Section 8.

8.2 Stress Analysis for Plasticity

This section follows on from the analysis of three dimensional stress carried out in §7.2.
The plastic behaviour of materials is often independent of a hydrostatic stress and this
feature necessitates the study of the deviatoric stress.

8.2.1 Deviatoric Stress

Any state of stress can be decomposed into a hydrostatic (or mean) stress σ m I and a
deviatoric stress s, according to

⎡σ 11 σ 12 σ 13 ⎤ ⎡σ m 0 0 ⎤ ⎡ s11 s12 s13 ⎤

⎢σ σ 23 ⎥ = ⎢ 0 σ m 0 ⎥⎥ + ⎢⎢ s 21 s 22
⎥ ⎢ s 23 ⎥⎥
⎢ 21 σ 22 (8.2.1)
⎢⎣σ 31 σ 32 σ 33 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ 0 0 σ m ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ s31 s32 s 33 ⎥⎦

where

σ 11 + σ 22 + σ 33
σm = (8.2.2)
3

and

⎡ s11 s12 s13 ⎤ ⎡ 13 (2σ 11 − σ 22 − σ 33 ) σ 12 σ 13 ⎤

⎢ s 21 s 22 s 23 ⎥ = ⎢ σ 12 1
(2σ 22 − σ 11 − σ 33 ) σ 23 ⎥
s 33 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ )⎥
3
⎢s σ 13 σ 23 (
3 2σ 33 − σ 11 − σ 22 ⎦
1
⎣ 31 s 32
(8.2.3)

In index notation,

σ ij = σ mδ ij + sij (8.2.4)

In a completely analogous manner to the derivation of the principal stresses and the
principal scalar invariants of the stress matrix, §7.2.4, one can determine the principal
stresses and principal scalar invariants of the deviatoric stress matrix. The former are
denoted s1 , s 2 , s 3 and the latter are denoted by J 1 , J 2 , J 3 . The characteristic equation
analogous to Eqn. 7.2.23 is

s 3 − J1s 2 − J 2 s − J 3 = 0 (8.2.5)

and the deviatoric invariants are (compare with 7.2.24, 7.2.26)1

1
unfortunately, there is a convention (adhered to by most authors) to write the characteristic equation for
stress with a + I 2σ term and that for deviatoric stress with a − J 2 s term; this means that the formulae for
J2 in Eqn. 8.2.5 are the negative of those for I 2 in Eqn. 7.2.24

Solid Mechanics Part II 252 Kelly

 Section 8.2

J 1 = s11 + s 22 + s33
= s1 + s 2 + s3
(
J 2 = − s11 s 22 + s 22 s33 + s33 s11 − s122 − s 23 2
− s31
2
)
= −(s1 s 2 + s 2 s3 + s3 s1 ) (8.2.6)
J 3 = s11 s 22 s33 − s11 s 23
2
− s 22 s31
2
− s33 s122 + 2s12 s 23 s31
= s1 s 2 s3

Since the hydrostatic stress remains unchanged with a change of coordinate system, the
principal directions of stress coincide with the principal directions of the deviatoric stress,
and the decomposition can be expressed with respect to the principal directions as

⎡σ 1 0 0 ⎤ ⎡σ m 0 0 ⎤ ⎡ s1 0 0⎤
⎢0 σ 0 ⎥=⎢ 0 σm 0 ⎥⎥ + ⎢⎢ 0 0 ⎥⎥
⎢ 2 ⎥ ⎢ s2 (8.2.7)
⎢⎣ 0 0 σ 3 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ 0 0 σ m ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ 0 0 s3 ⎥⎦

Note that, from the definition Eqn. 8.2.3, the first invariant of the deviatoric stress, the
sum of the normal stresses, is zero:

J1 = 0 (8.2.8)

The second invariant can also be expressed in the useful forms {▲Problem 3}

J2 = 1
2 (s2
1 + s 22 + s32 , ) (8.2.9)

and, in terms of the principal stresses, {▲Problem 4}

J2 =
1
6
[
(σ 1 − σ 2 )2 + (σ 2 − σ 3 )2 + (σ 3 − σ 1 )2 . ] (8.2.10)

Further, the deviatoric invariants are related to the stress tensor invariants through
{▲Problem 5}

J2 = 1
3 (I 1
2
)
− 3I 2 , J 3 = 1
27 (2I 3
1 − 9 I 1 I 2 + 27 I 3 ) (8.2.11)

A State of Pure Shear

The stress state at a point is one of pure shear if for any one coordinate axes through the
point one has only shear stress acting, i.e. the stress matrix is of the form

⎡ 0 σ 12 σ 13 ⎤
[σ ] = ⎢σ 12 0 σ 23 ⎥ (8.2.12)
⎢σ σ 23 0 ⎥⎦
ij

⎣ 13

Solid Mechanics Part II 253 Kelly

 Section 8.2

Applying the stress transformation rule 7.2.16 to this stress matrix and using the fact that
the transformation matrix Q is orthogonal, i.e. QQ T = Q T Q = I , one finds that the first
invariant is zero, σ 11′ + σ 22 ′ = 0 . Hence the deviatoric stress is one of pure shear.
′ + σ 33

8.2.2 The Octahedral Stresses

Examine now a material element subjected to principal stresses σ 1 , σ 2 , σ 3 as shown in

Fig. 8.2.1. By definition, no shear stresses act on the planes shown.

