Postbuckling Behavior of Triangular Plates
A numerical method is developed for the elastic postbuckling analysis of triangular plates. The procedure uses the method of virtual work in conjunction with area coordinates. The method is programmed, and several numerical examples are presented to illustrate the efficacy and scope of the procedure. Bifurcative local buckling results obtained for triangular plates are compared with known solutions reported in the literature. The postbuckling behavior of triangular plates is then studied for different geometrical configurations, and the stress distribution and postbuckling equilibrium paths are illustrated for several triangular plates with a range of geometries.