It was not until rolled sheet steel could be produced to a consistent quality in the 19th century that thin steel plates could be put to widespread structural use. The widespread use of reinforced concrete with sophisticated design methods did not really arrive until the 20th century.
Sophisticated design of thin plated structures is common to the ship building, process and aerospace industries but tends to be a specialist area in construction.
This chapter pulls together a range of applications under the umbrella of plate structures: two-way spanning plates, reinforced concrete slabs, masonry walls and stressed skin timber and SIPs. Brief analysis is reviewed to illustrate the benefits of plate action.
The improvement in stiffness and reduction in flexural stresses is better than simply halving the deflection and moment. Modern structural materials take advantage of the properties of materials in composite forms. A typical type now in widespread use is the SIP panel (or structurally insulated panel).