3
σ3

σ1

σ2 σ2
2

σ1
σ3
1

Figure 8.2.1: stresses acting on a material element

Consider next the octahedral plane; this is the plane shown shaded in Fig. 8.2.2, whose
normal n a makes equal angles with the principal directions. It is so-called because it cuts
a cubic material element (with faces perpendicular to the principal directions) into a
triangular plane and eight of these triangles around the origin form an octahedron.

na
2

Figure 8.2.2: the octahedral plane

Next, a new Cartesian coordinate system is constructed with axes parallel and
perpendicular to the octahedral plane, Fig. 8.2.3. One axis runs along the unit normal n a ;

Solid Mechanics Part II 254 Kelly

 Section 8.2

( )
this normal has components 1 / 3 ,1 / 3 ,1 / 3 with respect to the principal axes. The
angle θ 0 the normal direction makes with the 1 direction can be obtained from
n a ⋅ e1 = cos θ 0 , where e1 = (1,0,0 ) is a unit vector in the 1 direction, Fig. 8.2.3. To
complete the new coordinate system, any two perpendicular unit vectors which lie in
(parallel to) the octahedral plane can be chosen. Choose one which is along the
projection of the 1 axis down onto the octahedral plane. The components of this vector
( )
are {▲Problem 6} n c = 2 / 3 , − 1 / 6 , − 1 / 6 . The final unit vector n b is chosen so
that it forms a right hand Cartesian coordinate system with n a and n c , i.e. n a × n b = n c .
In summary,

1 ⎡1⎤ 1 ⎡0⎤ 1 ⎡2⎤

na = ⎢1⎥, nb = ⎢− 1⎥, nc = ⎢− 1⎥ (8.2.13)
3 ⎢⎣1⎥⎦ 2 ⎢⎣ 1 ⎥⎦ 6 ⎢⎣− 1⎥⎦

3
b a
θ0
e3
nb
na θ0

e2 2
nc
θ0
e1
c
1

Figure 8.2.3: a new Cartesian coordinate system

To express the stress state in terms of components in the a, b, c directions, construct the
stress transformation matrix:

⎡ e1 ⋅ n a e1 ⋅ n b e1 ⋅ n c ⎤ ⎡1 / 3 0 2/ 6 ⎤
Q = ⎢e 2 ⋅ n a e2 ⋅ nb ⎥ ⎢
e2 ⋅ nc = 1/ 3 − 1/ 2 − 1/ 6 ⎥ (8.2.14)
⎢e ⋅ n ⎢ ⎥
⎣ 3 a e3 ⋅ nb e 3 ⋅ n c ⎥⎦ ⎢1 / 3 1 / 2 − 1 / 6 ⎦⎥
⎣

and the new stress components are

⎡σ aa σ ab σ ac ⎤ ⎡σ 1 0 0⎤
⎢σ ba σ bb σ bc ⎥ = Q T ⎢ 0 σ 2 0 ⎥Q
⎢σ σ cb σ cc ⎥⎦ ⎢0 0 σ 3 ⎥⎦
⎣ ca ⎣
⎡ 13 (σ 1 + σ 2 + σ 3 ) − 16 (σ 2 − σ 3 ) 1
(2σ 1 − σ 2 − σ 3 )⎤
⎢
(σ 2 − σ 3 ) ⎥⎥
3 2
= ⎢ − 16 (σ 2 − σ 3 ) 1
2
(σ 2 + σ 3 ) 1
2 3
⎢ 3 2 (2σ 1 − σ 2 − σ 3 ) 2 3 (σ 2 − σ 3 )
1 1
(
6 4σ 1 + σ 2 + σ 3 ⎦
1
)⎥
⎣
(8.2.15)

Solid Mechanics Part II 255 Kelly

 Section 8.2

Now consider the stress components acting on the octahedral plane, σ aa , σ ab , σ ac ,

Fig. 8.2.4. Recall from Cauchy’s law, Eqn. 7.2.9, that these are the components of
the traction vector t (n a ) acting on the octahedral plane, with respect to the (a,b,c)
axes:

t (n a ) = σ aa n a + σ ab n b + σ ac n c (8.2.16)

