Module5/Lesson1

Module 5: Two Dimensional Problems in

Cartesian Coordinate System
5.1.1 INTRODUCTION
Plane Stress Problems
In many instances the stress situation is simpler than that illustrated in Figure 2.7. An
example of practical interest is that of a thin plate which is being pulled by forces in the
plane of the plate. Figure 5.1 shows a plate of constant thickness, t subjected to axial and
shear stresses in the x and y directions only. The thickness is small compared to the other
two dimensions of plate. These stresses are assumed to be uniformly distributed over the
thickness t. The surface normal to the z-axis is stress free.

Figure 5.1 General case of plane stress

The state of stress at a given point will only depend upon the four stress components
such as
és x t xy ù
êt ú (5.0)
ë yx s y û

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 Module5/Lesson1

in which the stress components are functions of only x and y. This combination of stress
components is called "plane stress" in the xy plane. The stress-strain relations for plane stress
is given by

ex =
1
(s x - ns y )
E

ey =
1
(s y - ns x ) (5.1)
E
t xy
g xy =
G

and g xz = g yz = 0, e z = -
v
(s x + s y )
E

Compatibility Equation in terms of Stress Components (Plane stress case)

For two dimensional state of strain, the condition of compatibility (Eq. 3.21) is given by

¶ 2e x ¶ 2e y ¶ 2g xy
+ = (5.1a)
¶y 2 ¶x 2 ¶x¶y

Substituting Eq. 5.1 in Eq. 5.1a

¶2 ¶2 ¶ 2t xy
(s - ns ) + (s - ns ) = 2(1 + n ) (5.1b)
¶y 2 ¶x 2 ¶x¶y
x y y x

Further equations of equilibrium are given by

¶s x ¶t xy
+ + Fx = 0 (5.1c)
¶x ¶y
¶s y ¶t xy
+ + Fy = 0 (5.1d)
¶y ¶x
Differentiate (5.1c) with respect to x and (5.1d) with respect to y and adding the two, we get

¶ 2s x ¶ s y ¶ 2t xy é ¶Fx ¶Fy ù
2

+ + 2 = - ê + ú (5.1e)
¶x 2 ¶y 2 ¶x¶y ë ¶x ¶y û
Substituting Eq. (5.1e) in Eq. (5.1b), we get

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æ ¶2 ¶2 ö æ ¶F ¶F ö
çç 2 + 2 ÷÷ (s x + s y )= -(1 + v ) çç x + y ÷÷ (5.2)
è ¶x ¶y ø è ¶x ¶y ø

If the body forces are constant or zero, then

æ ¶2 ¶2 ö
çç 2 + 2 ÷÷ (s x + s y )= 0 (5.2 a)
è ¶x ¶y ø

This equation of compatibility, combined with the equations of equilibrium, represents a

useful form of the governing equations for problems of plane stress. The constitutive
relation for such problems is given by

é ù
ìs x ü ê1 n 0 ú ìe x ü
ï ï E ê ú ïe ï
ís y ý = n 1
ït ï (1 - n ) ê 0 0 æ 1 - n
ê
0 í yý (5.3)
öú ïg ï
2

î xy þ ç ÷ú î xy þ
êë è 2 øúû

Plane Strain Problems

Problems involving long bodies whose geometry and loading do not vary significantly in the
longitudinal direction are referred to as plane-strain problems. Some examples of practical
importance, shown in Figure 5.2, are a loaded semi-infinite half space such as a strip footing
on a soil mass, a long cylinder; a tunnel; culvert; a laterally loaded retaining wall; and a long
earth dam. In these problems, the dependent variables can be assumed to be functions of only
the x and y co-ordinates, provided a cross-section is considered some distance away from the
ends.

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(a) Strip Footing (b) Long cylinder

(c) Retaining wall (d) Earth Dam

Figure 5.2 Examples of practical plane strain problems

Hence the strain components will be

¶u ¶v ¶u ¶v
ex = , ey = , g xy = + (5.4)
¶x ¶y ¶y ¶x

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¶w ¶w ¶u ¶w ¶v
ez = = 0 , g xz = + = 0 , g yz = + =0 (5.5)
¶z ¶x ¶z ¶y ¶z
Moreover, from the vanishing of e z , the stress s z can be expressed in terms of s x and s y
as
s z = n (s x + s y ) (5.6)

Compatibility Equation in terms of Stress Components (Plane strain case)

