Explicit incremental matrices for the postbuckling analysis of thin plates with small initial curvature

The postbuckling behaviour of thin plates is an important phenomenon in the design of thin<br />plated structures. In reality plates possess small imperfections and the behaviour of such imperfect plates<br />is of great interest. To numerically study the postbuckling behaviour of imperfect plates explicit<br />incremental or secant matrices have been presented in this paper. These matrices can be used in<br />combination with any thin plate element. The secant matrices are shown to be very accurate in tracing the<br />postbuckling behaviour of thin plates.