An inverse elastoplastic problem for plates

We study an inverse elastoplastic problem of determining the residual stresses, the plasticity zone, and the external loads for a plate for known residual deflections which occur after removal of these loads and elastic unloading. Assuming that the deformation theory of plasticity is valid at the active stage of deformation, we prove the theorem of unique solution. An iterative method of solution is proposed and a variational formulation of the problem is given. Some simple examples are considered.