Postbuckling analysis of thin plates by a hybrid Trefftz finite element method

A hybrid Trefftz finite element (HT FE) model fl~r postbuckling analysis of thin plates is presented, based on a modified variational principle. With the aid of incremental form of equilibrium equations, all non-linear terms may be viewed as pseudo-loads, and then the in-plane and out-of-plane equations can be unoccupied. As a consequence, the solution procedure for the postbuekling plate becomes ,rery simple. Two numerical examples arc considered to illustrate the eorrecmess and accuracy of the proposed formulation.