Geology 351 – Geophysical Methods for Geology,

Engineering and Environmental Sciences (ATH)

ELASTICITY – A study of the relationship between stress and strain

According to the Hook's Law, σxx = E εxx, where E is the Young's modulus. The
Hook's Law is an empirical law. For geological materials, the Young's modulus is often
of the order of Megabars (i.e., 1 Mb = 106 bars = 1012 dyne/cm2 = 105 MPa). Because of
conservation of mass, dilatation in the x-direction must be accompanied by contraction in
the y- and/or z- directions. Thus, strains in y and z directions are related to εxx by a
constant of proportionality υ, called the Poisson's Ratio. i.e.,

σ xx
ε yy = ε zz = −νε xx = −ν
E

This one-dimensional relationship can be generalized for a three dimensional situation as

given in the following equations.

Eε xx = σ xx − νσ yy − νσ zz ⎫
⎪
Eε yy = −νσ xx + σ yy − νσ zz ⎬ (1)
Eε zz = −νσ xx − νσ yy + σ zz ⎭⎪

Now, we can calculate volume change under lithostatic pressures by summing the above
three equations.

E ( ε xx + ε yy + ε zz ) = Eθ = (1 − 2ν ) (σ xx + σ yy + σ zz )

Under lithostatic pressure conditions, σxx =σyy =σzz =∆p. Therefore,

3
θ= (1 − 2ν )∆p
E

The above three equations can also be re-written to express stresses in terms of strains.
Basically, consider σxx, σyy, and σzz as the unknowns of equation (1). Thus, we have three
equations for three unknowns. The normal stresses, therefore, can be solved uniquely in
terms of the normal strain components: εxx, εyy, and εzz, which are considered as the
known quantities in this formulation. The results are given below.

σ xx = λθ + 2 µε xx ⎫
⎪
σ yy = λθ + 2 µε yy ⎬ (2)
σ zz = λθ + 2 µε zz ⎭⎪

νE E
where λ ≡ is the Lame's constant, and µ ≡ is the shear modulus.
(1 + ν )(1 − 2ν ) 2 (1 + ν )
It can also be shown (without proof here) that the following is true.

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Geology 351 – Geophysical Methods for Geology,
Engineering and Environmental Sciences (ATH)

τ xy = σ xy = 2µε xy ⎫
⎪
τ xz = σ xz = 2 µε xz ⎬ (3)
τ yz = σ yz = 2µε yz ⎭⎪

Combining equations (2) and (3), one can generalize the expression between stress and
strain in the following tensor form.

σ ij = λθδ ij + 2µε ij

In here, δij is a Kronecker delta function with a binary state (i.e., it equals one when i=j,
and zero when i and j are not identical). Notice that all the elastic moduli introduced here
are functions of E and υ only. Therefore, the Young's modulus and the Poisson's Ratio
are the most fundamental elastic properties of solid materials.

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Copyright © 2004 hsui