A discrete differential geometry-based approach to buckling and vibration analyses of inhomogeneous Reddy plates

Abstract In this paper, a novel discrete differential geometry-based numerical procedure for buckling and vibration analyses of rectangular plates with non-uniform thickness is developed. In the proposed approach a plate is discretized using a finite number of rigid bars, lumped masses, and elastic rotational springs to simulate both bending and shear deformation responses, allowing the analysis of thick plates through the adoption of the Reddy’s third-order shear deformable plate theory. An interesting analogy between the proposed model and the central finite difference method for solving a set of partial differential equations is also highlighted, showing how the former can be seen as the physical model behind the mathematical representation of the latter. The numerical results presented show both the versatility and the accuracy of the proposed approach.