Can flexibility help you float?

We consider the role of flexibility in the weight-bearing characteristics of bodies floating at an interface. Specifically, we develop a theoretical model for a two-dimensional thin floating plate that yields the maximum stable plate load and optimal stiffness for weight support. Plates small relati...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Burton, Lisa Janelle, Bush, John W. M.
Other Authors: Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mathematics
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: American Institute of Physics 2013
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/80721
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7936-7256