Parametric analysis of thick plates resting on elastic foundation subjected to uniformly distributed loads

Plates are structural elements which are commonly used in the various engineering fields. A plate is considered to be a thin plate if the ratio of the plate thickness to the smaller span length is less than 1/20, it is considered to be a thick plate if this ratio is larger than 1/20.The purpose of this study is to analysis the thick plates using Mindlin?s theory and to determine the effects of the different soil depths (H), aspect ratio (b/a) and thickness/span ratio on the linear responses of the thick plates subjected to uniformly distributed loads. Modeling and analysis in this study carried out with the help of ANSYS package program, and according to the finite elements method of this analysis also formulation 8-noded quadrilateral finite element was taken into consideration.The study consists of four chapters. In the first chapter, after subsoil models are summarized and a brief literature review is presented, Mindlin?s theory and finite elements formulation of the problem is presented, and then, the purpose and scope of the study are given. In the second chapter, the plates modeled for this study are presented. In the third chapter, the results obtained from the study are presented in tables and graphical forms and then evaluated. In the fourth chapter, the conclusions drawn from the results are presented and recommendations are made. This chapter is followed by a list of references.It is concluded that, the thickness/span ratio is more effective on the maximum displacements and bending moments than the other parameters considered in this study.Key Words: Elastic Foundation, Thick Plate, Mindlin?s Theory, Finite Element Method, Aspect Ratio, Thickness/Span Ratio, Subsoil Depth