QUASI-STATIC ANALYSIS OF VISCOPLASTIC PLATES BY THE BOUNDARY-ELEMENT METHOD

A direct boundary element method (BEM) is developed for the determinat ion of the time-dependent inelastic deflection of plates of arbitrary planform and under arbitrary boundary conditions to general lateral lo ading history. The governing differential equation is the nonhomogeneo us biharmonic equation for the rate of small transverse deflection. Th e boundary integral formulation is derived by using a combination of t he BEM and finite element methodology. The plate material is modelled as elastic-viscoplastic. Numerical examples for sample problems are pr esented to illustrate the method and to demonstrate its merits.