23-Feb-22

Structural Mechanics

Presenter: A/Prof. Dr. Shehroze Ali

Department of Civil Engineering, NFC IEFR Faisalabad
Email: shehroze.ali@iefr.edu.pk

Outline
• Theories of Elastic Failure

• Maximum Principal Stress Theory

• Maximum Principal Strain Theory

• Total Strain Energy Theory

• Maximum Shear Stress Theory

• Shear Strain Energy Theory

• Examples

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Theories of Elastic Failure

Introduction
• Based on the previous concepts, we can determine the principal
stresses, maximum shear stresses and the distortions (strains) in the
members subjected to combined loadings --------- (ANALYSIS)

• The members can be designed based on the above values of

stresses/strains (determined in the analysis) to withstand the combined
loadings ------ (DESIGN)

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Introduction (Cont..)
• The strength of material is generally determined in a single case of
loading i.e., uniaxial tension or compression, shear or torsion whereas
the structural members may observe the combination of these stresses.

• Hence it is more complex to design a member to resist combined loads

because the strength / mechanical properties cannot be determined for
all possible combinations of loadings.

Introduction (Cont..)
• To correlate the strength under various combined loadings with simple
mechanical properties of materials THEORIES OF FAILURE were
developed such as;
• Maximum principal stress theory
• Maximum principal strain theory
• Total strain energy theory
• Maximum shear stress theory
• Shear strain energy theory

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Theories of Failure
➢For this specific course we will limit our scope to only ELASTIC
FAILURE of materials.

a. Brittle failure
b. Combined ductile & brittle
failure
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c. Complete ductile failure
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Maximum Principal Stress Theory

• Rankine’s theory
• “Material fails when maximum principal
stress developed due to external applied
loads exceeds the stress at the elastic limit
state”

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Maximum Principal Stress Theory

• The magnitude of maximum principal is given by following

equation:

𝝈𝒙 + 𝝈𝒚 𝝈𝒙 − 𝝈𝒚 𝟐
𝟐
𝝈𝟏 = + + 𝝉𝒙𝒚
𝟐 𝟐

• According to theory for safe design

𝝈𝟏 ≤ 𝝈
Here 𝜎 is the stress at elastic limit state
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Maximum Principal Strain Theory

• St. Venant’s theory

• “Material fails when the maximum principal
strain exceeds the strain at the elastic limit”
𝝈𝒙 𝝈𝒚 𝝈𝒛
𝜺𝒙 = −𝝂 −𝝂
𝑬 𝑬 𝑬

• According to theory 𝝈
𝜺𝒙 ≤
𝑬
• Good results for brittle materials under biaxial
tension
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Total Strain Energy Theory

• Proposed by Haigh and Beltrami

• “Failure of material occurs when the total strain
energy per unit volume exceeds the total strain energy
at the elastic limit”

• This strain energy is defined as the work done by load

provided no energy is added or subtracted in the form
of heat. Some-times strain energy is referred to as
internal work done.
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Total Strain Energy Theory

Consider a simple bar which is subjected to tensile force F, having a

small element of dimensions dx, dy and dz.

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Total Strain Energy Theory

• For three-dimensional case of stress
𝑈𝑇 1 1 1
= 2 𝜎𝑥 𝜀𝑥 + 2 𝜎𝑦 𝜀𝑦 + 2 𝜎𝑧 𝜀𝑧
𝑉
𝑈𝑇 1
= 2 𝜎𝑥 𝜀𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦 𝜀𝑦 + 𝜎𝑧 𝜀𝑧
𝑉

• Strains in x, y and z direction is given by

1
𝜀𝑥 = 𝜎 − 𝜈 𝜎𝑦 + 𝜎𝑧
𝐸 𝑥
1
𝜀𝑦 = 𝜎 − 𝜈 𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑧
𝐸 𝑦
1
𝜀𝑧 = 𝜎 − 𝜈 𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦 13
𝐸 𝑧
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Total Strain Energy Theory

