Stress Transformation and Mohr’s Circle

Consider a stress state where the only non-zero stresses applied to the volume occur in a 2-D plane oriented along the coordinate axes. This
is called plane stress which we can have in the x-y plane, the x-z plane, or the y-z plane.

For example, plane stress in the x-y plane is shown below:

yy yy
yx zz yx
xx xy xy
xx xx xx
xy
xy
yx
y
zz
yy yx
z
x generalized
planestres

s yy
planestress

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)

Assume plane stress (stresses in x-y plane only) so that the traction (stress) tensor becomes:

 xx  xy 0
     yx  yy 0

 0 0 0 
We now consider the question of resolving the given stress components in the x-y directions into stresses oriented in a different direction.
For example, the resultant stresses on a plane which has a normal which makes an angle  with the x-axis. A further question is whether
there is some plane where the stresses are a maximum or are zero.
Consider a solid body such as that shown below. Suppose that we start with the state of stress defined in x-y coordinates.

F
2
F1
y
y y
'y'
p
 
x
y
x
'y' x
'x'
p
oint0
y
 x
x
x x
x
z
x
y
x
'x' x
'y'
y 
y
y
y
'y'
y' x
'

x
 as shown below to obtain:
We wish to determine the state of stress in the x'-y' coordinate system. We pass a cutting plane through point "O" which a unit normal
vector n

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)

 yy zz
yx y’
t(n) x’
xy
xx xx n’ n
xy xx 
yx y xy
zz y'
x'
 yx
yy z
x
yy
A 2-D picture of the stress-state may be easier to work with:



y
y

t
 ’y y
x
y (
n)

 x
x  

n x
’
x x
y

 
x
x x
x

x
y x
y


y

 
y
x y
x
x

z y
y y
y


Note that the unit vector n as well as the x'-axis makes an angle  with the x-axis (measured CCW from the x-axis).

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)

 y
t (n)

 xx  
n
x

 xy
 
 yy 

n  nxi  n y j  cos i  sin j
  
t( n )  t( n ) i  t( n ) j = traction
x y
vector

 xx , yy , xy = Cauchy stresses

        n   
From Cauchy's formula, we have t  n   or t
 ( n) 
(n)
 
t   xx cos   yx sin   n  xx  n  yx
( n) x x y

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)

 t   xy cos   yy sin   n  xy  n  yy
( n) y x y
   
 n   is a general result in 3-D which gives the projection of Cauchy stress tensor  onto a plane whose
The expression t
( n)
 

unit normal is given by n .The traction vector t
( n ) on the inclined face, as given above, is written terms of it's x and y components. It is

much more informative and useful to write the traction vector t
( n ) in terms a normal component  n and a parallel (shear) component

 s as shown below. Or, because the unit normal n and x'-axis are in the same direction, we would actually be determining the stresses
 x ' x ' and  x ' y ' in the x'-y' coordinate system as shown below:
  x
'y'  s t



(n)
t
()
ny t
(n)
 n 
  
 x
'y'

x
'x'
n
x
x

 t ’ y
y


(
n )
x x
’
x
y


x


y
x

y
y
 =
CCW
an
gl
e f
romx
-ax
is

 x ' x ' (also called  n ) is first obtained from the dot product of the unit normal and the traction vector:
The normal component

     
 n  n  tn or as a vector 
n  ( n  tn ) n

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)

and the shear (parallel) component is obtained from vector addition

    
tn   n   s  s  t 
n n
Now, lets carry out these vector operations to obtain  n and  s . The unit normal vector in 2-D (x-y) is given by
    
n  nx i  n y j  cos i  sin j
Cauchy's formula in vector notation
    
tn  n    (nx xx  n y yx )i  (nx xy  n y yy ) j
 
 ( xx cos   xy sin  )i  ( xy cos   yy sin  ) j
Normal component of traction

 ( cos    sin  ) i   
 x ' x '  tn  n  
 xx xy

  ( xy cos   yy sin  )  

j
  cos  i  sin  j

  cos 2   2 sin  cos    sin 2 
xx xy yy

Use the double angle trig identities to rewrite above equation

cos 2   (1  cos 2 ) / 2
sin 2   (1  cos 2 ) / 2
2 sin  cos   sin 2
With the double angle trig identities,  x ' x ' becomes
SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)
  xx   yy  xx   yy
 x'x'  n   cos 2   xy sin 2
2 2
Shear component of traction

The shear component,  s , can be obtained from vector algebra, ie, 

tn   n 2   s2 or
 2 2
s  tn n
 2 2
or  x' y'  tn  x 'x'
Evaluating the above and using the double angle formulas, we obtain for the shear component:

 xx   yy
 x ' y '   s   xy cos 2  sin 2
2
An alternate procedure to obtain the shear component:
:
Define the unit normal in the direction of y' to be n'
    
n '  k  n   sin  i  cos j
 
The shear component  x ' y ' is the component of t in the direction of n ' so that
n

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)

 
 ( cos    sin  ) i   
 x ' y '  tn  n '  
 xx xy

  ( xy cos    yy sin  ) 
j


   sin  i  cos  j

  xx cos sin    xy ( sin 2   cos 2  )   yy sin  cos 
 xx   yy
  xy cos 2  sin 2
2
These last two results allow us to transform the stresses from an x-y coordinate system to an x'-y' coordinate system and are called the
stress transformation equations.

