Rigid Plate Deflection at B  
scene 4 of 5
The figure shows a rigid triangular plate B C D which is pinned at C, supported at B by a horizontal rod of length 1200 millimeters and supported at D by a vertical post of height 600 millimeters. The clearance between the post and the plate is 1.5 millimeters. The post is fixed to the ground at E and the rod is fixed to a wall at A. The plate has dimensions 600 millimeters along C D and 480 millimeters along B C. A load P directed vertically downwards acts on the plate and this causes the plate to rotate about C and makes contact with the post at D.

The rigid plate deflection at D is now known. To determine the strain in member (1), however, the rigid plate deflection at B must be determined.

The principal of similar triangles will be used to determine the rigid plate deflection at B (denoted VB) based on the plate dimensions and the previously determined plate deflection at D (denoted VD).