ECV3221:

Mechanics of Materials
Nabilah Abu Bakar, March 2023
Lets recap…
06
Principal Stress
(part 2)
At the end of this lecture,
you should be able to…

● Describe the concept of Mohr’s circle

● Perform stress transformation & principal
stresses using Mohr’s circle
Topic covers:
● Introduction
● Equations of Mohr’s circle
● Basic construction of Mohr’s circle
 Mohr’s circle for plane stress

• Graphical interpretation of the stress transformation equations

• Offers functional depiction of the relationships between stress components
acting on different plane at a point.
• Extremely useful as you can visualize the relationships between the normal
and shear stresses acting on various inclined planes at a point in a stressed
body
• Also provides mean for calculating principal stresses, maximum shear stress
and stresses at inclined planes.
 Equations of Mohr’s circle

Remember the general plane stress transformation equations:

𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦 𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦
𝜎𝑛 = + cos 2𝜃 + 𝜏𝑥𝑦 sin 2𝜃 Eqn. 1
2 2
𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦
𝜏𝑛𝑡 = − sin 2𝜃 + 𝜏𝑥𝑦 cos 2𝜃 Eqn. 2
2
Re-write these equations
𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦 𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦
𝜎𝑛 − = cos 2𝜃 + 𝜏𝑥𝑦 sin 2𝜃
2 2
𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦
𝜏𝑛𝑡 = − sin 2𝜃 + 𝜏𝑥𝑦 cos 2𝜃
2
 Equations of Mohr’s circle

Both equations can be squared, added together and simplified to:

2 2
𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦 2
𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦
𝜎𝑛 − + 𝜏𝑛𝑡 = + 𝜏𝑥𝑦 2 Eqn. 3
2 2

This is equation for a circle, in terms of 𝜎𝑛 and 𝜏𝑛𝑡

 Equations of Mohr’s circle

The center of circle is located on the 𝜎 -axis (where 𝜏 = 0) at :

𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦
𝐶=
2

The radius, R of the circle is given by the right-hand side of equation 3.

𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦 2
2
𝑅= + 𝜏𝑥𝑦
2

Equation 3 can be written in terms of C and R as :

2
𝜎𝑛 − 𝐶 + 𝜏𝑛𝑡 2 = 𝑅 2
 Sign conventions in plotting

• Normal stresses: plotted as horizontal coordinates (𝜎-axis)

• Shear stresses: plotted as vertical coordinates (𝜏 -axis)
• Mohr’s circle for plane stress is a circle plotted entirely in terms of
normal stress, 𝜎 and shear stress, 𝜏
• Tension normal stresses - plotted on the right side of 𝜏-axis
• Compression normal stresses - plotted on the left side of 𝜏-axis


If shear stress tends to rotate the stress

element in a clockwise direction, shear
stress is plotted above the 𝜎-axis


If shear stress tends to rotate the stress

element in a counterclockwise direction,
shear stress is plotted below the 𝜎-axis
 Steps in drawing Mohr’s circle
Assume the stresses 𝜎𝑥 , 𝜎𝑦 and 𝜏𝑥𝑦 are known.
1. Identify stresses acting on orthogonal planes at a point. These are usually
the stresses 𝜎𝑥 , 𝜎𝑦 and 𝜏𝑥𝑦 acting on the x and y faces of the stress element.
2. Draw a pair of coordinate axes. The 𝜎-axis is horizontal, and 𝜏-axis is vertical.
Use same scale for both axes. Label the upper half of the 𝜏-axis with
clockwise arrow. Label the lower half with a counterclockwise arrow.
3. Plot the state of stress acting on the x-face. If 𝜎𝑥 is positive (tension) then
the point is plotted to the right of the 𝜏-axis, if the 𝜎𝑥 is negative plots to the
left of the 𝜏-axis. For shear stress, 𝜏𝑥𝑦 use clockwise/counterclockwise sign
convention. If the arrow of 𝜏𝑥𝑦 tends to rotate the stress element clockwise,
plot the point above the 𝜎-axis .
 Steps in drawing Mohr’s circle
4. Label this point x.
5. Plot the state of stress acting on the y-face for both normal and shear stress.
Label this point y. Notice that points x and y both have the same distance away
from the 𝜎𝑥 axis (one point is above the 𝜎𝑥 axis, and the other point is below). This
is always be true because the shear stress acting on the x and y faces must
always have the same magnitude.
6. Draw the line connecting points x and y. The location where this line crosses the
𝜎-axis marks the center C of Mohr’s circle. The center of C of Mohr’s circle will
always lies on 𝜎-axis.
7. Draw a circle with center C and radius R. Every point on the circle represents a
combination of 𝜎 and 𝜏 that exists at some orientation. Points at the ends of any
diameter represent stresses on orthogonal planes in x-y coordinates system.
 Steps in drawing Mohr’s circle
8. The principal stresses in the Mohr’s circle are observed to occur at the 2 points
where the circle crosses the 𝜎-axis. Notice that the shear stress is always zero on
planes where the normal stress has a maximum or a minimum value.
9. The geometry of Mohr’s circle can be used to determine the orientation of the
principal planes. The angle between point x and one of the principal stress points
on the circle is 2θ. The sense of the angle (either clockwise or counterclock wise
can be determined from the circle by inspection.
10. Notice that the angle between the principal stress points and the maximum
shear stress point on Mohr’s circle is 90°.
Mohr’s circle 𝜎𝑦
𝜏𝑥𝑦
𝜎𝑥