3
•

t (na )
σ ab
σ aa = σ oct
τ oct
2
σ ac

Figure 8.2.4: the stress vector σ and its components

The magnitudes of the normal and shear stresses acting on the octahedral plane are called
the octahedral normal stress σ oct and the octahedral shear stress τ oct . Referring to
Fig. 8.2.4, these can be expressed as {▲Problem 7}

1
σ oct = σ aa = (σ 1 + σ 2 + σ 3 ) = 1 I1
3 3
τ oct = σ ab2 + σ ac2 (8.2.17)
1 2J 2
= (σ 1 − σ 2 )2 + (σ 2 − σ 3 )2 + (σ 3 − σ 1 )2 =
3 3

The octahedral normal and shear stresses on all 8 octahedral planes around the origin are
the same.

Note that the octahedral normal stress is simply the hydrostatic stress. This implies that
the deviatoric stress has no normal component in the direction n a and only contributes to
shearing on the octahedral plane. Indeed, from Eqn. 8.2.15,

⎡ s aa s ab s ac ⎤ ⎡ 0 − 16 (σ 2 − σ 3 ) 1
(2σ 1 − σ 2 − σ 3 )⎤
⎢
(σ 2 − σ 3 ) ⎥⎥
3 2
⎢ s ba sbb s bc ⎥ = ⎢ − 16 (σ 2 − σ 3 ) − 16 (2σ 1 − σ 2 − σ 3 ) 1
⎢s s cc ⎥⎦ ⎢ 1 (2σ 1 − σ 2 − σ 3 )
2 3
⎣ ca s cb
⎣3 2
1
2 3
(σ 2 − σ 3 ) 1
(
6 2σ 1 − σ 2 − σ 3 ⎦
)⎥
(8.2.18)

Solid Mechanics Part II 256 Kelly

 Section 8.2

The σ ’s on the right here can be replaced with s ’s since σ i − σ j = si − s j .

8.2.3 Problems

1. What are the hydrostatic and deviatoric stresses for the uniaxial stress σ 11 = σ 0 ?
What are the hydrostatic and deviatoric stresses for the state of pure shear σ 12 = τ ?
In both cases, verify that the first invariant of the deviatoric stress is zero: J 1 = 0 .

⎡σ 11 σ 12 σ 13 ⎤ ⎡1 2 4⎤
2. For the stress state ⎢σ 21 σ 22 σ 23 ⎥ = ⎢2 2 1⎥ , calculate
⎢σ σ 33 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣4 1 3⎥⎦
⎣ 31 σ 32
(a) the hydrostatic stress
(b) the deviatoric stresses
(c) the deviatoric invariants

3. The second invariant of the deviatoric stress is given by Eqn. 8.2.6,

J 2 = −(s1 s 2 + s 2 s3 + s3 s1 )
By squaring the relation J 1 = s1 + s 2 + s3 = 0 , derive Eqn. 8.2.9,
J2 = 1
2 (s
2
1 + s 22 + s32 )
4. Use Eqns. 8.2.9 (and your work from Problem 3) and the fact that σ 1 − σ 2 = s1 − s 2 ,
etc. to derive 8.2.10,
[
J 2 = 16 (σ 1 − σ 2 ) + (σ 2 − σ 3 ) + (σ 3 − σ 1 )
2 2 2
]
5. Use the fact that J 1 = s1 + s 2 + s3 = 0 to show that
I 1 = 3σ m
I 2 = ( s1 s 2 + s 2 s 3 + s 3 s1 ) + 3σ m2
I 3 = s1 s 2 s3 + σ m ( s1 s 2 + s 2 s3 + s 3 s1 ) + σ m3
Hence derive Eqns. 8.2.11,
( ) (
J 2 = 13 I 12 − 3I 2 , J 3 = 271 2 I 13 − 9 I 1 I 2 + 27 I 3 )
6. Show that a unit normal n c in the octahedral plane in the direction of the projection
of the 1 axis down onto the octahedral plane has coordinates ( 2
3 ,− 1
6
,− 1
6
), Fig.
8.2.3. To do this, note the geometry shown below and the fact that when the 1 axis is
projected down, it remains at equal angles to the 2 and 3 axes.
na
x1
cos θ 0 = 1
3 θ0 project
down
nc

Octahedral plane

Solid Mechanics Part II 257 Kelly

 Section 8.2

7. Use Eqns. 8.2.15 to derive Eqns. 8.2.17.

8. For the stress state of problem 2, calculate the octahedral normal stress and the
octahedral shear stress

Solid Mechanics Part II 258 Kelly