Theoretical Determination of Rigidity Properties of Orthogonally Stiffened Plates

Abstract The analysis of bending and buckling of orthogonally stiffened plates may be simplified by conceptually replacing the plate-stiffener combination by an “equivalent” homogeneous orthotropic plate of constant thickness. This procedure requires the determination of the four elastic rigidity constants which occur in the theory of thin orthotropic plates. Methods are presented whereby these quantities may be determined analytically in terms of the elastic constants and geometrical configuration of the component parts of the structure.