Theories of Failure

Mechanics of Materials II

Contents
Introduction to failure
Failure of various types of materials
Theories of failure
Comparison of failure theories

Theories of Failure

INTRODUCTION

What is Failure?
Anything that might cause a component to lose its structural tolerances,
preventing it from serving its intended purpose

This means
Fracture
or plastic deformation
or excessive elastic deformation
For this course, plastic deformation is considered as failure
Failure and fracture are not the same

Introduction
When designing using a specific material, an upper limit on the
state of stress needs to be defined
Ductile Material
Failure is usually specified by the initiation of yielding
Brittle Material
Failure is usually specified by fracture

Why Failure Theories are Required?

Modes of failure are readily defined if the
member is subjected to a uniaxial state of
stress e.g. simple tension
In case of biaxial or triaxial stress, the
criterion for failure becomes more difficult
to establish
Various failure theories are used to predict
the failure of a material subjected to a
multiaxial state of stress

Why Failure Theories are Required?

No single theory of failure can be applied to a specific material at all
times
A material may behave in ductile or brittle manner depending on
the temperature, rate of loading, chemical environment, etc.
When using a particular theory of failure, it is first necessary to
calculate the maximum normal and maximum shear stress
Principal stresses at these critical points are then determined

Theories of Failure

FAILURE IN DUCTILE MATERIALS

Failure in Ductile Materials

Most common type of yielding of a ductile material such
as steel is caused by slipping
Slipping occurs along the contact planes of randomly
ordered crystals
A highly polished thin strip, subjected to a simple
tension test, can show slipping
Slipping causes the material to yield

The edges of the planes of slipping are referred to as

Lders lines
These lines clearly indicate the slip planes in the strip,
which occur at approximately 45 with the axis of the
strip

Failure in Ductile Materials

The slipping is caused by shear stress

Consider an element of the material taken

from a tension specimen when subjected to
yield stress
The maximum shear stress can be determined
by drawing Mohrs circle for the element
The results indicate that

=
2

Shear stress acts on planes that are 45 from

the planes of principal stress

Maximum Shear Stress Theory

In 1868, Henri Tresca proposed the
maximum-shear-stress theory or Tresca yield
criterion
Can be used to predict the failure stress of a
ductile material subjected to any type of
loading

The theory states that

yielding of the material begins when the absolute maximum shear
stress in the material reaches the shear stress that causes the same
material to yield when it is subjected only to axial tension
in the material must be less
To avoid failure, it is required that
than or equal to 2

is determined from a simple tension test

Maximum Shear Stress Theory

For application, express the absolute maximum shear stress in
terms of the principal stresses
Consider the plane stress condition
If the two in-plane principal stresses have the same sign
i.e., they are both tensile or both compressive, then
failure will occur out of the plane, and from
1
=
2
If the in-plane principal stresses are of opposite signs, then failure
occurs in the plane, and from
1 2

=
2

Maximum Shear Stress Theory

Maximum-shear-stress theory for plane stress for any two in-plane
principal stresses 1 and 2 by the following criteria

1 =
2 =

1 2 =

1 , 2 have same signs

1 , 2 have opposite signs

Maximum Shear Stress Theory

2
(, )

( , )

Tresca

( , )

(, )

Maximum Distortion Energy Theory

An external loading will deform a material, causing it to store
energy internally throughout its volume

The energy per unit volume of material is called the strain-energy

density
If the material is subjected to a uniaxial stress the strain-energy
density

Maximum Distortion Energy Theory

Under triaxial stress, each principal stress contributes to the total
strain-energy density
=

1
1
1
1 1 + 2 2 + 3 3
2
2
2

For linear elastic materials, Hookes law applies

1
=


=

1
=

Maximum Distortion Energy Theory

Putting strains and simplifying
=

1 2
[1 + 22 + 32 2 1 2 + 1 3 + 3 2 ]
2

Strain-energy density is sum of two parts

1 + 2 + 3
3
Energy needed to cause a volume change
with no change in shape
=

1 , 2 , (3 )
Energy needed to distort the element

Maximum Distortion Energy Theory

The maximum-distortion-energy theory

Yielding in a ductile material occurs when the distortion energy per

unit volume of the material equals or exceeds the distortion energy per
unit volume of the same material when it is subjected to yielding in a
simple tension test

Also known as von Mises theory, as

was presented by Richard von Mises

Richard von Mises

Maximum Distortion Energy Theory

Distortion energy per unit volume is obtain by substituting 1 , 2 ,
3 with 1 , 2 , (3 )

1+
[ 1 2
6

+ 2 3

+ 3 1 2 ]

For case of plane stress, 3 = 0

=

1+ 2
[1 1 2 + 22 ]
3

For uniaxial tension test, 1 = , 2 = 3 = 0

1+ 2
=

Maximum Distortion Energy Theory

2
von Mises

(, )

1
( , )

( , )

(, )

For plane or biaxial stress state

12 1 2 + 22 = 2

Theories of Failure

FAILURE IN BRITTLE MATERIALS

Failure in Brittle Materials

Brittle materials, such as gray cast iron,
tend to fail suddenly by fracture with no
apparent yielding
In a tension test, the fracture occurs
when the normal stress reaches the
ultimate stress
Brittle fracture occurs in a torsion test
due to tension since the plane of
fracture for an element is at 45 to the
shear direction

Maximum Normal Stress Theory

A brittle material will fail when the maximum tensile stress, , in the
material reaches a value that is equal to the ultimate normal stress the
material can sustain when it is subjected to simple tension
If material is subjected to plane stress

1 =
2 =

Also known as Rankine theory as was

presented by W. Rankine in mid-1800s

Maximum Normal Stress Theory

2
(, )
Rankine

( , )

( , )

(, )

Comparison of Yield Criteria

2
(, )

Biaxial state of stress

Tresca is more conservative
than von Mises

von Mises

Rankine

The two criteria are only

( , )
equivalent for uniaxial
loading (1 , 2 >
0 2 , 1 = 3 = 0) or
for balanced biaxial loading
(1 = 2 , 3 = 0)
Tresca

( , )

(, )

Reference
10.7 Material Property Relationships, Mechanics of Materials, R. C.
Hibbeler, 8th Ed