• Principal 

Stresses and Principal Planes:
It is of interest to determine the eigenvalues and the
eigenvectors associated with the stress tensor.

The normal component of a stress vector is the largest when t

is parallel to the normal 𝐧: the value of the normal stress is
denoted by λ, so:

1
By Cauchy’s formula:

A non‐trivial solution will not exist unless the determinant of

the matrix for vanishes.

The vanishing of this determinant yields a cubic equation for

λ, called characteristic equation, the solution of which yields
three values of λ.

The eigenvalues λ of σ are called the principal stresses and the

associated eigenvectors are called the principal planes.
2
• Eigenvalues of the stress tensor research of the
eigenvalues of the deviatoric stress tensor.

mean normal stress

• Stress tensor as the sum of spherical or hydrostatic stress

tensor and deviatoric stress tensor:
m

• The deviatoric stress tensor in defined by:

• The invariants of the deviatoric stress tensor are:

3
In components
• Mean normal stress

• Deviatoric stress

4
Example
• Consider the components of a stress tensor at a
point, referred to the ( ) system:

Find the principal stresses and the principal planes

associated with the maximum stress.

5
• Setting

• The eigenvalues of the matrix are:

6
• The principal stresses are:

7
• The plane associated with the maximum principal stress is:

• The eigenvector associated with the the eigenvalue is:

8
• The plane associated with the eigenvalue

9
• The eigenvector associated with                             is:

10
Maximum Shear Stress
On the principal planes, the shear stresses are zero.

Determine the maximum shear stresses and their planes.

• (λ , λ , λ ): principal normal stresses;

• 𝐧: unit normal vector.

11
• The square of the magnitude of the shear stress on
the plane with unit normal is:

• To determine the plane on which is

maximum, we search the maximum of the function:

subject to the costraint:

12
• To determine the extremum of a function subjected to a
constraint the Lagrange multiplier method

• Seeking of the stationary value of the modified

function

13
• λ: Lagrange multiplier
• The condition of stationarity of is:

• The increments 𝑑𝑛 , 𝑑𝑛 , 𝑑𝑛 and dλ are linearly

indipendent of each other:

14
• Solutions of first three equations: first set

• Principal planes shear stresses are minimum (zero).

• Solutions of first three equations: second set

• Maximum shear stress planes.

15
• Maximum shear stresses on the planes:

• Largest shear stress the largest of three values above:

•λ , λ : maximum and minimum principal values of

stress. 16
• Plane of maximum shear stress lies between the 
planes of the maximum and minimum principal 
stresses (i.e., oriented at ±45◦ to both planes).

17
Example
• Consider the state of stress:

Determine the maximum shear stress.

18
• The principal stresses are:

• The maximum shear stress is:

19
• Planes of maximum and minimum principal stress:

• The plane of the maximum shear stress is given by

the vector:

20
• The plane of the maximum shear stress is given by
the vector:

Orientation of the 
maximum shear stress 
plane 21