𝜎𝑎𝑣𝑔 , 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝜎𝑦 , 𝜏𝑥𝑦 From the Mohr’s circle:
p1 = C + R
p2 = C - R
𝜎𝑝2 𝐶
𝜎𝑝1
2𝜃 𝜎

𝜎𝑥 , 𝜏𝑥𝑦
𝜎𝑎𝑣𝑔 , 𝜏𝑚𝑎𝑥
 Example 1
Consider a point in a structural member that subjected to plane stress. Normal and
shear stresses acting on horizontal and vertical planes at the point are shown:
a) Determine the principal stresses and the maximum shear stress acting at the
point using Mohr’s circle
b) Show the stresses in an appropriate sketch 50MPa

90 MPa

60MPa
1) Calculate C (center) of Mohr’s circle

𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦
𝐶= = 20 MPa
2 50MPa

2) Calculate R (radius) of Mohr’s circle

90 MPa

𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦 2
2
R= + 𝜏𝑥𝑦 = 92.2 MPa 60MPa
2
 

100 (avg, max)

80

60 x
40

20 2s
p2 C 2p

-60 -40 -20 20 40 60 80 100 p1 From drawing we
20
obtained :
40
2p = 40.60
60
y
80
p1 = +112.2 MPa
100 p2 = -72.2 Mpa
max = R = 92.2 Mpa
Draw Mohr’s circle to scale
avg = 20MPa
𝜎𝑝1 = 𝐶 + 𝑅 = 20 + 92.2 = +112.2 MPa
𝜎𝑝1 = 𝐶 − 𝑅 = 20 − 92.2 = −72.2 Mpa

The orientation of plane for principle stress &

maximum shear stress:
60
tan 2𝜃𝑝 =
70 avg = 20 MPa
2𝜃𝑝 = 40.6°
𝜃𝑝 = 20.3°(clockwise)
max = 92.2MPa
p2 = 72.2MPa
s = 24.70
2𝜃𝑠 = 90 − 2𝜃𝑝 = 49.4° p = 20.30
𝜃𝑠 = 24.7°(counter clockwise)
p1 = 112MPa
 Example 2
a) Determine the principle stresses and the maximum shear stress
b) Show these stresses in an appropriate sketch

12 MPa

27 MPa

60 MPa
1) Calculate C (center) of Mohr’s circle

𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦
𝐶= = −24 MPa
2
12 MPa

2) Calculate R (radius) of Mohr’s circle 27 MPa

60 MPa
𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦 2
2
R= + 𝜏𝑥𝑦 = 45 MPa
2
 

50

40

30 y
20

10 p1
p2 C

-60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 10 20 30 40 50
2p 10
2s 20

x 30 From drawing we obtained :

40 p = 18.450 (clockwise)
50 p1 = +21 MPa
(avg, max)
p2 = -69 Mpa
max = R = 45 Mpa
avg = -24MPa
Draw Mohr’s circle to scale
𝜎𝑝1 = 𝐶 + 𝑅 = −24 + 45 = +21 MPa
𝜎𝑝1 = 𝐶 − 𝑅 = −24 − 45 = −69 Mpa

The orientation of plane for principle stress &

maximum shear stress:
27
tan 2𝜃𝑝 =
36 max = 45MPa
2𝜃𝑝 = 36.9° avg = 24 MPa

𝜃𝑝 = 18.45°(clockwise)

p1 = 21 MPa
2𝜃𝑠 = 90 − 2𝜃𝑝 = 53.11° s = 26.60
𝜃𝑠 = 26.56°(counter clockwise) p = 18.450

p2 = 69 MPa
 Example 3
State of stress at a point is shown on the element. Represent this state on an
element orientated 30° counterclockwise from position shown.

12 MPa

8 MPa

6 MPa
1) Calculate C (center) of Mohr’s circle

𝜎𝑥 + 𝜎𝑦
𝐶= = 2 MPa
2
12 MPa

2) Calculate R (radius) of Mohr’s circle

8 MPa
𝜎𝑥 − 𝜎𝑦 2
2
R= + 𝜏𝑥𝑦 = 11.66 MPa
2 6 MPa
 

12
(avg, max)
10

8
x 6

C 2
p2 30.960 p1

-12 -10 -8 -6 -4 -2 2 4 6 1 12 14
8
2 0
600
4

6
normal stress and y
From drawing we
shear stress acting on x (600, 60)
8
obtained :
plane oriented 300 10 p =
counterclockwise p1 =
p2 =
max =
avg =
Draw Mohr’s circle to scale
The plane oriented at 30° counter-clockwise, which is equivalent to 2θ = 60° in
Mohr’s circle. You may get the stresses directly from the Mohr’s circle
OR
You may calculate it, 60° measured from x –plane produced stresses on new x-
plane:
𝜎𝑥,60 = 𝑅 cos 29.04 − 𝐶 = 8.19 Mpa (by observation, it is compression)
𝜏𝑥,60 = 𝑅 sin 29.04 = 5.66 Mpa (counterclockwise)

Similarly for y-plane:

𝜎𝑦,60 = 𝑅 cos 29.04 + 𝐶 = 12.19 MPa (by observation it is tension)
𝜎𝑦,60 = 𝑅 cos 29.04 = 5.66 MPa (clockwise)
Can you…

● Describe the concept of Mohr’s circle

● Perform stress transformation & principal
stresses using Mohr’s circle

?
Questions?