Pulse pressure loading of clamped mild steel plates

Some results of a large series of pulse pressure loading tests on 1 m×1 m, clamped mild steel plates with different in-plane edge conditions are presented. A novel experimental device was used to produce uniform, repeatable pulse pressure loads of an approximate triangular form. The behaviour of the restrained plates was dominated by membrane effects leading to substantial spring-back. An assumed-modes, elastic–plastic analytical approach was used to predict the maximum and residual deflections of the test plates under dynamic loading with reasonably good success. Multi-element models of the test plates were developed in which the bi-axial behaviour of the plate was represented by one-dimensional finite strips. The in-plane restraint of the plate was approximated using non-linear translation springs and a slippage allowance. Satisfactory results were achieved owing to the careful determination and definition of the boundary conditions, which can significantly influence the results particularly if non-linear membrane forces and slippage occur. It has been shown that a simple methodology such as the one proposed in this paper can provide adequate predictions of the dynamic, large-deflection behaviour of pulse-loaded plates.