ABSTRACT
A solution for the buckling of flat rectangular plates with centerline support conditions subjected to non-uniform in-plane axial compression is presented. The loaded edges are simply supported, the non-loaded edges are free, and the centerline is simply supported with a variable rotational stiffness. The Galerkin method is used to establish an eigenvalue problem and a series solution for plate buckling coefficients is obtained by using combined trigonometric and polynomial functions that satisfy the boundary conditions. It is demonstrated that the formulation approaches the classical solution of a plate with a fixed edge as the variable rotational stiffness is increased. This solution for the buckling capacity of plates with variable eccentric loading combined with variable rotational stiffness at the centerline is unique and is applicable to a wide range of structural situations for stiffened plates and 1-shaped beams that are subjected to biaxial bending or combined flexure and torsion.
