CHAPTER 6

Failures Resulting from Static Loading

6.3 Failure Theories

There is no universal theory of failure for the general case of material properties and
stress state.
Several hypotheses have been formulated and tested, leading to todays accepted
theories for most designers
Structural metal behavior is typically classified as being ductile or brittle.
Ductile material is a material that is characterized by its ability to yield at normal
temperature. Example ( Steel, Al, many other alloys of other metals)

Ductile Material

Brittle material is characterized by the fact that rupture occurs without any noticeable
prior change in the rate of elongation. Thus, for brittle materials, there is no
difference between the ultimate strength and the breaking strength.

Brittle Material

We can classify between ductile and brittle material based on the value of the strain at
the fracture point (f). Therefore,

o If f 0.05, the material is ductile, and it has an identifiable yield strength of

Syt=Syc=Sy

9
 o If f < 0.05, the material is brittle, and it is classified by Sut and Suc (which is
given in positive quantity)

A flowchart for the famous failure theories that are used today is shown below.

(Not covered by this course)

I Ductile Materials

6.4 The Maximum Shear Stress Theory

For the general state of stress, three principal stresses can be determine and ordered
such that:

1 2 3 (1)

Then, the yielding will occur whenever:

Sy
max or 1 3 S y (2)
2

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 Hence, for design purpose, equation (1) can be modified to incorporate a factor of
safety n. Thus:
Sy
1 3 = (3)
n

For plane stress problem, it is common that one of the principle stresses is zero, and
the other two A and B are determine from the principle equation.
Assuming A B, there are three cases:

o Case 1: A B 0, then 1=A and 3=0, equation (3) reduce to:

Sy
A = (4)
n

o Case(2): A 0 B, then 1=A and 3=B, equation (3) reduce to:

Sy
A B = (5)
n

o Case(3): 0 A B, then 1=0 and 3=B, equation (3) reduce to:

Sy
B = (6)
n

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6.5 Distortion-Energy Theory for Ductile Material

It is also called Von Mises Theory or Shear Energy Theory

For 3-D: Von Mises theory can be defined in terms of xyz coordinate system as:

1
2
[( x y ) + ( y z ) + ( z x ) + 6 xy2 + yz2 + zx2
2 2 2
( )]
1/ 2
=
Sy
n
(7)

When the equation defined in terms of the principal stresses:

1
2
[( 1 2 ) + ( 2 3 ) + ( 3 2 )
2 2
]
2 1/ 2
=
Sy
n
(8)

For 2-D: Von Mises theory can be defined in terms of xy coordinate system as:

[ 2
x x y + y2 + 3 xy2 ]
1/ 2
=
Sy
n
(9)

When the equation defined in terms of the principal stresses:

[ 2
A A B + B2 ]
1/ 2
=
Sy
n
(10)

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6.6 Coulomb-Mohr Theory for Ductile Material (Internal Friction
Theory)

SytSyc
Consider the conventional ordering of the principal stress such that 1 2 3, then:
1 3 1
= (11)
St Sc n
In this theory either yield strength or ultimate strength can be used.
For plane stress, when two nonzero principle stresses are A B, we have the
following three cases :

o Case 1: A B 0, then 1=A and 3=0 and equation (11) reduce to:

St
A = (12)
n

o Case 2: A 0 B, then 1=A and 3=B and equation (11) reduce to:

A B 1
= (13)
St Sc n

o Case 3: 0 A B, then 1=0 and 3=B and equation(11) reduce to:

Sc
B = (14)
n

For pure shear , 1=-3= and max=sy, then equation (11) becomes:

S yt S yc
S sy = (15)
S yt + S yc

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II Brittle Materials: ( page 14-16 for reading only)

6.8 Maximum-Normal-Stress Theory for Brittle Materials (MNS)

For the general state of stress, three principal stresses can be determine and ordered
such that:
1 2 3 (16)

Then, the failure occurs whenever:

1 S ut or 3 S uc (17)

For plane stress problem, it is common that one of the principle stresses is zero, and
the other two A and B are determine from the principle equation. Assuming A B,
equation (17) can be written as:

A S ut or B S uc (18)

Converted equation (18) to design equation and considering four conditions, we have
the following cases:
Location of load
Conditions Equation to be used
line shown in Fig
S
1 A B 0 A = ut Load Line 1
n
S S
2 A 0 B and B uc A = ut Load Line 2
A S ut n
B S S uc
3 A 0 B and > uc B = Load Line 3
A S ut n
S uc
4 0A B B = Load Line 4
n

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6.9 Modifications of the Mohr Theory for Brittle Materials

There are three modifications for the Mohr theory for brittle materials. The equations
provided for each theory will be restricted to plane stress.

1- Brittle-Coulomb-Mohr

For plane stress and with two nonzero principle stresses in which A B, we have
the following three cases :

Conditions Equation to be used

S ut
1 A B 0 A =
n
A B 1
2 A 0 B =
S ut S uc n
S uc
3 0A B B =
n

2- Modified I-Mohr

On the basis of observed data for the fourth quadrant, the modified I-Mohr theory
expands the fourth quadrant as shown in figure below.

