Unit 5 : Principal Stresses, Theories of Failure

Lect. No 5.6 : Problems on Mohr’s Circle

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 graphical method.

Recap :
1. Principal Stresses [Analytical method]:
1) Elements subjected to uniaxial direct stresses (Stresses on an
oblique plane making angle θ) :

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2) Elements subjected to biaxial direct stresses (Stresses on an oblique
plane in 2 mutually perpendicular direction) :

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

shear stress condition) :

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4) Principal Stresses :

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2. Principal Stresses [Mohr’s circle method]:

Fig 1 : General 2 dimensional stress system

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 Fig 2 : Mohr’s circle diagram

3. It is worthy to note that

i) The two principal planes are normal to each other.
ii) The planes carrying the maximum shear stress are normal to
each other.
iii) The planes carrying the maximum shear stress are at 45 0 with
the principal planes.

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Problems on Mohr’s circle :

Prob 1) A point in a strained material is subjected to stresses shown in
following fig. Determine the normal and tangential stresses across the
oblique plane using Mohr’s circle method. Check the answers by analytical
method.
Solution :
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 Fig 1 : Biaxial stress with shear stress condition
Given data :
σx = 65 N/mm2, σy = 35 N/mm2, ‫ז‬xy = 25 N/mm2, θ = 450.
σθ = ??, ‫ז‬θ = ??
Taking scale 1 cm = 10 N/mm2 to draw Mohr’s circle diagram,
Drawing Mohr’s circle by following above mentioned step by step
procedure,
1) Take any point ‘A’, Draw horizontal line through ‘A’.
2) Take AB = σx = 6.5 cm and AC = σy = 3.5 cm towards right of A, as
both are tensile stresses.
3) Draw perpendicular BF and CG at ‘B’ and ‘C’ respectively equal to
shear stress ‫ז‬xy = 2.5 cm.
4) Join points G and F. Let the point of intersection with direct stress
axis be ‘O’.
5) Now with ‘O’ as center and radius equal to ‘OF’ or ‘OG’, draw a circle.
This is known as Mohr’s circle.

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6) Through ‘O’, draw a line ‘OE’ making an angle ‘2θ’ (2x450 = 900)’,
with ‘OF’, as shown in following fig 2.
7) From ‘E’, draw ‘ED’ perpendicular to ‘CB’ by extending line AB. Join
‘AE’.
8) Length ‘AD’ and ‘ED’ represent the normal stress and shear stress on
the oblique plane respectively. And ‘AE’ represents resultant stress
on the oblique plane.

Fig 2 : Mohr’s circle diagram

Hence by measuring the lengths from Mohr’s circle we have,

Length ‘AD’ = 7.5 cm
Length ‘ED’ = 1.5 cm

Thus normal stress and shear stress on oblique plane are given as
follows,
σθ = length AD x scale = 7.5 x 10 = 75 N/mm2.
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 ‫ז‬θ = length ED x scale = 1.5 x 10 = 15 N/mm2.
σθ = 75 N/mm2 and ‫ז‬θ = 15 N/mm2

Solution by Analytical method :

Putting given values in above equation

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Putting given values in above equation

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Prob 2) At a point in a strained material, there is a tensile stress of 60

N/mm2 upon a vertical plane and a compressive stress of 40 N/mm2 upon a
horizontal plane. There is also a shear stress of 10 N/mm2 upon each of
these planes. Determine principal stresses, maximum shear stress and
their planes using Mohr’s circle method. Check the answers by analytical
method.
Solution :

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 Fig : Strained element
Given data :
σx = 60 N/mm2, σy = - 40 N/mm2, ‫ז‬xy = 10 N/mm2,
σ1 & σ2 = ??, ‫ז‬max = ??, θp1 , θp2 , θs1 , θs2 = ??

Taking scale 1 cm = 10 N/mm2 to draw Mohr’s circle diagram,

Drawing Mohr’s circle by following above mentioned step by step

procedure,
1) Take point ‘O’, as origin of Cartesian system. Draw x-x axis and y-y
axis through ‘O’.
2) Take OA = σx = 6.0 cm towards right and OB = σy = 4.0 cm towards
left of O, as σx is tensile stress and σy is compressive stress.
3) Draw perpendicular AD and BE at ‘A’ and ‘B’ respectively equal to
shear stress ‫ז‬xy = 1.0 cm.
4) Join points D and E. Let the point of intersection with direct stress
axis be ‘C’.
5) Now with ‘C’ as center and radius equal to ‘CD’ or ‘CE’, draw a circle.
This is known as Mohr’s circle.
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6) Mark point ‘M’, which is intersection of circle with x-axis towards right
(highest distance from ‘O’ towards right).
7) Mark point ‘N’, which is intersection of circle with x-axis towards left
(lowest distance from ‘O’ towards left).
8) ‘OM’ and ‘ON’, represent major and minor principal stresses
respectively.
9) Mark point ‘S’ & ‘S’’, on y axis as intersection of circle with y-axis.
10) ‘CS’ or ‘CS’’ represent maximum shear stress.

