The Mohr Circle, Failure Theories, and Strength

Testing
CEEN 3160 Geotechnical Engineering

Dr. Jaime Hernandez

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Mohr’s Circle

I The normal and shear stress on the inclined plane

are:
σx + σy σy − σx
σn = + cos 2θ + τxy sin 2θ
2 2
σy − σx
τn = sin 2θ − τxy cos 2θ
2
I Principal planes: planes on which the shear stress is
zero
I Principal stress: normal stresses acting on principal
plane
I The inclination of the principal planes are:

2τxy
tan 2θp =
σy − σx
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Mohr’s Circle
I The major and minor principal
stresses become:
s
σy − σx 2

σy + σx 2
σ1 = + + τxy
2 2
s
σy − σx 2

σy + σx 2
σ2 = − + τxy
2 2

I Defining:
s 2
σx + σy σy − σx 2
σave = R= + τxy I In terms of σ1 and σ2 , σn and τn are:
2 2

the principal stresses are: σ1 + σ3 σ1 − σ3

σn = + cos 2θ
2 2
σ1 = σave + R σ3 = σave − R σ1 − σ3
τn = sin 2θ
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Mohr’s Circle – Example 1
I Given σx =120 kPa, σy =300 kPa, and τ =40 kPa,
calculate:
Magnitude and orientation of principal stresses
Normal and shear stresses along an inclined plane
with θ=20◦

Solution
I The average and radius are:
σx + σy 120 + 300
σave = = = 210 kPa
s 2 2 s
σy − σx 2 300 − 120 2
 
R= 2
+ τxy = + (−40)2 = 98.5 kPa
2 2
I The principal stresses are:
σ1 = σave + R = 210 + 98.5 = 308.5 kPa
σ3 = σave − R = 210 − 98.5 = 111.5 kPa 4 / 25
Mohr’s Circle – Example 1

I The orientation of the principal planes is given by:

2τxy 2 × (−40)
tan 2θ = =
σy − σx 300 − 120
tan 2θ = −0.444
θ = −12.0◦

I The normal stress along the inclined plane is:

σx + σy σy − σx
σn = + cos 2θ + τxy sin 2θ
2 2
120 + 300 300 − 120
= + cos (2 × 20) + (−40) × sin (2 × 20)
2 2
= 253.23 kPa

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Mohr’s Circle – Example 1

I The shear stress along the inclined plane is:

σy − σx
τn = sin 2θ − τxy cos 2θ
2
300 − 120
= sin 2 × 20 − (−40) × cos (2 × 20)
2
= 88.5 kPa

I In terms of principal stresses:

σ1 + σ3 σ1 − σ3 σ1 − σ3
σn = + cos 2θ τn = sin 2θ
2 2 2
308.5 + 111.5 308.5 − 111.5 308.5 − 111.5
= + cos [2(20 + 12)] = sin [2(20 + 12)]
2 2 2
= 253.23 kPa = 88.5 kPa
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Mohr’s Circle – Example 2
I Calculate:
Magnitude and orientation of principal stresses
Normal and shear stresses along an inclined plane
with θ=22◦

Solution

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Mohr’s Circle – Example 2

I The average and radius are:

σx + σy 172 + 145
σave = = = 158.5 kPa
s2 2 s
σy − σx 2 145 − 172 2
 
R= 2
+ τxy = + 402 = 42.2 kPa
2 2
I The principal stresses are:
σ1 = σave + R = 158.5 + 42.2 = 200.7 kPa
σ3 = σave − R = 158.5 − 42.2 = 116.3 kPa
I The orientation of the principal planes is given by:
2τxy 2 × 40
tan 2θ = =
σy − σx 145 − 172
θ = −35.7◦
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Mohr’s Circle – Example 2

I The normal stress along the inclined plane is:

σx + σy σy − σx
σn = + cos 2θ + τxy sin 2θ
2 2
172 + 145 145 − 172
= + cos (2 × 22) + 40 × sin (2 × 22)
2 2
= 176.6 kPa

I The shear stress along the inclined plane is:

σy − σx
τn = sin 2θ − τxy cos 2θ
2
145 − 172
= sin (2 × 22) − 40 × cos (2 × 22)
2
= −38.5 kPa

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Stress-Strain Relationships

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Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

Mohr Failure Theory

I Shear stress on the

failure plane at
failure reaches some
unique function of
the normal stress on
that plane

τf f = f (σf f )

where:
τf f : shear stress on the failure plane at failure
σf f : normal stress on the failure plane at failure
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Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

