The Timoshenko–Reissner generalized model of a plate highly nonuniform in thickness

Abstract

A thin plate fabricated of material that is transversally isotropic and nonuniform in thickness is considered. The model of the monolayer transversally homogeneous isotropic plate, which is approximately equivalent to a thickness-nonuniform plate in the deflection and in the lowest frequencies of free vibrations, is constructed. The range of applicability of the model constructed is very wide. The main result of this study is a formula for calculating the transverse-shear rigidity of an equivalent transversally isotropic plate.