Theories of Failure

The material properties are usually determined by simple

tension or compression tests.
The mechanical members are subjected to biaxial or
triaxial stresses.
To determine whether a component will fail or not, some
failure theories are proposed which are related to the
properties of materials obtained from uniaxial tension or
compression tests.
Initially we will consider failure of a mechanical member
subjected to biaxial stresses
The Theories of Failures which are applicable for
this situation are:

• Max principal or normal stress theory

(Rankine’s theory)
• Maximum shear stress theory (Guest’s or
Tresca’s theory)
• Max. Distortion energy theory (Von Mises
& Hencky’s theory)
• Max. strain energy theory
• Max. principal strain theory
 Ductile materials usually fail by
yielding and hence the limiting strength is
the yield strength of material as determined
from simple tension test which is assumed
the same in compression also.
For brittle materials limiting strength
of material is ultimate tensile strength in
tension or compression.
Max. Principal or Normal stress theory
(Rankine’s Theory):

• It is assumed that the failure or yield occurs at a

point in a member when the max. principal or
normal stress in the biaxial stress system
reaches the limiting strength of the material in a
simple tension test.
• In this case max. principal stress is calculated in
a biaxial stress case and is equated to limiting
strength of the material.
Maximum principal stress
 x   y   x   y 
2

1        2xy
 2   2 
Minimum principal stress
 x   y   x   y 
2

2        2xy
 2   2 

•For ductile materials

 S yt 
1 should not exceed   in tension, FOS=Factor of safety
 FOS 
•For brittle materials
 S ut 
 
1 should not exceed  FOS  in tension
This theory is basically applicable for brittle materials
which are relatively stronger in shear and not applicable
to ductile materials which are relatively weak in shear.
 +σ
2
Syt

-σ1 +σ
o Syt
Syc 1

Syc

-σ2

Boundary for maximum – normal – stress theory under bi – axial stresses

2. Maximum Shear Stress theory (Guest’s or Tresca’s
theory):
•The failure or yielding is assumed to take place at a
point in a member where the max shear stress in a
biaxial stress system reaches a value equal to shear
strength of the material obtained from simple tension
test.
•In a biaxial stress case max shear stress developed is
given by  x  y  2
 max   2
   xy
 2 
 yt
 max 
FOS
Syt
where max =
2  FOS
This theory is mostly used for ductile materials.
 

max

max
σ
σ2= σ3
o =0

σ1 -σ2
o σ3 =0
+σ1 σ
Mohr’s circle for uni – axial
tension

max

Mohr’s circle for bi– axial stress

condition
 S yt
According to the Maximum shear stress theory,  max 
2
Max. direct stress  Min. direct stress
And also  max 
2
Assuming that σ1> σ2> σ3 and σ3 =0
CASE – 2 (Second quadrant)
σ1 is -ve and σ2 is +ve ,Then +σ CASE – 1 (First quadrant )
  (1 )  2  1 21 σ1 and σ2 are +ve
max  2   2
1  3 1  0 1 S yt
2 2 2  max    
S yt Syt σ1=Syt 2 2 2 2
Then max  1 
2 i.e. 1  S yt

+σ
-σ1 Syc o Syt
1

CASE – 3 (Third quadrant) CASE – 4 (Fourth quadrant)

σ1 is -ve and σ2 is more -ve σ1 is +ve and σ2 is -ve ,Then
Syc
,Then
  (  2 ) 0   2 σ1=Syc   ( 2 ) 1   2 2
 max  3   max  1  
2 2 2 2 2
 S yc -σ2 S yt
Then  max   Then  max   
2 2 2
i.e   S yc
3.Max. Distortion energy theory (Von Mises & Hencky’s
theory):

•It is assumed that failure or yielding occurs at a point

the member where the distortion strain energy (also
called shear strain energy) per unit volume in a biaxial
stress system reaches the limiting distortion energy
(distortion energy at yield point) per unit volume as
determined from a simple tension test.
•The maximum distortion energy is the difference
between the total strain energy and the strain energy due
to uniform stress.
3.Max. Distortion energy theory (Von Mises & Hencky’s
theory):
3.Max. Distortion energy theory (Von Mises &
Hencky’s theory):

• The criteria of failure for the distortion – energy

theory is expressed as

S yt 
1
2

1   2 2   2   3 2   3  1 2 
• Considering the factor of safety
S yt
FOS

1
2

 1   2 2   2   3 2   3   1 2 
• For bi – axial stresses (σ3=0),
S yt
FOS

 1  2  1  2
2 2

3.Max. Distortion energy theory (Von Mises & Hencky’s
theory):
• A component subjected to pure shear stresses and the
corresponding Mohr’s circle diagram is 
Y



o σ
-σ2 σ1


X


Element subjected to pure shear stresses 
Mohr’s circle for pure shear stresses
 From the figure, σ1 = -σ2 =  and σ3=0
Substituting the values in the equation
S yt
FOS

