Dynamic plastic response and impulse saturation of rectangular plates subjected to pressure pulse loading

A combination of the Membrane Factor Method (MFM) and Saturation Analysis (SA) has proven to be a simple yet effective theoretical tool to predict the dynamic inelastic response of various structures subjected to long-duration pressure pulse loading. In this study, this theoretical tool is extended to the analysis of rectangular plates. Boundary conditions are treated in a unified manner in the analysis, so that the influence of the boundary conditions on the saturation phenomenon is clarified based on MFM. By taking the transient response phase and the exact yield conditions into consideration, complete solutions of saturation deflection and impulse are obtained, and the effect of the aspect ratio of rectangular plates is examined. Results from the present methods are also compared with finite element simulation utilizing elastic-plastic material behavior and modal solutions. The effects of the yield condition adopted and the transient response phase on the saturation phenomenon of rectangular plates under pressure pulse loading are respectively discussed.