Fig 4 : Mohr’s circle diagram

Hence by measuring the lengths from Mohr’s circle diagram we have,

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 σ1 = length ‘OM’ x scale = 6.1 cm x 10
σ1 = 61 N/mm2.

σ2 = length ‘ON’ x scale = 4.1 cm x 10

σ2 = - 41 N/mm2.

‫ז‬max = length ‘CS’ x scale = 5.1 cm x 10

‫ז‬max = 51 N/mm2.

2θp1 = angle DCA = 120 so θp1 = 60

θp2 = θp1 + 900 = 60 + 900 so θp2 = 960

θs1 = θp1 + 450 = 60 + 450 so θs1 = 510

θs2 = θs1 + 900 = 510 + 900 so θs2 = 1410

Solution by Analytical method :

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Putting given values in above equation

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Prob 3) Draw Mohr’s stress circle for principal stresses of 80 N/mm2 tensile
and 50 N/mm2 compressive. And find the resultant stress on planes making
220 and 640 with the major principal plane. Find also the normal and

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tangential stresses on these planes using Mohr’s circle method. Check the
answers by analytical method.

Solution :
Given data :
σ1 = 80 N/mm2, σ2 = - 50 N/mm2, ‫ = ז‬0 N/mm2, θ = 220 , θ = 640
σ22 = ??, ‫ז‬22 = ??, (σR)22 = ??
σ64 = ??, ‫ז‬64 = ??, (σR)64 = ??
Taking scale 1 cm = 10 N/mm2 to draw Mohr’s circle diagram,

Drawing Mohr’s circle by following above mentioned step by step

procedure,
1) Take point ‘O’, as a origin of Cartesian coordinate system.
2) Take OA = σ1 = 8.0 cm towards right of ‘O’ as it is tensile stress.
3) Take OB = σ2 = 5.0 cm towards left of ‘O’ as it is compressive stress.
4) Mark midpoint ‘C’ of length AB. Now with ‘C’ as center and radius
equal to ‘CA’ or ‘CB’, draw a circle. This is known as Mohr’s circle.

Case I) To find out stresses on an inclined plane, θ = 220 :

1) Through ‘O’, draw a line ‘OP1’ making an angle ‘2θ’ (2x220 = 440)’,
with ‘OA’, as shown in following fig 5.
2) From ‘P1’, draw ‘P1Q1’ perpendicular to ‘OA’.
3) Length ‘OQ1’ and ‘P1Q1’ represent the normal stress and shear stress
on the oblique plane respectively. And ‘OP1’ represents resultant
stress on the oblique plane.
Hence by measuring the lengths from Mohr’s circle diagram we have,
σ22 = length ‘OQ1’ x scale = 6.2 cm x 10
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 σ22 = 62 N/mm2.
‫ז‬22 = length ‘P1Q1’ x scale = 4.5 cm x 10
‫ז‬22 = 45 N/mm2.
(σR)22 = length ‘OP1’ x scale = 7.7 cm x 10
(σR)22 = 77 N/mm2.

Fig 5 : Mohr’s circle diagram

Case II) To find out stresses on an inclined plane, θ = 640 :
1) Through ‘O’, draw a line ‘OP2’ making an angle ‘2θ’ (2x640 = 1280)’,
with ‘OA’, as shown in fig 5.
2) From ‘P2’, draw ‘P2Q2’ perpendicular to ‘OB’.
3) Length ‘OQ2’ and ‘P2Q2’ represent the normal stress and shear stress
on the oblique plane respectively. And ‘OP2’ represents resultant
stress on the oblique plane.

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 Hence by measuring the lengths from Mohr’s circle diagram we have,
σ64 = length ‘OQ2’ x scale = 2.4 cm x 10
σ64 = - 24 N/mm2.
‫ז‬64 = length ‘P2Q2’ x scale = 5.2 cm x 10
‫ז‬64 = 52 N/mm2.
(σR)64 = length ‘OP2’ x scale = 5.8 cm x 10
(σR)64 = 58 N/mm2.

Fig 5 : Mohr’s circle diagram

Solution by Analytical Method :

Case-I) θ = 220 :

Putting given values in above equation

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Case-II) θ = 640 :

Putting given values in above equation

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Putting given values in above equation

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HW :
From Strength of Materials by Ramamrutham
(chapter No 10 on Principal Stresses and Strains) –
1) Problem no 23 3) Problem no 25
2) Problem no 24 4) Problem no 26
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[C] Biaxial & shear stress:

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References :
1. Strength of Materials by R K Bansal.
2. Strength of Materials by S S Bhavikatti
3. Strength of Materials by S Ramamrutham
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