Bending of Plates

Abstract

A plate is a structural element that, initially, has the form of a straight prism whose height is significantly smaller than its base. In other words, a plate is a thin, flat body, symmetric with respect to a plane dividing the thickness (height) of the body into equal halves. This plane is called the midplane of the plate (Fig. 15.1). The particles of the plate are identified by coordinates (x, y, z),with − (h/2) ≤ z ≤ (h/2), where h = h(x, y) is the thickness of the plate. In the following analyses, we will always assume h to be a constant value throughout the plate. Structural elements that can be treated as plates are often encountered in microelectronic systems. Examples are printed circuit boards, silicon wafers, various substrates, and even chips themselves.