Mohr Circle

In 2D space (e.g., on the o

1
o
2
, o
1
o
3
, or o
2
o
3
plane), the normal stress (o
n
) and the shear
stress (o
s
), could be given by equations (1)
and (2) in the next slides
Note: The equations are given here in the
o
1
o
2
plane, where o
1
is greater than o
2.
If we were dealing with the o
2
o
3
plane,
then the two principal stresses would be o
2
and o
3
Normal Stress
The normal stress, o
n

o
n
= (o
1
+o
2
)/2 + (o
1
-o
2
)/2 cos2o l)
In parametric form the equation becomes:
o
n
= c + r cos
Where
c = (o
1
+o
2
)/2 is the center, which lies on the
normal stress axis (x axis)
r = (o
1
-o
2
)/2 is the radius
= 2o
Sign Conventions
o
n
is compressive when it is +, i.e., when o
n
>0
o
n
is tensile when it is -, i.e., when o
n
< 0
o
n
= (o
1
+o
2
)/2+(o
1
-o
2
)/2 cos2o
NOTE:
o is the angle from o
1
to the normal to the plane!
o
n
= o
1
at o = 0
o
(a maximum)
o
n
= o
2
at o = 70
o
(a minimum )
There is no shear stress on the three principal planes
(perpendicular to the principal stresses)
Resolved Normal and Shear Stress
Shear Stress
The shear stress
o
s
= (o
1
-o
2
)/2 sin2o 2)
In parametric form the equation becomes:
o
s
= r sin where = 2o
o
s
> 0 represents left-lateral shear
o
s
< 0 represents right-lateral shear
o
s
= 0 at o = 0
o
or 70
o
or l?0
o
(a min)
o
s
= o
1
o
2
)/2 at o = + 4
o
(maximum shear stress)
The maximum o
s
is 1/2 the differential stress
Construction of the Mohr Circle in 2D
Plot the normal stress, o
n
, vs. shear stress, o
s
, on a
graph paper using arbitrary scale (e.g., mm scale!)
Calculate:
Center c = (o
1
+o
2
)/2
Radius r = (o
1
-o
2
)/2
Note: Diameter is the differential stress (o
1
-o
2
)
The circle intersects the o
n
(x-axis) at the two
principal stresses (o
1
ando
2
)
Construction of the Mohr Circle
Multiply the physical angle o by 2
The angle 2o is from the co
l
line to any point on the
circle
+2o (CCW) angles are read above the x-axis
-2o (CW) angles below the x-axis, from the o
1
axis
The o
n
ando
s
of a point on the circle represent the
normal and shear stresses on the plane with the
given 2o angle
NOTE: The axes of the Mohr circle have no
geographic significance!
Mohr Circle for Stress
.
Mohr Circle in 3D
Maximum & Minimum Normal Stresses
The normal stress
o
n
= (o
1
+o
2
)/2 + (o
1
-o
2
)/2 cos2o
NO1E o in physical space) is the angle from o
1
to the normal
to the plane
When o = 0
o
then cos2o = l and o
n
=(o
1
+o
2
)/2 + (o
1
-o
2
)/2
which reduces to a maximum value:
o
n
= (o
1
+o
2
+o
1
-o
2
)/2 o
n
= 2o
1
/2 o
n
= o
1
When o = 70
o
then cos2o = l and o
n
= (o
1
+o
2
)/2 - (o
1
-o
2
)/2
which reduces to a minimum
o
n
= (o
1
+o
2
- o
1
+o
2
)/2 o
n
= 2o
2
/2 o
n
= o
2
Special States of Stress - Uniaxial Stress
Uniaxial Stress (compression or tension)
One principal stress (o
1
or o
3
) is non-zero, and
the other two are equal to zero
Uniaxial compression
Compressive stress in one direction: o
1
> o
2
=o
3
= 0
| a 0 0|
| 0 0 0|
| 0 0 0|
The Mohr circle is tangent to the ordinate at the
origin (i.e., o
2
=o
3
= 0) on the + (compressive) side
Special States of Stress
Uniaxial Tension
Tension in one direction:
0 = o
1
= o
2
> o
3
|0 0 0|
|0 0 0|
|0 0-a|
The Mohr circle is tangent to the ordinate at
the origin on the - (i.e., tensile) side
Special States of Stress - Axial Stress
Axial (confined) compression: o
1
> o
2
= o
3
> 0
|a 0 0|
|0 b 0|
|0 0 b|
Axial extension (extension): o
1
= o
2
> o
3
> 0
|a 0 0|
|0 a 0|
|0 0 b|
The Mohr circle for both of these cases are to the
right of the origin (non-tangent)
Special States of Stress - Biaxial Stress
Biaxial Stress:
Two of the principal stresses are non-zero and the other
is zero
Pure Shear:
o
1
= -o
3
and is non-zero (equal in magnitude but opposite in
sign)
o
2
= 0 (i.e., it is a biaxial state)
The normal stress on planes of maximum shear is zero
(pure shear!)
|a 0 0 |
|0 0 0 |
|0 0 -a|
The Mohr circle is symmetric w.r.t. the ordinate (center is at
the origin)
Special States of Stress
Special States of Stress - Triaxial Stress
Triaxial Stress:
o
1
, o
2
, ando
3
have non-zero values
o
1
> o
2
>o
3
and can be tensile or compressive
