The Nonlinear Behavior of a

Post-Buckled Circular Plate

Matt Williams, Benjamin Griffin, Brian Homeijer, Bhavani Sankar, and Mark Sheplak
Interdisciplinary Microsystems Group
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
231 MAE-A Building, PO Box 116250
University of Florida
Gainesvlle, FL USA 32611-6250
sheplak@ufl.edu

Abstract- The axisymmetric post-buckling behavior of a circu-

lar plate with initial in-plane compression loading is investigated. d3 w ld 2 W Ildw Ndw
N, pr
±r r: dr2:~ (1)
The von Kfirmin plate equations are solved numerically for r2 d, =D dr+ D
a clamped plate and solutions are presented for a range of
transverse and la-plane loadings. These solutions can be used and 2
2
(d NT dN, Eh/'dw\
to predict the post-buckled behavior of microscale diaphragms. r2 r2+ 3r d=- 2I-T, (2)
A tradeoff between sensitivity and linearity of post-buckled plates
is also discussed.
where w (r) is the transverse displacement, Nr (r) is the radial
1. INTRODUCTION in-plane force per unit length, D = Eh'/12 (1 -V 2 ) is the
Circular diaphragms are used in a variety of microelec- flexural rigidity, p is transverse pressure loading, E is Young's
Modulus. v is Poisson's Ratio. h is the plate thickness, and
tromechanical systems (MEMS) such as microvalves and
r is the radial coordinate. The radial mid-plane displacements
pumps [1], pressure transducers [21, and ultrasonic resonators
[3]. Fabrication of such devices can introduce significant are related to the radial force per unit length by
in-plane stresses into the diaphragm. When a compressive
U_ (1~
residual stress is sufficiently large, the diaphragm may buckle. Eh =±
Idr V)I(3r
IJ
The buckling phenomenon can be exploited to create bi-stable
To examine the buckling behavior of the plate, in-plane
devices, as a means of increasing device sensitivity, or as a
stress is first introduced through radial compression as shown
way of maximizing vibration amplitude [3].
in Fig. 1(a). The transverse load in this step is zero (p= 0).
A number of classical papers on the buckling of circular
Let the solutions of this step be denoted with the subscript 0.
plates exist and will be addressed in the theory section of
If the rotations are minimal, the right hand side of (2) goes
this paper. Previous work on stressed plates as they pertain to
to zero and the equation may be solved analytically subject to
microsystems includes that of Sheplak & Dugundji [4], who
the boundary conditions
studied the large deflections of circular plates with in-plane
tensile stress. Paul & Baltes [3] developed a model to predict dNro -0 (4)
the vibration amplitude of a plate strip about a post-buckled dr r=0
configuration. Later, Su & Spearing [5] obtained post-buckled
and
solutions for clamped annular plates.
N,. (ao) -No. (5)
This work is a characterization of the static behavior of a
post-buckled circular plate that serves as a prelimninary step for The resulting solution is
a vibration analysis. First, the nonlinear governing equations
for the post-buckling of a circular plate are discussed. Next, N,. - No. (6)
the linearized theory and prior work on buckling are addressed. Equilibrium considerations dictate that this compressive force
Finally, the numerical solution procedure is given in brief and is uniform in the plane of the plate. Equation (6) is valid
post-buckled solutions are presented. when compressive No is less than the critical buckling load.
Beyond that, it is valid under the assumption that out of plane
11. GOVERNING EQUATIONS
displacement occurs only after the loading No is completely
A. Nonlinear Behavior applied. This assumption is known to result in a satisfactory
The mixed formulation of the von Kd.rrnn equations gov- description of bifurcation buckling [8], [9].
erning the static nonlinear deflections of an axisymmetric, From inspection of (3) and (6), there is a radial displacement
homogeneous circular plate under the combined action of at the boundary, u (ao), that results in a radius change. Let
uniform in-plane and transverse loading is [6], [7] the new radius be denoted as a. In the context of microsystem

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349 ESR
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design, it is convenient to think of the laterally loaded state
as the reference configuration.
The plate buckles under a sufficiently large lateral load as
* 6/
shown in Fig. 1(b). In Fig. 1(c), transverse loading (p 7ý 0)
results in additional deformation. The overall radial in-plane
force and displacement after deformation are
Nr(r) = No+Nr(r)and u(r)-=uo(r)+iftir), (7)
where N, (r) is a perturbation from No and ft (r) is a
perturbation from uO (r), the radial displacement due to lateral
compression. Substituting these expressions into the governing
equations (1), (2), and (3) and non-dimensionalizing via

U = , S r-i'
2
p = a (8) A1-
h Sr D2hD'

yields
d2E) idE
V± -- T
(k 2 + ) =e,(
SrDPý,
- (9) 4
d 2 Sr +3dSr _C, (e,)2 (10)
T~y7ý 2 Tl
and
(a) ao
(11)

where k 2 = No 2 /ID is the compression factor. Note that

the sign of k2 is positive for compressive in-plane force and
negative for tensile in-plane force. Equations (9) and (10) are
solved subject to symmetry conditions,

9 (0)-=O0and-dS 0, (12)

and clamped boundary conditions,

e (1) = and +(1 - V) S(1) =O.

±S' (13) a
(b)
The transverse deflection is found from
(14)
subject to the clamped boundary condition
W(1) =0. (15)
B. Linearized Behavior
The linearized equation (9) subject to clamped boundary
conditions has the solution [6]

The transverse deflection predicted in (16) becomes un-

bounded when J, (k) = 0. The roots of this equation, where
k.,, is the nth root, represent critical values of the linear theory.
The square of the first root, k2 Z 14.68, represents the in-plane
load at which buckling first occurs and is the first eigenvalue.
This value is referred to as the critical buckling load.
(c)
Fig. 1. The buckling and post-buckling behavior of a circular plate: (a)
uniform compression is applied; (b)buckling; (c) incremental deflection about
the buckled configuration due to transverse pressure loading.