 1  2  1  2
2 2

We get
S yt  3
Replacing  by Ssy, we get
S yt
S sy   0.577 S yt
3
In the biaxial stress case, principal stress 1, 2 are
calculated based on x ,y & xy which in turn are used
to determine whether the left hand side is more than
right hand side, which indicates failure of the
component.
 Case 2 (Second quadrant)
Case 1 (First quadrant)
σ1 is -ve and σ2 is +ve and equal
to σ, then
 
S yt σ1 and σ2 are +ve and equal
   2  1  2
2 2
1
+σ to σ, then
FOS
     
S yt 2
S yt
  2
2 2
 1   2  1  2
2 2
1 1 2
FOS Syt FOS
S yt S yt
 3 2  3 
FOS FOS
S yt
  0.577
FOS
Syc o Syt +σ
-σ1
Case 14 (Fourth quadrant)
Case 3 (Third quadrant)
σ1 is +ve and σ2 is -ve and equal
σ1 is -ve and σ2 is +ve and to σ, then
equal to σ, then
Syc
S yt
  2
  2  1  2
2

 
1
S yt FOS
 1   2  1  2
   
2 2
S yt
  2
2 2
FOS -σ2 1 1 2
S yt FOS
 S yt
FOS  3 2  3
FOS
S yt
  0.577
FOS
Boundary for distortion – energy theory under bi – axial stresses
 MPa

MPa
MPa
4. Max. Strain energy theory (Heigh’s Thoery):

•Failure is assumed to take place at a point in a member

where strain energy per unit volume in a biaxial stress
system reaches the limiting strain energy that is strain
energy at yield point per unit volume as determined
from a simple tension test.
• Strain energy per unit volume in a biaxial system is
1  2 2 1 2 
U1  1  2 
2

2E  m 
• The limiting strain energy per unit volume for yielding
as determined from simple tension test is
2
1  S yt 
U2   
2 E  FOS 
Equating the above two equations then we get
2
2 1  2  S yt 
1  2
2 2
   
m  FOS 
In a biaxial case 1, 2 are calculated based as x, y & xy
It will be checked whether the Left Hand Side of
Equation is less than Right Hand Side of Equation or
not. This theory is used for ductile materials.
5.Max. Principal Strain theory (Saint Venant’s Theory):

•It is assumed that the failure or yielding occurs at a point

in a member where the maximum principal (normal) strain
in a biaxial stress exceeds limiting value of strain (strain at
yield port) as obtained from simple tension test.
• In a biaxial stress case

σ1 σ 2 Syt
E max   
E mE FOS E

•One can calculate 1 & 2 given x , y & xy and check

whether the material fails or not, this theory is not used
in general as reliable results could not be detained in
variety of materials.
 Example :1
• The load on a bolt consists of an axial pull of 10kN
together with a transverse shear force of 5kN. Find
the diameter of bolt required according to
1. Maximum principal stress theory
2. Maximum shear stress theory
3. Maximum principal strain theory
4. Maximum strain energy theory
5. Maximum distortion energy theory
Permissible tensile stress at elastic limit =100MPa and
Poisson’s ratio =0.3
 Solution 1
• Cross – sectional area of the bolt,
 2
A  d  0.7854d 2
4
• Axial stress,
P 10 12.73
1    kN / mm 2

A 0.7854d 2 d2

• And transverse shear stress,

Ps 5
   6.365kN / mm 2

A 0.7854d 2
According to maximum principal stress theory
• Maximum principal stress,
   
2

1   x    x    2xy
 2   2 
 x   y   x   y 
2

1        2xy
 2   2 

 12.73   12.73  2  6.365  2 

1   2 
  2 
 2  
 2d   2d   d  
15365
1  N / mm 2

d2
• According to maximum principal stress
theory, Syt = σ1

15365
100  2
 d  12.4mm
d
According to maximum shear stress theory
• Maximum shear stress,
 x   y 
2

max     2xy
 2 
 x 
2

 max      2xy
 2 
 12.73  2  6.365  2  9 9000
  2    2    2 kN / mm  2 N / mm2
2

 d   d   d d
• According to maximum shear stress,
S yt
9000 100
 max   2 
2 d 2
d  13.42mm
According to maximum principal strain theory
• The maximum principal stress,
 x   y   x   y 
2

1        2xy
 2   2 

 x   x 
2
15365
1         2xy 
 2   2  d2
• And minimum principal stress,

 x   y   x   y 
2

2        2xy
 2   2 

 x   x 
2 2 2
12.73  12.73   6.365 
 2         xy  2  
2
2 
 2 
 2   2  d  2d   d 
 2635
2  N / mm 2

d2
• And according to maximum principal strain theory,

σ1 σ 2 Syt
 
E mE E
σ2 15365 2635  0.3
σ1   Syt  2
 2
 100
m d d
d  12.7mm
• According to maximum strain energy
theory
21  2
1   2   S yt
2 2 2

m
15365    2635  15365  2635
2 2

 d 2    d 2   2  d 2  d 2  0.3  100
2

   
d  12.78mm
• According to maximum distortion theory
S yt  
1
2
  2  1  2
2

 15365  2   2635  2 15365  2635 
100    2      
  d   d  2
d 2
d 2 
 
d  13.4mm