Mechanics of Aircraft structures

C.T. Sun

2.17

Consider a thin rectangular panel loaded as shown in Fig. 2.20. Show that the
Airy stress function

= c1 x 2 + c 2 xy + c3 y 2
solves the problem. Find the constants c1, c2, c3.
y

a
Figure 2.20

Thin rectangular panel subjected to uniform tension

Solution:
(a) Since = c1 x 2 + c 2 xy + c3 y 2 is a second order equation in x and y it
automatically satisfies the compatibility equation, 2 2 = 0 . So the given Airy
stress function can be used to solve the problem if we can find c1, c2, c3 that
satisfies the boundary conditions.
(b) Stress matrix:

xx =

2
,
y 2

=> xx = 2c3 ,

2
, => yy = 2c1 ,
x 2
2
=
=> xy = c 2
xy

yy =

xy

So we have,

2c
[ ] = 3
c 2

c2
2c1

(c) Applying boundary conditions:

(i)

a
, => n x = 1 , n y = 0 , t x = 0 , t y = 0
2
we have [ ]{n} = {t}

at x =

2.17.1

Mechanics of Aircraft structures

C.T. Sun

2c3
=>
c 2
(ii)

c 2 1 0
c3 = 0
= =>
2
2c1 0 0
c 2 = 0

b
, => n x = 0 , n y = 1 , t x = 0 , t y = 0
2
we have [ ]{n} = {t}

at y =

2c3
=>
c 2

c 2 0 0
c 2 = 0
= =>

2c1 1 0
c1 = 0

(d) The given Airy stress function is the solution to the problem and the values of the
constants are c1 = 0 , c2 = 0 and c3 =

o
2

.
--- ANS

2.17.2