# A measure of the torsional performances of partially hinged rectangular plates

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new gap function to measure torsional instability in partially hinged rectangular plates, modeling bridge decks, and evaluates its performance under different load conditions.

## Contribution

The paper proposes a novel gap function for assessing torsional performance, providing a new tool for structural stability analysis of bridge decks.

## Key findings

- The gap function effectively measures torsional instability.
- It performs well under localized and resonant load conditions.
- The method offers a new approach for structural safety evaluation.

## Abstract

We introduce a new functional, named gap function, which measures the torsional instability of a partially hinged rectangular plate, aiming to model the deck of a bridge. Then we test the performances of the gap function on a plate subject to two kinds of loads: one modeled by a force concentrating on one of the free edges and one in resonance with the eigenmodes.