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Theories of Failures
Theories of Failures
If the material is subjected to triaxial stress then each Principal stress contributes a portion of the total
strain energy density
σ1Є1 σ2Є2 σ3Є3
u= + + (a)
2 2 2
Furthermore, if the material behaves in a linear elastic manner then Hooke’s Law is applicable
1 1 1
Є𝐱 = (σx- v (σy+σz) ; Є𝐲 = (σy- v (σx+σz) ; Є𝐳 = (σz- v (σx+σy) (b)
𝐸 𝐸 𝐸
Substituting eqn. b in eqn. a, we get
1
u= (σ12+ σ22 + σ32 -2v (σ1σ2+ σ1σ3+ σ3σ2) (c)
2𝐸
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Theories of Failure (Ductile Materials)
Maximum Distortion Energy Theory
= +
The strain energy density can be considered as the sum of the energy needed to cause a volume change
of the element with no change in shape and energy needed to distort the element.
The energy stored in the element as a result of its volume being changed is caused by the application of
average Principal stress (σ1+ σ2 + σ3 )/3 since, Principal stresses cause equal Principal strains in the
material.
The remaining portion of the stress (σ1- σavg ), (σ2- σavg ), (σ3- σavg ) causes the energy of distortion.
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Theories of Failure (Ductile Materials)
Maximum Distortion Energy Theory
The experimental results have show that material subjected to hydrostatic (uniform) stresses (σavg ) do
not yield.
In 1904, M. Huber proposed that yielding in a ductile material occurs when the distortion energy per
unit volume of the material equals or exceeds the distortion energy per unit volume of the same material
when it is subjected to yielding in a simple tension test.
The Maximum Distortion Energy Theory was later on redefined by R. Von Mises and H. Hencky.
To obtain the distortion energy per unit volume, the stresses (σ1- σavg ), (σ2- σavg ), (σ3- σavg ) are
substituted for σ1, σ2 , σ3 respectively into eqn. c.
As average stresss (σavg ) is (σ1+ σ2 + σ3 )/3, after simplification we get
1+v
u𝐝 = [(σ1-σ2)2 + (σ2-σ3)2 + (σ3-σ1)2 )] (d)
6𝐸
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Theories of Failure (Ductile Materials)
Maximum Distortion Energy Theory
In the case of Plane stress, σ3 = 0 is reduced to
1+v 2
u𝐝 = [σ1 - σ1σ2 + σ22 ] (e)
3𝐸
For a uniaxial tension test, σ1=σy , σ2=σ3 =0, so
1+v 2
(u𝐝)𝐲 = [σ ] (f)
3𝐸 y
Since the maximum distortion energy theory requires u𝐝 = (u𝐝)𝐲 , then for the case of plane or biaxial
stress, we have (eqn e = eqn f)
[σ12 - σ1σ2 + σ22 ] = [σy2] (g)
The eqn. (g) is the equation of an ellipse. Thus, if a point in the material is stressed such that (σ1, σ2) is
plotted on the boundary or outside the shaded area, the material is said to fail.
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Theories of Failure (Ductile Materials)
Comparison of Ductile Failure Theories
A comparison of Maximum Shear Stress Theory and Maximum Distortion Energy Theory failure
criteria exhibits that both theories give the same results when the Principal stresses are equal i.e. σ1=
σ2=σy=0 or when the one of the principal stress is zero and the other has a magnitude of σy.
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Theories of Failure (Ductile Materials)
Comparison of Ductile Failure Theories
If the material is subjected to pure shear (τ) then the theories have the largest discrepancy in predicting
the failure.
The stress co-ordinates of these points on the curves can be determined by considering the element as
shown in the Figure.
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Theories of Failure (Ductile Materials)
Comparison of Ductile Failure Theories
From the Mohr’s circle for the given state of stress,
σ 1= τ ; σ 2= -τ
Thus with σ 1 = -σ 2, the Maximum Shear Stress Theory gives (σ y/2, - σ y/2) and the Maximum
Distortion Energy Theory gives (σ y/ 3, - σ y/ 3).
In the torsion tests, a condition of pure shear in a ductile specimen have shown that Maximum
Distortion Energy Theory gives more accurate results than the Maximum Shear Stress Theory.
σ y/ 3 / σ y/2 = 1.15, the shear stress for yielding of the material as given by the maximum distortion
energy theory is 15% more accurate than that given by Maximum Shear Stress Theory.
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Theories of Failure (Brittle Materials)
Maximum Normal Stress Theory
Brittle materials (cast iron) tend to fail suddenly by fracture with no apparent yielding.
In tension test, the fracture occurs when the normal stress reaches the ultimate stress (σ ult).
A brittle fracture occurs in a torsion test due to tension since the plane of fracture for an element is at 45
deg to the shear direction. The fracture surface is helical.
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Theories of Failure (Brittle Materials)
Maximum Normal Stress Theory
Experiments have exhibited that during Torsion the materials strength is somewhat unaffected by the
presence of the associated Principal compressive stresses being at right angle to the Principal tensile
stresses.
As a result, the tensile stress needed to fracture a specimen during a torsion test is approximately the
same as that needed to fracture a specimen during simple tension test.
Based on this the Maximum Normal Stress Theory states that a brittle material will fail when the
maximum tensile stress σ1, in the material reaches a value that is equal to the ultimate normal stress the
material can sustain when it is subjected to simple tension test.
If the material is subjected to plane stress then
ǀσ1ǀ = σult : ǀσ2ǀ = σult
If the stress coordinates (σ1, σ2) at a point in the material fall
on the boundary or outside the shaded area, the material is said to have a fracture
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Theories of Failure (Brittle Materials)
Maximum Normal Stress Theory
This theory was proposed by W. Rankine and experimental results have exhibited that this theory gives
good predictions if the behavior of the brittle materials have stress-strain diagrams similar in tension and
compression.