For plates and shells, the x 1 and x 2 dimensions are much larger than the size in the x 3 direction. Integration over the area of cross-section would have to include one of the larger dimensions and would lead to a model that is too simple for practical calculations. For this reason the stresses are only integrated through the thickness and the stress resultants are typically expressed in units of force per unit length (or moment per unit length) instead of the true force and moment as is the case for beams.