Is the most general state in nature
|a 0 0 |
|0 b 0 |
|0 0 c |
The Mohr circle has three distinct circles
Triaxial Stress
Two-dimensional cases: General Stress
General Compression
Both principal stresses are compressive
is common in earth)
General Tension
Both principal stresses are tensile
Possible at shallow depths in earth
Isotropic Stress
The 3D, isotropic stresses are equal in magnitude
in all directions (as radii of a sphere)
Magnitude = the mean of the principal stresses
o
m
= (o
1
+o
2
+o
3
)/3 = (o
11
+o
22
+o
33
)/3
P = o
1
= o
2
= o
3
when principal stresses are equal
i.e., it is an invariant (does not depend on a
specific coordinate system). No need to know the
principal stress; we can use any!
Leads to dilation (+e
v
& -e
v
); but no shape change
e
v
=(v-v
o
)/v
o
= Hv/v
o
[no dimension]
v and v
o
are final and original volumes
Stress in Liquids
Fluids (liquids/gases) are stressed equally in all
directions (e.g. magma); e.g.:
Hydrostatic, Lithostatic, Atmospheric pressure
All of these are pressure due to the column of
water, rock, or air, respectively:
P = Vgz
z is thickness
V is density
g is the acceleration due to gravity
Hydrostatic Pressure- Hydrostatic Tension
Hydrostatic Pressure: o
1
= o
2
= o
3
= P
|P 0 0|
|0 P 0|
|0 0 P|
All principal stresses are compressive and equal (P)
No shear stress exists on any plane
All orthogonal coordinate systems are principal
coordinates
Mohr circle reduces to a point on the o
n
axis
Hydrostatic Tension
The stress across all planes is tensile and equal
There are no shearing stresses
Is an unlikely case of stress in the earth
Deviatoric Stress
A total stress o
1
can be divided into its components:
isotropic (Pressure) or mean stress (o
m
)
Pressure is the mean of the principal stresses (may be
neglected in most problems). Only causes volume change.
deviatoric (o
d
) that deviates from the mean
Deviators components are calculated by subtracting the
mean stress (pressure) from each of the normal stresses of
the general stress tensor (not the shear stresses!). Causes
shape change and that it the part which we are most
interested in.
o
T
=o
m
+o
d
or o
d
=o
T
-o
m
Confining Pressure
In experimental rock deformation, pressure
is called confining pressure, and is taken to
be equal to the o
2
and o
3
(uniaxial loading)
This is the pressure that is hydraulically
applied around the rock specimen
In the Earth, at any point z, the confining
pressure is isotropic (lithostatic) pressure:
P = Vgz
Decomposition of Matrix
Decomposition of the total stress matrix into the
mean and deviatoric matrices
The deviatoric part of total stress leads to change in
shape
Example - Deviatoric & Mean stress
Given: o
1
= 8 Mpa, o
2
= 5 Mpa, and o
3
= 2 Mpa
Find the mean and the diviatoric stresses
The mean stress (o
m
):
o
m
= (8 + 5 + 2) / 3 = 5 MPa
The deviatoric stresses (o
n
'
):
o
1
'
= 8-5 = 3 Mpa (compressive)
o
2
'
= 5-5 = 0 Mpa
o
3
'
= 2-5 = -3 Mpa (tensile)
Differential Stress
The difference between the maximum and the
minimum principal stresses (o
1
-o
2
)
Is always positive
Its value is:
twice the radius of the largest Mohr circle
It is twice the maximum shear stresses
Note: o
s
= (o
1
-o
2
)/2 sin2o
o
s
= o
1
o
2
)/2 at o = + 4
o
(a maximum)
The maximum o
s
is 1/2 the differential stress
Is an invariant of the stress tensor
Effective Stress
Its components are calculated by subtracting the
internal pore fluid pressure (P
f
) from each of the
normal stresses of the external stress tensor
This means that the pore fluid pressures opposes
the external stress, decreasing the effective
confining pressure
The pore fluid pressure shifts the Mohr circle
toward lower normal stresses. This changes the
applied stress into an effective stress
Effective Stress
(applied stress - pore fluid pressure)= effective stress
|o
11
o
12
o
13
| | P
f
0 0 | |o
11
- P
f
o
12
o
13
|
o
21
o
22
o
23
| - | 0 P
f
0 |=|o
21
o
22
P
f
o
23
|
|o
31
o
32
o
33
| | 0 0 P
f
| |o
31
o
32
o
33
- P
f
|
Mechanical behavior of a brittle material depends
on the effective stress, not on the applied stress
Pore Fluid Pressure