𝑈𝑇 1
= 𝜎𝑥2 + 𝜎𝑦2 + 𝜎𝑧2 − 2𝜈 𝜎𝑥 𝜎𝑦 + 𝜎𝑦 𝜎𝑧 + 𝜎𝑧 𝜎𝑥
𝑉 2𝐸

𝜎𝑥2 + 𝜎𝑦2 + 𝜎𝑧2 − 2𝜈 𝜎𝑥 𝜎𝑦 + 𝜎𝑦 𝜎𝑧 + 𝜎𝑧 𝜎𝑥 = 𝜎 2

For safe design

𝜎𝑥2 + 𝜎𝑦2 + 𝜎𝑧2 − 2𝜈 𝜎𝑥 𝜎𝑦 + 𝜎𝑦 𝜎𝑧 + 𝜎𝑧 𝜎𝑥 ≤ 𝜎 2

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Maximum Shear Stress Theory

• Coulomb’s or Tresca’s theory

• “Material fails when the maximum shear stress developed in the
material exceeds the maximum shear stress at the elastic limit”
𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦 𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦 2
2
𝜎1 = + + 𝜏𝑥𝑦
2 2
𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦 𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦 2
2
𝜎2 = − + 𝜏𝑥𝑦
2 2
𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦 2
2
𝜎1 − 𝜎2 = 2 × + 𝜏𝑥𝑦
2
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Maximum Shear Stress Theory

𝜎1 −𝜎2
𝜎1 − 𝜎2 = 2𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 or 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
2

𝜎1 𝜎
For uniaxial loading; 𝜎2 = 0 so 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 = =
2 2
𝜎𝑥 −𝜎𝑦 2 2
For general case; 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥 = + 𝜏𝑥𝑦
2
By comparing;
𝜎𝑥 −𝜎𝑦 2 2 𝜎
+ 𝜏𝑥𝑦 =
2 2

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Maximum Shear Stress Theory

• For safe design

𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦 2 𝜎
2
+ 𝜏𝑥𝑦 ≤
2 2

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Shear Strain Energy Theory

• Distortion energy theory or Von-Mises’s theory

• “Material fails when its energy of distortion per unit volume exceeds
the distortion energy per unit volume at the elastic limit”

• Total strain energy consists of two parts

• Strain energy associated with change in volume
• Strain energy associated with change in shape
𝑈𝑇 = 𝑈𝑉 + 𝑈𝑆
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Shear Strain Energy Theory

• Total strain energy is already calculated and for unit volume it is given
by;
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𝑈𝑇 = 𝜎𝑥2 + 𝜎𝑦2 + 𝜎𝑧2 − 2𝜈 𝜎𝑥 𝜎𝑦 + 𝜎𝑦 𝜎𝑧 + 𝜎𝑧 𝜎𝑥
2𝐸

• For volumetric strain energy consider a cubic element under

hydrostatic pressure
𝜎𝑥 = 𝜎𝑦 = 𝜎𝑧 = 𝜎

• Only volumetric strain will occur and will be given as;

3𝜎 2 𝜎𝑥 +𝜎𝑦 +𝜎𝑧
𝑈𝑉 = 1 − 2ν here put 𝜎 =
2𝐸 3
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Shear Strain Energy Theory

Putting values of 𝑈𝑇 and 𝑈𝑉 in initial equation and simplifying we get

1
𝑈𝑠 = 𝜎 − 𝜎2 2 + 𝜎2 − 𝜎3 2 + 𝜎3 − 𝜎1 2
12𝐺 1

• The shear strain energy at elastic limit2state per unit volume is given as
𝜎
𝑈𝑒 =
6𝐺
For safe design
𝑈𝑠 ≤ 𝑈𝑒

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Shear Strain Energy Theory

By comparing and simplifying

1 2 2 2
𝜎 − 𝜎2 + 𝜎2 − 𝜎3 + 𝜎3 − 𝜎1 ≤ 𝜎2
2 1

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Example 1

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Solution

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Example 2

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Solution

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Example 3

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Example 4

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Solution

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Example 5

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Solution

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Example 6

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Solution

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THANKS

QUESTIONS?

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