wlw32
This method is widely used by metalurgical engineers, and less by structural engineers. See for example, Reinforced Concrete Design by Wang & Salmon, under a chapter dedicated to yield line theory for reinforced concrete slabs. The analysis is based on statics equilibrium (or as Swang stayted by means of virtual work) of the membrane after yielding occurs on certain lines that turns the problem to an statically determinate structure. The method can be applied for any membrane slab of any kind of material. You might be interested if you know that Rusians applied this method by doing tests on ice slabs