Mohr-Coulomb failure

Goal: To understand relationship between

stress, brittle failure, and frictional faulting
and to use this relationship to predict rock
behavior
 Stress review
• Stress = Force/Area
• 3 principal vectors: σ1, σ2, and σ3 at right
angles to each other
• σ 1 ≥ σ2 ≥ σ 3
• σ1 is the maximum principal stress
direction, σ2 is the intermediate principal
stress direction, and σ3 is the minimum
principal stress direction
 We also define:
• Static stress as σ1 = σ2 = σ3
• Lithostatic stress as static stress
generated by mass of overlying rocks
• Differential stress (σd) as (σ1 - σ3)
• Confining pressure as σ2 = σ3 for the
conditions σ1 > σ2 = σ3
Shear stress and normal stress
For any plane in a stress field defined by σ1,
σ2, and σ3 with strike parallel with σ2:
σ1
θ

σ3 σ3

σ1
The stress is resolved into 2 components:
1. Shear stress (σs), acting parallel with the
plane
2. Normal stress (σn), acting perpendicular
to the plane
σ1 σ n
θ
σs σs
σ3 σ3

σn
σ1
Stress components are related by:
1. σs = ½(σ1 - σ3)sin(2θ)
2. σn = ½(σ1 + σ3) - ½(σ1 - σ3)cos(2θ)
where θ = angle between plane and σ1
σ1 σn
θ
σs σs
σ3 σ3

σn
σ1
 Mohr diagram for stress
Relationship between σ1, σ3, σs, and σn is
plotted graphically in Cartesian coordinates
σs

σn
Mohr circle for stress: circle with diameter =
σd plotted on mohr diagram
Center on the σn-axis at point = ½(σ1 + σ3)

σs

σn
σ3 σ1

½(σ1 + σ3)
 Finding σs, and σn
Can use a Mohr circle to find σs, and σn for
any plane
σs

σn
σ3 σ1
Plot a line from center to edge of circle at
angle 2θ-clockwise from σn-axis

σs

2θ
σn
σ3 σ1
X- and y-coordinates of intersection of line
and circle define σs and σn for the plane

σs (σs, σn) of plane

σn
σ3 σ1
 Coulomb’s failure criterion
• Every homogeneous material has a
characteristic failure envelope for brittle
shear fracturing
• Combinations of σs and σn outside of the
envelope result in fracture
Determining failure envelope
Experimental rock deformation

Holger Stunitz in the

lab at Basel University
 The Coulomb envelope
σs Shear
Fracture

Stable
Fracture
Tensile

2θ
σn
σ3 σ1

Stable
Shear
Fracture
 Coulomb law of failure
σc = σ0 + tan(φ)σn
σs
φ
σ0

σn
 σc = σ0 + tan(φ)σn
Formula defines shear stress under which
rocks will fracture
σc = critical shear stress — σs at failure
σ0 = cohesive strength — σs when σn = 0
φ = angle of internal friction — φ ≈ 90 - 2θ
• For most rocks, angle of internal friction ≈
30°
• Therefore, θ at failure is also ≈ 30°
• σs is greatest when θ = 45°
Failure
envelopes
for different
rocks
 Slip on pre-existing fractures
Pre-existing fractures have no cohesive
strength, σ0 = 0

Failure envelopes for pre-existing fractures

derived experimentally
Envelope of sliding friction
σs

φf = angle of sliding friction

σn
 Byerlee’s law
Describes frictional sliding envelope
σc = tan(φf)σn

φf ≈ 40° for low confining pressures

and ≈ 35° for high confining
pressures
Byerlee’s law for different rock types
 Effect of pore-fluid pressure
Pore fluid pressure (Pf) effectively lowers the
stress in all directions
The effective stresses (σ1eff, σ2eff, and σ3eff) =
principal stresses - Pf

σ1eff = σ1 - Pf σ2eff= σ2 - Pf σ3eff = σ3 - Pf

σs Stable stress conditions

σ1
σn
σ3
σs Increase in pore fluid pressure can
drive faulting!!

σ1eff σ1
σn
σ3eff σ3