I Mohr failure envelope: line indicating the limit shear stress for a given normal
stress
I A Mohr circle is tangent to the failure envelope
I Mohr failure hypothesis: point of tangency defines the angle of the failure
plane

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Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion

τf = σ tan φ + c τf f = σf f tan φ + c

I φ: angle of internal friction. Stress

independent component
I c: cohesion
I τf : shear strength of the soil
φ
I σ: applied normal stress αf = 45◦ +
2 13 / 25
Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion
I Mohr-Coulomb failure
criteria in terms of principal
stresses

σ1f − σ3f
R 2
sin φ = =
D σ1f + σ3f
+ c cot φ
2

Rearranging:

σ1f − σ3f = (σ1f + σ3f ) sin φ + 2c cos φ

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Direct Shear Test

I Advantages: inexpensive, fast, and

simple
I Disadvantages: drainage control,
predetermined failure plane, stress
concentration at sample boundaries

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Direct Shear Test – Example

I A direct shear test is run on a medium dense silty sand. At failure, σn =65
kPa and τn =41 kPa. Draw the Mohr circle at failure and determine:
Principal stresses at failure
Orientation of failure plane
Orientation of the major principal plane at failure
Orientation of the plane of maximum shear stress at failure

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Direct Shear Test – Example

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Direct Shear Test – Example

I The angle of internal friction is:

   
τnf 41
φ = tan−1 = tan−1 = 32.2◦
σnf 65
I If x is the distance from σnf to the center of the circle σave , then:

x = τnf tan φ = 41 × tan(32.2◦ ) = 26 kPa

I Consequently:

σave = σnf + x = 65 + 26 = 91 kPa

I On the other hand, the radius of the Mohr circle is:
x 26
R= = = 49 kPa
sin φ sin 32.2
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Direct Shear Test – Example

I The principal stresses at failure are:

σ1f = σave + R = 91 + 49 = 140 kPa

σ3f = σave − R = 91 − 49 = 42 kPa

I The orientation of the major principal plane at failure is:

φ 32.2◦
αf = 45◦ + = 45◦ + = 61.1◦
2 2
I The orientation of the maximum shear at failure is:
φ 32.2◦
θs,max = = = 16.1◦
2 2

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Triaxial Test

I Overcome various drawbacks of direct shear test: better control of drainage,

significantly less stress concentration, failure plane can occur anywhere

I Three tests
configuration:
Unconsolidated-
Undrained
Consolidated-
Undrained
Consolidated-Drained

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Triaxial Test – Example

I A conventional consolidated-drained triaxial test is conducted on sand. The

cell pressure is 100 kPa and the applied axial stress at failure is 200 kPa.
Plot the Mohr circles for the initial and failure stress condition
Determine φ
Determine the shear stress on the failure plane at failure
Find the theoretical angle of the failure plane in the specimen
Determine the maximum shear stress at failure
Find the available shear strength and factor of safety on the plane of maximum
shear stress

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Triaxial Test – Example

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Triaxial Test – Example
I At failure:
σaxial = (σ1 − σ3 )f = 200 kPa and σcell = σ3f = 100 kPa
then:
σ1f = (σ1 − σ3 )f + σ3f = 200 + 100 = 300 kPa
I The center of the circle and the radius are:
σ1f + σ3f 300 + 100
σave = = = 200 kPa
2 2
σ1f − σ3f 300 − 100
R= = = 100 kPa
2 2
I φ can be determined from the Mohr circle and also using (c=0 for sand):
σ1f − σ3f = (σ1f + σ3f ) sin φ + 2c cos φ
σ1f − σ3f 300 + 100
sin φ = = = 0.5
σ1f + σ3f 300 − 100
φ = sin−1 (0.5) = 30◦ 23 / 25
Triaxial Test – Example

I From Mohr circle:

σ1f + σ3f
− σf f
sin φ = 2
σ1f − σ3f
2
I Solving for σf f :

σ1f + σ3f σ1f − σ3f

σf f = − sin φ
2 2
300 + 100 300 − 100
= − sin 30◦
2 2
= 150 kPa

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Triaxial Test – Example

I From the Mohr-Coulomb criteria:

τf f = σf f tan φ = 150 × tan 30◦ = 87 kPa
I The theoretical angle of the failure plane is:
φ 30
αf = 45◦ + = 45◦ + = 60◦
2 2
I The maximum shear stress at failure is the radius of the Mohr circle:
σ1f − σ3f
τmax = = 100 kPa
2
I The available shear strength is the point on the failure envelope:
τavailable = σave tan φ = 200 × tan 30◦ = 115.5 kPa
I Finally, the factor of safety is:
τavailable 115.5
FS = = = 1.16
τmax 100
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