The loss of compressive stiffness of a thin square plate buckled in shear is calculated. Two cases are considered, first a perfectly flat plate, and second a plate with an imperfection amplitude equal to 10 per cent of the plate thickness. Changes in shear stiffess are also plotted. The analysis is by a finite-element method. Substantial reductions in compressive stiffness due to shear buckling are found, with further variation in stiffness as the buckling mode develops. The significance of these results in the design of a stiffened shear web is examined. It is shown that, by a suitable design procedure, the corresponding loss of efficiency can be made quite small.
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