] for solution of rectangular thin isotropic plates
subjected to in-plane loading. The displacement function which satisfies Eq.(2.9) and approximately
describes the deflection of the stiffened plate under in-plane loading is given as

4 4
w ambn R mQ n . (2.10)
m 0 n 0

By expanding Eq.(2.10) we get25-term finite series, for m = n=4

w  a0 b0  a0 b1Q  a0 b2Q 2  a0 b3Q 3  a0 b4Q 4  a1b0 R 

 a1b1 RQ  a1b2 RQ 2  a1b3 RQ 3  a1b4 RQ 4  a2b0 R 2 
 a2b1 R 2Q  a2b2 R 2Q 2  a2b3 R 2Q 3  a2b4 R 2Q 4  a3b0 R 3  a3b1 R 3Q  (2.11)
 a3b2 R 3Q 2  a3b3 R 3Q 3  a3b4 R 3Q 4  a4 b0 R 4  a4 b1 R 4Q 
 a4 b2 R 4Q 2  a4 b3 R 4Q 3  a4 b4 R 4Q 4 .

Boundary conditions along the R – direction

 w 
   0, (2.12)
 R  R 0 or 1

 w  R 0 or 1  0. (2.13)

Boundary conditions along the Q – direction

 w 
 Q   0. (2.14)
 Q 0 or 1

By applying Eqs (2.12) - (2.15) for all edged clamped system in Eq.(2.11) we get

 
w  A R 2  2R3  R4 Q 2  2Q 3  Q 4 .  (2.15)
88 V.T.Ibeabuchi, O.M.Ibearugbulem, C.Ezeah and O.O.Ugwu

3. Formation of stability equation for CCCC stiffened plate

The numerical formulations for the stiffened systems arrangements shown in Fig.1 were carried out
for the case of one stiffener, two stiffeners and three stiffeners.

3.1. Case of one stiffener

Consider Fig.1a, the stiffener divides the plate into two equal parts.

For The Stiffener /Rib: when there is only one stiffener for 1  Q  1 ; 1  R  1, we have;

 H  y b
2
 
  H Q  1  R 2  2R 3  R 4 Q 2  2Q 3  Q 4
2
  
 0.0625 R 2  2R 3  R 4 , (3.1)

11
 2H 
 H . 2
R
  0.7440*10 4 , (3.2)
00 Q  1
2

11
 4 H 
 H . 4
R
  0.003125, (3.3)
00 Q  1
2

For The Plate Element: We have;

11
4 H
 H.
R 4
RQ  0.0012698, (3.4)
00

11
4 H
 H.
Q 4
RQ  0.0012698, (3.5)
00

11
4 H
 H.
R 2Q 2
RQ  0.00036281, (3.6)
00

11
2H
 H.
R 2
RQ  3.0234*10 5. (3.7)
00

Substituting Eqs (3.2) - (3.7) into Eq.(2.9), yielded

 0.0012698
D  2 0.00036281  P 2  0.0012698  
0.003125  γ 
2 
 P P2 ,
Nx  2 5 4 
(3.8)
b 3.0234*10  0.744*10 δ
 
Elastic buckling analysis of uniaxially compressed… 89

 0.0012698
D  7.2562*10 4  P 2 0.0012698  
0.003125  γ 
2 
 P P2 ,
 2 5 4 
(3.9)
b 3.0234*10  0.744*10 δ
 

2 D  4.2554  2.4317 P  4.2554P  10.4726 γ 

2 4
N x cri   2 2 ,
b P 1  2.4608δ (3.10)

 4.2554  2.4317 P 2  4.2554P 4  10.4726 γ 

K  . (3.11)
P 1  2.4608 δ 
2

3.2. Case of two stiffeners

As shown in Fig.1b, C1 and C2 are the distances of the stiffeners from the edge y =0.
Stiffeners are assumed to be symmetrical, hence

1 2
1  2  δ and 1  γ 2  γ : C1  , C2  .
3 3

Following the same procedure in section (3.1), we obtain the equations as follows

 H QC1  0.04938  R 2  2R3  R4  , (3.12)

 H QC 2  0.04938  R 2  2R3  R4  , (3.13)

11 11
 2H   2H 
 H . 2
R
 
RQ   H . 2
 R  RQ   0.46445*10 4 , (3.14)
00 Q C1 00 Q C 2

11 11
 4 H   4 H 
 H . 4
R
 
RQ   H . 4
 R  RQ  0.0019507 / . (3.15)
00 Q C1 00 Q C 2

Substituting Eqs (3.14), (3.15) and Eqs (3.4) - (3.7) into Eq.(2.9), gave

 0.0012698 
D 2
 2  0.00036281  P 2  0.0012698    0.0019507*2   
N x cri    P
2 5 4
, (3.16)
b 3.0234*10  0.46445*10 *2 
 

 2 D 4.2554  2.4317 P  4.2554P  13.0745  

2 4
N x cri   2 2 . (3.17)
b P 1  3.0724δ
90 V.T.Ibeabuchi, O.M.Ibearugbulem, C.Ezeah and O.O.Ugwu

