Stability Criteria for Rectangular Plates Subjected to Intermediate and End Inplane Loads Using Spline Finite Strip Method

This paper is concerned with elastic local buckling of rectangular plates subjected to intermediate and end inplane loads. Since closed form solution for buckling analysis of plates with different end conditions and subjected to intermediate loads is complicated, numerical methods are more useful. Because of restrictions on the two finite strip methods, the longitudinal B3 spline expressions combined with conventional transverse shape functions are used as displacement functions. This method is computationally more efficient than the finite element method, more flexible in boundary treatment, and more accurate in dealing with point forces and axial loads than the conventional finite strip method. Local buckling coefficients are presented for plates under intermediate and end inplane loads which are useful for design of steel walls or plates that support intermediate floors/loads.