Unit 5 : Principal Stresses, Theories of Failure

Lect. No 5.4 : Principal Stresses (General 2 dimensional stress

condition)

Syllabus Content :
Principal Stresses, Theories of Failure [08 Hr.]
Principal Stresses: Introduction to principal stresses with application,
Transformation of Plane Stress, Principal Stresses and planes
(Analytical method and Mohr's Circle), Stresses due to combined
Normal and Shear stresses.
Theories of Elastic failure: Introduction to theories of failure with
application, Maximum principal stress theory, Maximum shear stress
theory, Maximum distortion energy theory, Maximum principal strain
theory, Maximum strain energy theory

LO : Students will be able to compute Principal Stresses acting on

any mechanical component / system using analytical method.

Recap :
Stress Analysis on an inclined plane :
The following 4 types of stressed conditions in an element are considered
for analysis :
1) Uniaxial direct stress
2) Biaxial direct stress
3) Pure shear stress condition
 4) General 2 dimensional stress system (biaxial and shear stress
condition).

Case 4) Elements subjected to general 2 dimensional stress system /

Biaxial & shear stress condition / Stresses on an oblique section of a
body subjected to direct stresses in 2 mutually perpendicular
direction accompanied by simple shear stress :

Fig 6 : General stress condition

Above figure shows a rectangular bar ABCD of uniform cross sectional

area A and of unit thickness.
This bar is subjected to
(i) tensile stress σ1 on the face BC & AD.
(ii) tensile stress σ2 on the face AB & CD
(iii) a simple shear stress τ on the face BC & AD
But we know that a simple shear stress is always accompanied by an
equal shear stress at right angle s to it. Hence the faces AB & CD will
also be subjected to a shear stress τ, as shown in above figure. (This is
known as complimentary shear stress)
We want to calculate normal and tangential stresses on oblique section FC,
which is inclined at an angle θ with the normal cross section BC.
Converting given stresses into equivalent forces –
The forces acting on the wedge FBC are :
P1 = tensile force on face BC due to tensile stress σ1.
P1 = σ1 x area of BC ; P1 = σ1 x BC x 1
P1 = σ1 x BC
P2 = tensile force on face FB due to tensile stress σ2.
P2 = σ2 x area of FB
= σ2 x FB x 1
P2 = σ2 x FB
Q1 = shear force on face BC due to shear stress τ.
Q1 = τ x area of BC
= τ x BC x 1
Q1 = τ x BC

Q2 = shear force on face FB due to shear stress τ.

Q2 = τ x area of FB
= τ x FB x 1
Q2 = τ x FB

Resolving the above 4 forces (ie P1, P2, Q1 & Q2), normal to the oblique
section FC we get,
Total normal force on face FC,

Putting the values of P1, P2, Q1 & Q2 in above equation, we get

Similarly, the total tangential force (Pt) is obtained by resolving P1, P2, Q1 &
Q2 along the oblique section FC,
Total tangential force on face FC,

Putting the values of P1, P2, Q1 & Q2 in above equation, we get

Now let σn = Normal stress across the section FC and

σt = tangential stress along the section FC
Then normal stress across the section FC is given by,

Putting in above equation,

( ) ( )

Now tangential stress across (shear stress) along the section FC is given
by,
 ( )

( ) ( )

( )

Position of Principal Planes :

The planes on which shear stress is zero are known as principal planes.
And the stresses acting on principal planes are known as principal
stresses.
The position of principal planes are obtained by equating the shear stress,
(given by equation 10) to zero.
For principal planes,

( )

( )

( )

( )
 Fig 7 : Principal plane angle

From the above triangle shown in fig 7, finding out value of diagonal LN by
using Pythagoras theorem,
√( )

√( ) ( )

√( )
Case I :
By considering positive value of diagonal ie
√( )
From the same triangle writing down value of sin2θ and cos2θ,

( )
√( )
( )
( )
√( )
Major Principal Stress :
The value of major principal stress (σn)maj is obtained by substituting the
values of sin2θ and cos2θ from equations (g1) and (h1) into equation [9],

( )
( ) [ ] [ ]
√( ) √( )

( )
( )
√( ) √( )
( )
( )
√( )

( ) √( )

( ) √( )

Case II :
By considering negative value of diagonal ie
√( )
From the same triangle writing down again value of sin2θ and cos2θ,

( )
√( )
( )
( )
√( )

Minor Principal Stress :

The value of minor principal stress (σn)min is obtained by substituting the
values of sin2θ and cos2θ from equations (g2) and (h2) into equation [9],
 ( )
( ) [ ] [ ]
√( ) √( )

( )
( )
√( ) √( )
( )
( )
√( )

( ) √( )

( ) √( )

Equation [12a] gives the maximum principal stress whereas equation [12b]
gives minimum principal stress. These two principal planes are at right
angles. The position of principal planes is obtained by finding 2 values of θ
from equation [11].
Following figure 8 shows the principal planes in which θ1 and θ2 are the
values from equation [11].

Fig 8 : Principal Planes

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 Formulae
Principal stresses and planes –
[A] uniaxial direct stresses:

[B] Biaxial direct stresses:

( ) ( )

√ √

( )

[C] Biaxial & shear stress:

( )

( )
( )

( ) √( )

( ) √( )

( ) √( )
 √( )

√( )

Reference : Strength of Material by R K Bansal

Revision :
1. Principal Stresses :
1) Elements subjected to uniaxial direct stresses (Stresses on an
oblique plane making angle θ) :

2) Elements subjected to biaxial direct stresses (Stresses on an oblique

plane in 2 mutually perpendicular direction) :

( ) ( )

( )

3) Elements subjected to general 2 dimensional stress system (Biaxial &

shear stress condition) :

( ) ( )

( )
4) Principal Stresses :

( ) √( )

( )

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