We could obviously use either the notation  x ' x ' or  n , and  x ' y ' or  S . We will choose to use  n and  S . After squaring
both sides of the  n and  s equations, adding the results to obtain one equation and using trig identities, we obtain the following
2 2
  xx   yy    xx   yy 
 n     s 2   xy 2  
 2   2 
The above is similar to the equation of a circle of radius r located at x=a and y=b, i.e.,
(x-a)2 + (y-b)2 = r2
Thus, the relation defining the normal and shear components (in terms of the x and y stresses) can be drawn as a circle if we choose the
following:

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)

 x  n
 xx   yy
a
2
y  s
b0
2
2   xx   yy 
r   xy  
 2 
This leads to graphical representation of the stress transformation equations known as Mohr's Circle.

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)

  x'y' ( s ) 2
  

xx yy 2
r    xy
 2 
  yy ,  xy  
 C

y  fa c e s tre s s e s 

 A 
P2 P1
 x'x'
( n
)
2 P
r
2 S  
  xx ,   xy


B  x  fa c e s tre s s e s

 S m ax
a  ( xx   yy ) / 2  P 1 ,  P 2  p rin c ip a l s tre s s e s
 is p o s itiv e c o u n te r c lo c k w is e Imp
ortant note on sign convention for shear stress used in constructing Mohr’s Circle.

When defining the Cauchy stress, a positive shear stress  xy on the positive x face was in the positive y coordinate direction.
 2
Because the calculation for the shear component above, ie,   t  2 which involves a square root, there is an
s n n
uncertainty in the + direction of the shear component. In order for the Mohr’s circle graphical representation to be used properly, we must
adopt a sign convention:

Shear stresses on opposite faces that form a clockwise couple about the center are positive on the Mohr’s circle.

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)

 yy yy
yx yx
xy xy
xx xx

Shearwhichm akes
CWm oment is positive
Differential volume +direction Mohr's Circle
Shearon+xface is negative
Shearon+yface is positive

A positive  xy (in the stress tensor) is plotted on Mohr's circle as negative for the x-face and positive for y-face.Mohr’s Circle
  
n  n 
graphically represents the Cauchy formula for t . It allows one to graphically determine the normal and shear stress on

any plane relative to the x-y axes.

Its most important use is to determine the principal stresses (the maximum and minimum values of the normal stress,  n , where there
is no shear stress), the maximum shear stress,  s , and the orientation of the planes on which these occur.
The principal stress is the normal stress that occurs on a plane where no shear stress exists.

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)

 Construction of Mohr’s Circle (method 1)

1. Locate center on  n axis at ( xx   yy ) / 2 .

2
2  xx  yy 
2. Draw circle with radius r   xy   .
 2 

3. Locate the two points on circle with values of the stress components on the x-face and y-face. These two points lie on a diameter line of
circle which passes through the center.

4. Determine max/min values of  n and  s and their plane orientation (angle from x or y face). Remember: angles on Mohr’s circle
are twice the real world.
Construction of Mohr’s Circle (method 2)

1. Plot the values of normal and shear stress from the x-face ( xx and  xy ) on the  n and  s axes. Observe Mohr’s circle
assumption on positive shear (shear is positive if moment due to shear is CW).

2. Plot the values of normal and shear stress from the y-face ( yy and  yx ) on the  n and  s axes.
3. The above two points form the diameter of Mohr’s circle whose center is located where the diameter line intersects the  n axis.
4. Determine max/min values of  n and  s and their plane orientation (angle from x or y face). Remember: angles on Mohr’s circle
are twice the real world.

Some reminders:

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)

1. For determining  n and  s from the defining equations, the angle  between the normal to any plane and the x-axis is defined
positive in the CCW direction from the x-axis.
2. When plotting shear stresses on Mohr’s circle, a shear stress is considered positive if it produces a CW moment.
3. All angles on Mohr’s circle are twice the real world [the x- and y-face stresses are 90 in the x-y coordinate system, but 180 apart on
Mohr’s circle (opposite ends of circle diameter)].
4. The planes of principal stress and maximum shear stress are 90 apart on Mohr’s circle and thus 45 apart in the real world!!!!

5. The angle  defining the planes where the maximum values of  n and  s occur can also be obtained by calculus. If
 xx   yy  xx   yy
n   cos 2   xy sin 2
2 2
Then taking the derivative with respect  and setting equal to zero gives the max/min values:
d n
 0  ( xx   yy ) sin 2  2 xy cos 2
d
The above can be solved for two roots in the range: -90+90 which define the normal for the planes of max/min normal stress with
respect to the x-axis.
The max value of shear stress can be obtained in a similar manner. The  defining plane of max shear is always 45 from plane of max/min
normal stress.

SAJJAD AHMED (ROLL NO.10255)