SOLUTIONS TO STATES OF PLANE-STRESS AND GENERALIZED PLANE-STRESS IN TRANSVERSELY ISOTROPIC, RECTANGULAR THICK PLATES AND THEIR APPLICATIONS

Solutions to a state of plane stress and to a state of generalized plane stress of transversely isotropic, moderately thick plates in rectangular Cartesian coordinates are obtained. The two solutions are derived from the generalized Elliott solution which includes five independent potential functions. Expressions for components of displacement and stress are explicitly presented in series form, with reference to the plates. As applications of the solutions, in-plane stretching and pure bending of a transversely isotropic, rectangular thick plate are analyzed. E glass-epoxy and graphite-epoxy as transversely isotropic materials, and an exactly isotropic material are treated in numerical calculations. Numerical results for displacements and stresses in the materials are presented.