For circular plates it is convenient to replace the variable x with the general radius r, thus re-

writing the expression we have

𝑑 1 𝑑 𝑑𝑦 𝑄
𝑟 =− … … 3.13
𝑑𝑟 𝑟 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟 𝐷
Radial stress

𝐸𝑢 𝑑𝜃 𝜃
𝜎 = + 𝑣 … … 3.14
(1 − 𝑣 ) 𝑑𝑟 𝑟

Tangential stress

𝐸𝑢 𝑑𝜃 𝜃
𝜎 = 𝑣 + … … 3.15
(1 − 𝑣 ) 𝑑𝑟 𝑟

Moments

𝑑𝜃 𝜃
𝑀 =𝐷 + 𝑣 … … 3.16
𝑑𝑟 𝑟
𝑑𝜃 𝜃
𝑀 =𝐷 𝑣 + … … 3.17
𝑑𝑟 𝑟
In the case of applied uniformly distributed loads, i.e. pressures q, the effective shear load Q
per unit length for use in equation 3.13 is found as follows.

At any radius r, for equilibrium, the shearing force Q at a distance r from the center of the
plate is given as

𝑄 ∗ 2𝜋𝑟 = 𝑞 ∗ 𝜋𝑟
𝑞𝑟
𝑄=
2
Thus for applied pressures, equation 3.13, will be

𝑑 1𝑑 𝑑𝑦 𝑞𝑟
𝑟 =− … … 3.18
𝑑𝑟 𝑟 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟 2𝐷
Uniformly loaded circular plate with edges clamped

The relevant fundamental equation for this loading condition has been shown to be

𝑑 1 𝑑 𝑑𝑦 𝑞𝑟
𝑟 =−
𝑑𝑟 𝑟 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟 2𝐷
Integrating once,

1 𝑑 𝑑𝑦 𝑞𝑟
𝑟 =− +𝐶
𝑟 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟 4𝐷
Where, C1 is a constant of integration to be found from the conditions at the center and at the
edge of the plate. Multiplying both sides by r,

𝑑 𝑑𝑦 𝑞𝑟
𝑟 =− +𝐶 𝑟
𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟 4𝐷
Integrating

𝑑𝑦 𝑞𝑟 𝑟
𝑟 =− +𝐶 +𝐶
𝑑𝑟 16𝐷 2
𝑑𝑦 𝑞𝑟 𝑟 𝐶
𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒 𝜃 = =− + 𝐶 + … … 3.19
𝑑𝑟 16𝐷 2 𝑟
Integrating

−𝑞𝑟 𝐶𝑟
𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑦 = + + 𝐶 𝑙𝑜𝑔 𝑟 + 𝐶 … … 3.20
64𝐷 4
If the slope θ is not to be infinite at the center of the plate, C2 = 0. Taking the origin at the
center of the deflected plate, y = 0 when r = 0. Therefore, from equation 3.20, C3 = 0. At the
outside, the clamped edge where r = R, θ = dy/dr = 0

Substituting in equation 3.19

𝑞𝑅 𝐶𝑅
− + =0
16𝐷 2
𝑞𝑅
𝐶 =
8𝐷
Substituting r = R in the deflection equation, 3.20, yields

𝑞𝑅 𝑞𝑅 𝑞𝑅
max 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = − + =
64𝐷 32𝐷 64𝐷
The positive value indicates upwards deflection of the ends relative to the center. The central
deflection of the plate is thus in the same direction as the loading. Substituting for D,

𝑦𝑅 12(1 − 𝑣 )
𝑦 =
64 𝐸𝑡

𝟑𝒒𝑹𝟒
= (𝟏 − 𝒗𝟐 ) … … 3.21
𝟏𝟔𝑬𝒕𝟑
Similarly, from equation 3.19

𝑞𝑟 𝑞𝑅 𝑟 𝑞𝑟
𝑠𝑙𝑜𝑝𝑒, 𝜃 = − + =− [𝑟 − 𝑅 ]
16𝐷 16𝐷 16𝐷

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 𝑑𝜃 3𝑞𝑟 𝑞𝑅 𝑞
=− + =− [3𝑟 − 𝑅 ]
𝑑𝑟 16𝐷 16𝐷 16𝐷
From equation 3.14

𝐸𝑢 𝑑𝜃 𝜃
𝜎 = +𝑣
(1 − 𝑣 ) 𝑑𝑟 𝑟

𝐸𝑢 𝑞𝑟 𝑞𝑅
= − (3 + 𝑣) + (1 + 𝑣)
(1 − 𝑣 ) 16𝐷 16𝐷

The maximum stress for the clamped edge condition will thus be obtained at the edge where r
= R and at the surface of the plate where u = t/2,

𝐸 𝑡 2𝑞𝑅
𝜎 =
(1 − 𝑣 ) 2 16𝐷

𝐸𝑡
𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒, 𝐷 =
12(1 − 𝑣 )

𝐸 𝑡 2𝑞𝑅 12(1 − 𝑣 ) 𝟑𝒒𝑹𝟐

𝜎 = ∗ = … … 3.22
(1 − 𝑣 ) 2 16 𝐸𝑡 𝟒𝒕𝟐

Similarly

𝐸𝑢 𝑑𝜃 𝜃
𝜎 = 𝑣 +
(1 − 𝑣 ) 𝑑𝑟 𝑟

𝐸𝑢 𝑞𝑟 𝑞𝑅
= − (3𝑣 + 1) + (1 + 𝑣)
(1 − 𝑣 ) 16𝐷 16𝐷

Unlike σr, this has a maximum value when r = 0, i.e. at the center

𝐸 𝑡 𝑞𝑅
𝜎 = (1 + 𝑣)
(1 − 𝑣 ) 2 16𝐷

𝟑𝒒𝑹𝟐
= (𝟏 + 𝒗) … … 3.23
𝟖𝒕𝟐
Uniformly loaded circular plate with edges freely supported

Since the loading, and hence fundamental equation, is the same, the slope and deflection
equations will be the same form, i.e. equations 3.19 and 3.20 will apply. Further the constants
C2 and C3 will again be zero for the same reasons as before and only one new condition to
solve for the constant C1 is required.