350
 There are a number of classical papers related to the
buckling of circular plates. Friedrichs & Stoker [10] solved
forms of (9) and (10) for a simply-supported circular plate
under uniform lateral compressive loading. They proved that
two nontrivial solutions exist which differ only in sign for ~P=2.
all compressive k 2 beyond the critical buckling load of the
linear theory. Physically, these solutions correspond to the
primary buckled states (buckling upward or downward) and S0.5-
are illustrated in Fig. I1(b). Wolkowisky [11I] later showed that
n pairs of non-trivial solutions (with the members of each UP=
pair differing only in the sign and having at most n -1
S-0.5 P=T P=o.
internal nodes) exist for all compressive 02 beyond the nth
eigenvalue of the linear theory. Cheo [12], [13] investigated
the circumnferencial buckling of a circular plate with clamped
boundary conditions and found that circumnferencial buckling
2
occurs for loading in the vicinity of Vk : 110.7 .
Compression~---+-a'i'Tension
The multiplicity of stable buckled solutions correspond to
local minimums in potential energy. The particular minimum 40 20 0 -20 -40
energy state of a microplate is dependent on the complex Dimensionless In-Plane Load, k
loading history of the microfabrication process and is therefore
2
difficult to predict. The possibility of circumferencial buckling Fig. 2. Center deflection W(O) as a function of in-plane force k for different
adds additional difficulty. Therefore, the focus of this paper is transverse loads P.
on the primary buckled state for which kc2 < k2;z 49.2, where
only two stable solutions exist.
A transverse load P applied to a purely buckled plate in its
C. Solution Procedure preferential buckling direction increases the total deflection
as illustrated in Fig. 1(c). The P isolines running along the
The governing equations (9) and (10) are broken into a
upper branch of the pitchfork bifurcation in Fig. 2 demonstrate
system of first order differential equations and solved using
this behavior. However, note the isolines running along the
MATLAB's native boundary value problem solver, bvp4c. This
lower branch of the bifurcation diagram. These solutions
solver is a finite difference code which employs the Labatto
are for a purely buckled plate with transverse load applied
IfIa collocation formula [14]. Singularities at the origin are
opposite to the preferential buckling direction (also illustrated
removed using symmetry conditions (12) and l'ospital's
in Fig. 1(c)). This results in a decrease in total deflection.
Rule.
One might expect that for a large enough load, the plate can
Numerical solution of nonlinear equations requires a non-
become unstable and exhibit snap-through. The inability to
trivial initial guess. The linear solution provides an adequate
obtain numerical solutions on the lower half of the pitchfork
initial guess for the case of tensile in-plane force (kc2 < 0)
bifurcation suggests that a snap-through pressure exists [5].
and pre-buckled compressive cases (k1 < 14.68), but it is not
Mlicroscale sensors that include a circular plate component
adequate beyond the critical buckling load. As a result, the
(such as microphones) may be buckled as a result of the fabri-
method of continuation 115] was used to acquire post-buckled
cation process. The sensitivity and linearity of the diaphragm
solutions.
referenced to its buckled configuration are two quantities of
III. RESULTS interest for such devices [16]. The incremental deflection about
the buckled structure is defined as
An illustration of the buckling phenomenon's relationship to
loading is captured in Fig. 2, which shows the dimensionless winc =W-w Wlp~o (17)
center deflection W (0) as a function of dimensionless in-
plane force 0c for different transverse loading P. The pure where W in this case is the overall transverse deflection profile
buckling case corresponds to the P = 0 isoline. At the and WiFp 0 is the purely buckled profile. Fig. 3 shows the
critical buckling load, there is a supercritical bifurcation in the sensitivity Wi ..(0)/P of the buckled structure as a function
solution; physically, the plate buckles either up or down. The of P for different kc2. A structure that responds linearly to
changing distance between P isolines with 0c is a measure of the load has a flat curve. As the compressive in-plane force
the change in compliance of the plate. There is an increase in within the plate approaches the critical buckling load, there
compliance (a widening gap between isolines) as the tensile is an increase in sensitivity. The sensitivity is maximized in
2
in-plane force approaches zero; this behavior continues as the vicinity of buckling (kIc ý 14.68) and then decreases.
Vc becomes more compressive. However, as the compressive Comparable sensitivities can be achieved in the pre- and post-
force exceeds k?, there is a decrease in compliance. The buckled regimes, but a post-buckled plate exhibits reduced
maximum compliance occurs at k' = k2. linearity. For example, refer to the kc2 = 12 (pre-buckled) and

351
 IV. CONCLUSIONS
Numerical results have been presented for the axisymmetric
post-buckled deflections of a circular plate. The results indicate
that sensitivity is maximized in the vicinity of the critical
buckling load but a tradeoff in linearity exists.
Ongoing work includes replacing the clamped boundary
conditions (13) and (15) with compliant boundary conditions
that better represent an actual microfabricated Support struc-
ture. A similar post-buckling analysis of composites, specif-
ically radially discontinuous composites with piezoelectric
A 10- actuation, is also in progress. Future work will include an in-
vestigation of the post-buckled dynamics and an incorporation
of the models in an optimization of microphones, ultrasonic
resonators, and acoustic proximity sensors.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This material is based upon work supported under National
10, 10,
Dimensionless Transverse Pressure, P Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships.
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but more slowly than its pre-buckled decline.
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