Modeling of wrinkling of thin circular sheets

A version of the imperfection method is used to investigate the wrinkling (tension buckling) of thin, elastic, homogeneous, isotropic circular plates of uniform thickness undergoing small deflections without inplane twisting. A numerical procedure based on the finite difference approach is employed to quantitatively predict wrinkling loads and wrinkling patterns for three sets of support conditions. Representative numerical results are presented in tabular and graphical formats and used to illustrate interesting aspects of the predictions.

► Small deflection wrinkling of circular plates subjected to boundary tensions is discussed.
► Quantitative numerical predictions of wrinkling loads and wrinkle patterns are provided.
► The influence of support conditions on predictions is found to be significant.
► There is no clear distinction between wrinkled and taut regions (as in membrane models).
► The wrinkled region often extends considerably beyond the inplane compression region.