Here we must make use of the fact that the bending moment is always zero at any free
support,

i.e. at r = R, Mr = 0
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Therefore from equation 3.16,

𝑑𝜃 𝜃
𝑀 =𝐷 +𝑣
𝑑𝑟 𝑟
𝑑𝜃 𝜃
= −𝑣
𝑑𝑟 𝑟
Substituting from equation 3.19, with r = R and C2 = 0

3𝑞𝑅 𝐶 𝑞𝑅 𝐶
− + = −𝑣 − +
16𝐷 2 16𝐷 2

𝑞𝑅 (3 + 𝑣 )
𝐶 =
8𝐷 (1 + 𝑣 )

The deflection is at the center and again equal to the deflection of the supports relative to the
center. Substituting for the constants with r = R in equation 3.20,

𝑞𝑅 𝑞𝑅 (3 + 𝑣 )𝑅
max 𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = − +
64𝐷 8𝐷 (1 + 𝑣)4

𝑞𝑅 (5 + 𝑣)
=
64𝐷 (1 + 𝑣)

i.e. substituting for D

𝟑𝒒𝑹𝟒
𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒙 = (𝟓 + 𝒗)(𝟏 − 𝒗) … … 3.24
𝟏𝟔𝑬𝒕𝟑

The stresses are obtained from equations 3.14 and 3.15 by substituting for 𝑑𝜃 𝑑𝑟 and 𝜃 𝑟
from equation 3.19,

𝐸𝑢 𝑞𝑟 𝑞𝑅
𝜎 = − (3 + 𝑣 ) + (3 + 𝑣)
(1 − 𝑣 ) 16𝐷 16𝐷

This gives a maximum stress at the center where r = 0

𝐸 𝑡 𝑞𝑅
𝜎 = (3 + 𝑣)
(1 − 𝑣 ) 2 16𝐷

3𝑞𝑅
= (3 + 𝑣)
8𝑡
Similarly

3𝑞𝑅
𝜎 = (3 + 𝑣) 𝑎𝑙𝑠𝑜 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟
8𝑡
i.e. for a uniformly loaded circular plate with edges freely supported,
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 𝟑𝒒𝑹𝟐
𝝈𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒙 = 𝝈𝒛𝒎𝒂𝒙 = (𝟑 + 𝒗) … … 3.25
𝟖𝒕𝟐
Example 3.1

A circular flat plate of diameter 120 mm and thickness 10 mm is constructed from steel with
E = 208 GN/m2 and v = 0.3. The plate is subjected to a uniform pressure of 5 MN/m2 on one
side only. If the plate is clamped at the edges determine:

(a) The maximum deflection;

(b) The position and magnitude of the maximum radial stress.

What percentage change in the results will be obtained if the edge conditions are changed
such that the plate can be assumed to be freely supported?

Solution

The maximum deflection with clamped edges is given by equation 3.21

3𝑞𝑅
𝑦 = (1 − 𝑣 )
16𝐸𝑡
3 ∗ 5 ∗ 10 ∗ (60 ∗ 10 ) (1 − 0.3 )
=
16 ∗ 208 ∗ 10 ∗ (10 ∗ 10 )

= 0.053 ∗ 10 = 0.053𝑚𝑚

From equation 3.22, the maximum radial stress occurs at the outside edge and is given by

𝟑𝒒𝑹𝟐
𝝈𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒙 =
𝟒𝒕𝟐
3 ∗ 5 ∗ 10 ∗ (60 ∗ 10 )
=
4 ∗ (10 ∗ 10 )

= 135 ∗ 10 = 135 𝑀𝑁𝑚

When the edges are freely supported, equation 3.24

𝟑𝒒𝑹𝟒
𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒙 = (𝟓 + 𝒗)(𝟏 − 𝒗)
𝟏𝟔𝑬𝒕𝟑
(5 + 𝑣)(1 − 𝑣 )
= 𝑦
(1 − 𝑣 )

(5.3 ∗ 0.7)
= ∗ 0.053 = 0.216 𝑚𝑚
0.91
And equation 3.25 gives

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 3𝑞𝑅
𝜎 = (3 + 𝑣)
8𝑡
(3 + 𝑣)
= 𝜎
2
3.3
= ∗ 135 = 223 𝑀𝑁𝑚
2
The percentage increase in maximum deflection

(0.216 − 0.053)
= ∗ 100 = 308%
0.053
Percentage increase in maximum radial stress

(223 − 135)
= ∗ 100 = 65%
135
Example 3.2

A circular plate of 3 m diameter is to be cast over an underground sump. The slab is 10 cm

thick and the live and dead loads inclusive of self-weight are estimated at a total value of 800
kg/m2. Find the radial and circumferential moments of this slab at the critical sections. It is
decided to cut an opening of 1 m diameter in the center. What will be the change in the design
moments? If a total ring load of 2000 kg is envisage around the hole (for machinery), what are
the additional moments for the design.

Solution

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