ABSTRACT
The difficulty in the analysis of large deflection of elastic plates in classical theory lies in finding the solution of nonlinear differential equation. Berger overcame this difficulty to some extent by neglecting the so-called second invariant of strain components in the middle plane of the plate while deriving the differential equation from the strain energy. In this Chapter, Berger’s approximate technique has been applied to the buckling of large deflection plate problems in presence of heating. The essential differential equations are formulated for a most general type of temperature distribution of plates. The solutions are presented for rectangular, circular and elliptic plates. The least critical loads for the above plates have been calculated.