3.3. Case of three stiffeners

For the case of three stiffeners, stiffeners will divide the plate into four equal parts

1 1 3
1  2  3  ; γ 2  γ 2  γ3   : C1  , C2  , C3  .
4 2 4

Following the same procedure as above, we obtain

 2 D 4.2554  2.4317 P  4.2554P  17.1000  

2 4
N x cri   . (3.18)
b2 P 2 1  4.0180

4. Results and discussion

Polynomial functions have been successfully applied in analytical methods for the study of thin
plates [14 - 16]. However, this study presented buckling analysis for CCCC stiffened plates using the
polynomial function and the general solution can be written as

2 D
N x  cri   K (4.1)
b2

where K is the buckling coefficients from the polynomial function for different numbers of stiffeners.
Ibearugbulem et al. [14] presented total energy functional from Ritz Method for buckling analysis of
thin rectangular plates. Applying energy functional for stiffeners given in Iyengar [16] and solving gave
analytical solution in Eq.(4.2)

1 1 
2 2 2 2
 2   2   2   2H 
D  1 .   H   2   H   P2   H  1

n

b2  0 0  P2 2
 R   RQ   Q 
2
 2.
P i 1
i  2 
 R 
 RQ

N x  cri    Q ci 
. (4.2)
1 1   H  
2 2
 H 

n
 
0 0  R 

 
i 1
i 
 R


 RQ

Q ci 

By applying the trigonometric function from Iyengar [16] for CCCC boundary conditions as given in
Eq.(4.3) into Eq.(4.2), we obtained buckling solutions for the various numbers of stiffeners in Eqs (4.4) –
(4.6)

H  1  cos 2πR  . 1  cos 2πQ  . (4.3)

One stiffener

4 π 2 D 1  2 / 3P  P  8 / 3  
2 4
N x  cri    . (4.4)
b2 P 2 1  8 / 3 

Two stiffeners

π 2 D 1  2 / 3P  P  3  
2 4
N x  cri   4 2  . (4.5)
b P 2 1  3  
Elastic buckling analysis of uniaxially compressed… 91

Three stiffeners

 2 D 1  2 / 3P  P  4  
2 4
N x  cri   4 2  . (4.6)
b P 2 1  4  

The general solution of the trigonometric shape function is written as

2 D
N x cri   KT . (4.7)
b2

Comparing the buckling coefficients K of the present study which made use of the polynomial
function in work principle with KT from an analytical solution that used a trigonometric function, shows
good agreement. The average percentage difference is 0.446% for 0.1 ≤ P ≤ 2.0 for the CCCC boundary
conditions. Figure 2 shows good convergence for the case of one longitudinal stiffener dividing the plate into
two equal parts having, γ = 5, δ = 0.05. The average percentage difference for the case of two stiffeners is –
0.006 with γ =10, δ = 0.10 as shown in Fig.3

Case of one stiffener

6000
Buckling Coefficients, K & KT

5000

4000

3000 Present

2000 Iyengar[16]

1000

0
0,1 0,4 0,7 1 1,3 1,6 1,9
Aspect Ratio (P=a/b)

Fig.2. Buckling coefficients vs aspect ratio for CCCC stiffened plate for γ = 5, δ =0.05.

Case of two stiffeners

12000
Buckling Coefficients, K & KT

10000

8000
6000 Present
Iyengar [16]
4000
2000
0
0,1 0,5 0,9 1,3 1,7
Aspect Ratio (P=a/b)

Fig.3. Buckling coefficients vs aspect ratio for CCCC stiffened plate for γ = 10, δ =0.1.
92 V.T.Ib
beabuchi, O.M
M.Ibearugbulem
m, C.Ezeah an
nd O.O.Ugwuu