Stress-strain relations for plane strain problems are

ex =
1
E
[( )
1 -n 2 s x -n (1 + n )s y ]
ey =
1
E
[( )
1 -n 2 s y -n (1 + n )s x ] (5.6 a)

t xy
g xy =
G
The equilibrium equations, strain-displacement elations and compatibility conditions are the
same as for plane stress case also. Therefore substituting Eq. (5.6 a) in Eq. (5.1 a), we get

é ¶ 2s x ¶ 2s y ù é ¶ 2s y ¶ 2s x ù ¶ 2t xy
(1 -n ) ê 2 + 2 ú -n ê 2 + 2 ú = 2 (5.6 b)
êë ¶y ¶x úû êë ¶y ¶x úû ¶x¶y
Now, differentiating the equilibrium equations (5.1 c) and (5.1 d) and adding the results as
before and then substituting them in Eq. (5.6 b), we get

æ ¶2 ¶2 ö æ ¶Fx ¶Fy ö
çç 2 + 2 ÷÷ (s x + s y )= -
1
çç + ÷
¶y ÷ø
(5.6 c)
è ¶x ¶y ø 1 -n è ¶x
If the body forces are constant or zero, then

æ ¶2 ¶2 ö
çç 2 + 2 ÷÷ (s x + s y )= 0 (5.6 d)
è ¶x ¶y ø
It can be noted that equations (5.6 d) and (5.2 a) are identical. Hence, if the body
forces are zero or constant, the differential equations for plane strain will be same as
that for plane stress. Further, it should be noted that neither the compatibility

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 Module5/Lesson1

equations nor the equilibrium equations contain the elastic constants. Hence, the
stress distribution is same for all isotropic materials in two dimensional state of
stress. Also, the constitutive relation for plane strain problems is given by

é ù
ìs x ü ê(1 - n ) n 0 ú ìe x ü
ï ï ê úï ï
ís y ý =
E
ê n (1 - n ) 0 ú íe y ý
ïs ï (1 + n )(1 - 2n ) ê 0 æ 1 - 2n öú ïg xy ï
î zþ 0 ç ÷ î þ
êë è 2 øúû

Relationship between plane stress and plane strain

(a) For plane-stress case

From the stress-strain relationship (equation 4.20), we have

s x = (2G + l )e x + l (e y + e z )

or s x = 2G e x + l e x + l e y + e z ( )
( )
or s x = l e x + e y + e z + 2G e x

(
Similarly, s y = l e x + e y + e z + 2G e y )
sz = l (e x +ey +ez ) + 2G e z =0

t xy = G rxy t yz = G ryz = 0 t zx = G rzx = 0

Denoting (e x + e y + e z ) = J 1 = First invariant of strain, then

s x = l J 1 + 2 Ge x , s y = l J 1 + 2 G e y , s z = l J 1 + 2 G e z = 0 (a)

From, s z = 0 , we get

l
ez = - (e + e )
(l + 2 G ) x y
Using the above value of e z , the strain invariant J 1 becomes

J1 =
2G
(e x + e y ) (b)
l + 2G
Substituting the value of J 1 in equation (a), we get

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2G l
sx = (e x + e y ) + 2 G e x
l + 2G
2G l
sy = (e x + e y ) + 2 G e y
l + 2G

(b) For plane-strain case

Here e z = 0

\s x = l J 1 + 2 G e x = l (e x + e y ) + 2 G e x

s y = l J 1 + 2 G e y = l (e x + e y ) + 2 G e y

s z = l J1 = l (e x + e y )

If the equations for stress s x for plane strain and plane stress are compared, it can be
observed that they are identical except for the comparison of co-efficients of the term
(ex +ey . )
ìl (e x + e y ) + 2 G e x plane strain
ï
s x = í 2G l
ï l + 2 G (e x + e y ) + 2 G e x
i.e.,
plane stress
î
Since all the equations for stresses in plane-stress and plane-strain solutions are identical, the
results from plane strain can be transformed into plane stress by replacing l in plane-strain
2G l n
case by in plane-stress case. This is equivalent to replacing in plane strain
l + 2G 1 -n
case by n in plane stress case. Similarly, a plane-stress solution can be transformed into a
2G l
plane-strain solution by replacing in plane-stress case by l in plane-strain case.
l + 2G
n
This is equivalent to replacing n in plane-stress case by in plane-strain case.
1 -n

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Applied Elasticity for Engineer T.G.Sitharam & L.GovindaRaju