Conditions Equation to be used

S ut
1 A B 0 A =
n
B S ut
2 A 0 B and 1 A =
A n
B (S uc S ut ) A B 1
3 A 0 B and >1 =
A S uc S ut S uc n
S uc
4 0A B B =
n

15
3- Modified II-Mohr

This theory used for the data that are still outside the extended region that are defined
by M I-M theory. M II-M using a parabolic relation:

Conditions Equation to be used

S ut
1 A B 0 A =
n
B S ut
2 A 0 B and 1 A =
A n
2
n A n B + S ut
3 A 0 B and B > 1 + = 1
A S ut S ut S uc
S
4 0A B B = uc
n

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Example 1.1

A hot-rolled steel has a yield strength of Syt=Syc=680 MPa and a true strain at fracture of
f =0.55. Estimate the factor of safety for the following principal stress states:
a) 475, 475, 0 MPa.
b) 205, 475, 0 MPa.
c) 0, 475, -205 MPa.
d) 0, -205, -475 MPa.
e) 205, 205, 205 MPa.

Solution:

Since f =0.55 and Syt=Syc , the material is ductile. Hence, we can use both of maximum
shear stress (MSS) and distortion energy (DE) theories.

a) A = 1 = 475 , B = 2 = 475 , 3 = 0 MPa

Sy 680
MSS: n= = = 1.432
A 475
DE: (
' = 475 2 475(475) + 475 2 )0.5
= 475 MPa
S y 680
n= ' = = 1.432
475

b) A = 1 = 475 , B = 2 = 205 , 3 = 0 MPa

Sy 680
MSS: n= = = 1.432
A 475
DE: (
' = 475 2 475(205) + 205 2 )0.5
= 412.64 MPa
Sy 680
n= ' = = 1.65
412.64

c) A = 1 = 475 , 2 = 0 , B = 3 = 205 MPa

Sy 680
MSS: n= = =1
A B 475 (205)
DE: (
' = 475 2 475( 205) + ( 205) )
2 0.5
= 604.2 MPa
Sy 680
n= ' = = 1.13
604.2

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 d) 1 = 0 , A = 2 = 205 , B = 3 = 475 MPa

Sy 680
MSS: n= = = 1.432
B 475
DE: (
' = (475) 2 (475)( 205) + ( 205) )
2 0.5
= 412.64 MPa
Sy 680
n= ' = = 1.65
412.64

e) 1 = 205 , 2 = 205 , 3 = 205 MPa

Sy 680
MSS: n= = =
1 3 0
(205 205)2 + (205 205)2 + (205 205)2
0.5

DE: =
'

=0
2
S y 680
n= ' = =
0

A summery table of the factors of safety is included for comparisons.

a b c d e
MSS 1.432 1.432 1 1.432
DE 1.432 1.65 1.13 1.65

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Example 1.2
The cantilevered tube shown in Figure is to be
made of 2014 aluminum alloy treated to
obtain specified minimum yield strength of
276 MPa. We wish to select a stock-size tube
from Table A-8 using a design factor of nd =
4. The bending load is F=1.75 kN, the axial
tension is P= 9.0 kN, and the torsion is T = 72
N.m. What is the realized factor of safety?

Solution:

The maximum stresses will be expected to be at the fixed support of cantilevered tube:
Hence, the internal loading at the fixed support can be shown in figure below:

Position of max. stresses F

V T T
M
P x
N

d=120 mm

Fx = 0 , N = P
Fy = 0 , V = F
M z = 0 , M + Fd = 0 M = Fd
Tx = 0 , T
The maximum stresses are at the top surface of the tube at the origin:
p M c 9000 (210 )(d o / 2 )
x = + z = +
A I zz A I zz

The torsional stress at the same point is:

Tr 72(d o / 2)
xz = =
J J

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Using the Distortion-energy theory (Von Mises Theory):
(
' = x2 + 3 xz2 )
1/ 2
where y = 0

On the basis of the given design factor, the goal for is:
S y 276
' = = 69 MPa
nd 4

Using table A-8 reveals that a 42mm X 5mm tube is satisfactory which gives the
following data: do=42mm, t=5mm, A=5.809cm2, I=10.13cm4, J=20.255cm4

Hence,
x =
p M zc
+ =
9000
+
(210)(0.042 / 2) = 59 MPa
4
A I zz 5.809 10 10.1310 8

The torsional stress at the same point is:

Tr 72(d o / 2) 72(0.021 / 2)
xz = = = = 7.46 GPa
J J 20.25510 8

Using the Distortion-energy theory (Von Mises):

(
' = x2 + 3 xz2 )
1/ 2
= 60.4 MPa

Thus, the realized factor of safety:

Sy 276
n= ' = = 4.57
60.4

If we select the next smaller tube size: 42x4-mm to check if it is applicable for the design
or not we have the following data:
=71.05MPa, which is above the design factor 69MPa and the factor of safety for
this value:
Sy 276
n= ' = = 3.88
71.05

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