On the duality of space trusses and plate structures of rigid plates and elastic edges

Abstract

Dualities have been known to map space trusses and plate structures to each other since the 1980s. Yet the computational similarity of the two has not been used to solve the unfamiliar plate structure with the methods of the well-known truss. This article gives a method to find the forces and displacements of a plate structure with rigid plates and elastic edges, using a dual truss. The plates are assumed to be rigid in their respective planes only and deformable otherwise. The method provided is applicable for both statically determinate and indeterminate structures, subjected to both statical and kinematical loads.