Thee behaviour of o buckling coefficients with differeent aspect rattios, varyingg stiffness prroperties andd
varying nummber of stiffeeners are preesented in Figgs 4 - 9. Substituting the aspect ratio in the range of 0.1 ≤ P ≤
2.0 into Eqqs (3.11), (3..17) and (3.118) gave thee figures bellow. In Figs 4 and 5, thhe curves sho ow that at a
constant vaalue of γ = 10,1 the buckkling coefficient decreases with an increase
i in δ from 0.05 to 0.1. Thee
maximum percentage
p i
increase in the
t bucklingg coefficient is found att P = 0.1 w which is 20.5 586 and thee
minimum at a P = 2 whiich is 10.9099. In Figs 6 and 7, the curves show w that the peercentage inccrease in thee
buckling cooefficient is lager comparred to Figs 4 and 5. At a constant
c valuue of γ =5, observation sh hows that ann
increase in the number of stiffenerss increases thhe buckling coefficients
c r
rapidly. Howwever, an inccrease in thee
aspect ratio cause a decrrease in K vaalue.
It iss observed from
f Figs 8 and 9 that at a a constannt value of γ = 15 and δ = 0.05, thee percentagee
increase in K value is maximum at a P = 0.1 which
w is 21.694 and minimum at P = 2 which h is 13.815..
Similarly, at
a δ = 0.10, the percentaage increase in K value is 15.676 at a P = 0.1 annd 8.186 at P = 2. Thee
polynomial series used as the displaacement function has beeen applied inn work princciple for the buckling off
stiffened rectangular isootropic platees. The polynnomial series as a shapee function shhow a good convergence
c e
from the reesults above and satisfiees all the noon-essential (dynamic)
( b
boundary connditions of the
t stiffenedd
plates. Hennce, it is a very
v good appproximationn of the exaact shape funnction for thhe stiffened plates. It iss
therefore claaimed that thhe present thheory can acccurately pred
dict the criticaal buckling lload of isotro
opic plates.

Fig.4. Buuckling coeff

fficient vs asppect ratio forr CCCC stifffened plate foor γ =10, δ= 0.05.

Fig.5. Buuckling coeffficient vs asppect ratio forr CCCC stifffened plate foor γ =10, δ=0.10.
Elastic bucklling analysis of
o uniaxially compressed…
c 933

Fig.6. Bucckling coefficcient vs aspeect ratio for CCCC

C stiffenned plate for γ =5, δ=0.05
5.

Fig.7. Bucckling coefficcient vs aspeect ratio for CCCC

C stiffenned plate for γ =5,δ =0.10
0.

Fig.8. Buckkling coefficient vs aspecct ratio for CCCC

C stiffeneed plate for γ =15, δ=0.0
05.
94 V.T.Ib
beabuchi, O.M
M.Ibearugbulem
m, C.Ezeah an
nd O.O.Ugwuu

Fig.9. Buckkling coefficient vs aspecct ratio for CCCC

C stiffeneed plate for γ =15, δ=0.10.

4. Conclussion

Bucckling of stifffened rectanngular isotroopic plates ellastically resstrained alonng all the edgges (CCCC))
was investiigated. Theooretical analyses were conducted
c and
a the workk principle approach baased on thee
polynomial function meethod was proposed.
p A numerical model
m was developed
d to determine thet bucklingg
coefficientss intended for the design of stiffened systems. Th he proposed solution
s was validated an nd comparedd
with the soolution of thee trigonometric functionn from previious works. From the reesults, polyn nomial seriess
applied as displacement
d t function shhows good coonvergence from
f the figuures above aand satisfies the complexx
boundary conditions
c off the stiffenned plates. Hence,
H it is therefore claimed that the presentt theory cann
accurately predict the critical bucckling load of stiffened d isotropic plates regarrdless of th he boundaryy
conditions.

Nomenclature

A – amplitude of the deflecttion function

AASHTO – American Association of o State Highw way and Transsportation Offficials
AISC – American Institute of Stteel Constructtion
ANSI – American National Stanndards Institutte
Ai – cross-sectiional area of the
t stiffeners
a – length of the
t plate
b, h – width and thickness of the t plate
C – Clamped edge
e
CCCC – rectangulaar stiffened plaate clamped along all the fo our edges
ci – stiffeners distance
d fromm the edge y = 0
D – plate flexuural rigidity inn the elastic raange
E – Young’s modulus
m
ei – introducedd error
H – shape funcction
Ii – moment of inertia of stiiffener
K – buckling coefficient
c forr polynomial function
f
KT – buckling coefficient
c forr trigonometricc shape functiion
Nx – in - plane uniform
u comppression comppressive load on o x-plane
Nx (cr) – critical buckling load
P – aspect ratiio
R, Q – non dimennsional coordiinates along thhe x and y direections
w – deflection function
Elastic buckling analysis of uniaxially compressed… 95

x, y – Cartesian coordinates in the horizontal and vertical direction, respectively

 i – ratio of bending stiffness rigidity of stiffeners to the plate
δi – ratio of cross-sectional area of the stiffeners to the plate

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Received: May 20, 2020

Revised: July 30, 2020