For an arbitrary point in the three-dimensional elastic half-space, we have obtained the closed-form

solutions necessary to completely determine the symmetric Cauchy stress tensor:

xx xy xz

xy yy yz
xz yz zz

At this point, the three Principle Stresses are determined as the eigenvalues of this tensor. We
determine these values by taking the determinant of the following tensor and solving the derived cubic
equation:

xx xy xz
I xy yy yz 3 I1 2 I 2 I 3 0
xz yz zz

where

I1 tr xx yy zz

tr tr 2 xx yy yy zz zz xx xz 2 yz 2 xy 2
1
I2
2

2
I 3 det xx yy zz 2 xz yz xy xy 2 zz yz 2 xx xz 2 yy

are the three invariants of the Cauchy Stress tensor. Making use of the general theory and solution of
cubic equations, we can determine the three eigenvalues as follows; defining

3
1 1 2 I1 9 I1 I 2 27 I 3
cos
3
1 2
2 I 2 3I 3/2

We obtain the solutions

1
I1 2

3 3

I12 3I 2 cos

3I cos
I 2 2
2 1 I12 2
3 3 3

3I cos
I 2 4
3 1 I12 2
3 3 3

Since the principle stresses are necessarily ordered, we define

 1 max 1 , 2 , 3
2 I1 max 1 , 2 , 3 min 1 , 2 , 3
3 min 1 , 2 , 3

In order to determine the directions of these principle stresses (corresponding to the eigenvectors of the
Cauchy stress tensor) we solve, for each i , the following equation:

i
xx i xy xz nx 0
i
i I n i xy yy i yz n y 0
xz
yz zz i nz i 0

In order to fully determine the vector n in all cases, we further restrict the system of equations so that
n is a unit vector normal to the plane in which the principle stress acts, i.e. nx 2 ny 2 nz 2 1 for each
n . Thus we have given a general formula for determining the three principle stresses and their
i

corresponding principle directions, given a Cauchy stress tensor at a point in the usual rectilinear
coordinates.

In the following plots, the solid lines represent the stress in the z or x-directions, the o markings the
Principle stresses.

Comparison of sigma-z to Principle Stress 3 (or 1 if compressive stresses are positive).

Constant Vertical Stress at Surface, and Depths B/2, B/ 3B/2, and 2B

0.8

0.6
Pressure

0.4

0.2

0
0.5
0.5
0 0
-0.5 -0.5
y x
 Largest Compressive Principle Stresses at Surface, B/2, B, 3B/2, and 2B

0.8
Pressure (sigma-3)

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0.5 0.5
0 0
-0.5 -0.5
y x

Sigma-z and Sigma-3, Point 1

0

-0.1

-0.2

-0.3

-0.4
Pressure

-0.5

-0.6

-0.7

-0.8

-0.9

-1
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Depth
 Sigma-z and Sigma-3, Point 2
0

-0.1

-0.2

-0.3

-0.4
Pressure

-0.5

-0.6

-0.7

-0.8

-0.9

-1
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Depth

Sigma-z and Sigma-3, Point 3

0

-0.1

-0.2

-0.3

-0.4
Pressure

-0.5

-0.6

-0.7

-0.8

-0.9

-1
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Depth
 Sigma-z and Sigma-3, Point 4
0

-0.1

-0.2

-0.3

-0.4
Pressure

-0.5

-0.6

-0.7

-0.8

-0.9

-1
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Depth

Sigma-z and Sigma-3, Point 5

0

-0.1

-0.2

-0.3

-0.4
Pressure

-0.5

-0.6

-0.7

-0.8

-0.9

-1
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Depth
Comparison of sigma-x to Principle Stress 1 (or 3 if compressive stresses are positive).

x-Directional Stress at Surface, and Depths B/2, B, 3B/2, 2B

0.8

0.6
Sigma-x

0.4

0.2

0
0.5
0.5
0 0

-0.5 -0.5
y x

Smallest Compressive Principle Stresses at Surface, B/2, B, 3B/2, and 2B

0.8

0.6
Sigma-1

0.4

0.2

0
0.5
0.5
0
0

y -0.5 -0.5
x
 Sigma-x and Sigma-1, Point 1
0.4

0.2

-0.2
Pressure

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Depth

Sigma-x and Sigma-1, Point 2

0.4

0.2

-0.2
Pressure

-0.4

-0.6

-0.8

-1
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Depth
 Sigma-x and Sigma-1, Point 3
0.1

-0.1

-0.2

-0.3
Pressure

-0.4

-0.5

-0.6

-0.7

-0.8

-0.9
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Depth

Sigma-x and Sigma-1, Point 4

0.1

-0.1

-0.2

-0.3
Pressure

-0.4

-0.5

-0.6

-0.7

-0.8

-0.9
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Depth
 Sigma-x and Sigma-1, Point 5
0.1

-0.1

-0.2

-0.3
Pressure

-0.4

-0.5

-0.6

-0.7

-0.8

-0.9
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Depth