THEORIES OF FAILURE

PRESENTED BY-
PANKAJ SHARMA NAGENDRA PAL
SINGH
100106236 100106218
Theories of Failure
The material properties are usually determined by simple
tension or compression tests.
The mechanical members are subjected to biaxial or
triaxial stresses.
To determine whether a component will fail or not, some
failure theories are proposed which are related to the
properties of materials obtained from uniaxial tension or
compression tests.
Initially we will consider failure of a mechanical member
subjected to biaxial stresses
The Theories of Failures which are applicable for this
situation are:
Max principal or normal stress theory
(Rankines theory)
Maximum shear stress theory (Guests or
Trescas theory)
Max. Distortion energy theory (Von Mises &
Henckys theory)
Max. strain energy theory
Max. principal strain theory
Ductile materials usually fail by
yielding and hence the limiting strength is
the yield strength of material as determined
from simple tension test which is assumed
the same in compression also.
For brittle materials limiting strength
of material is ultimate tensile strength in
tension or compression.
Max. Principal or Normal stress theory
(Rankines Theory):
It is assumed that the failure or yield occurs
at a point in a member when the max.
principal or normal stress in the biaxial
stress system reaches the limiting strength of
the material in a simple tension test.
In this case max. principal stress is
calculated in a biaxial stress case and is
equated to limiting strength of the material.
Maximum principal stress
2
2
1
2 2
xy
y x y x
t +
|
|
.
|

\
|
o o
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
o + o
= o
Minimum principal stress
2
2
2
2 2
xy
y x y x
t +
|
|
.
|

\
|
o o

|
|
.
|

\
|
o + o
= o
For ductile materials
o
1
should not exceed in tension,
|
|
.
|

\
|
FOS
S
yt
For brittle materials
o1 should not exceed in tension
|
.
|

\
|
FOS
S
ut
FOS=Factor of safety
This theory is basically applicable for brittle materials
which are relatively stronger in shear and not applicable
to ductile materials which are relatively weak in shear.
The failure or yielding is assumed to take place at a
point in a member where the max shear stress in a
biaxial stress system reaches a value equal to shear
strength of the material obtained from simple tension
test.
In a biaxial stress case max shear stress developed is
given by
2. Maximum Shear Stress theory (Guests or Trescas
theory):
FOS
yt
t
t =
max
where t
max
=
FOS 2
S
yt

This theory is mostly used for ductile materials.

2
2
max
2
xy
y x
t
o o
t +
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
2
. .
max
stress direct Min stress direct Max
= t
CASE 1 (First quadrant )

1
and
2
are +ve
yt
yt
S e i
S
= o
=
o
=
+ o
=
o o
= t
1
1 1 3 1
max
. .
2 2 2
0
2
CASE 2 (Second quadrant)

1
is -ve and
2
is +ve ,Then
2
2
2
2 2
) (
1 max
1 1 2 1 2
max
yt
S
Then = o = t
o
=
o + o
=
o o
= t
2
max
yt
S
= t
CASE 3 (Third quadrant)

1
is -ve and
2
is more -ve
,Then
yc
yc
S e i
S
Then
= o
=
o
= t
o +
=
o o
= t
.
2 2
2
0
2
) (
max
2 2 3
max
CASE 4 (Fourth quadrant)

1
is +ve and
2
is -ve ,Then
2
2
2
2 2
) (
max
2 1 2 1
max
yt
S
Then = o = t
o
=
o + o
=
o o
= t
Assuming that
1
>
2
>
3
and
3
=0
According to the Maximum shear stress theory,
And also
+
1

1
=S
yt

+
2

-
1

-
2

S
yc

S
yt

S
yc

S
yt
o

1
=S
yc

It is assumed that failure or yielding occurs at a point
the member where the distortion strain energy (also
called shear strain energy) per unit volume in a biaxial
stress system reaches the limiting distortion energy
(distortion energy at yield point) per unit volume as
determined from a simple tension test.
The maximum distortion energy is the difference
between the total strain energy and the strain energy due
to uniform stress.

3.Max. Distortion energy theory (Von Mises & Henckys
theory):
3.Max. Distortion energy theory (Von Mises &
Henckys theory):
The criteria of failure for the distortion energy
theory is expressed as


Considering the factor of safety

( ) ( ) ( ) | |
2
1 3
2
3 2
2
2 1
2
1
o o o o o o + + =
FOS
S
yt
( ) ( ) ( ) | |
2
1 3
2
3 2
2
2 1
2
1
o o o o o o + + =
yt
S
3.Max. Distortion energy theory (Von Mises & Henckys
theory):
A component subjected to pure shear stresses and the
corresponding Mohrs circle diagram is
t
t
t
t
Y
X
Element subjected to pure shear stresses
o

1
-
2

t
t

Mohrs circle for pure shear stresses
In the biaxial stress case, principal stress o
1
, o
2
are
calculated based on o
x
,o
y
& t
xy
which in turn are used
to determine whether the left hand side is more than
right hand side, which indicates failure of the
component.
( )
2 1
2
2
2
1
o o o o + =
FOS
S
yt
From the figure,
1
= -
2
=

and
3
=0
Substituting the values in the equation

We get

Replacing by S
sy
, we get

t
t 3 =
yt
S
t
yt
yt
sy
S
S
S 577 . 0
3
= =
+
1

+
2

-
1

-
2

S
yc

S
yt

S
yc

S
yt
o
Boundary for distortion energy theory under bi axial stresses
Case 1 (First quadrant)
1 and 2 are +ve and equal
to , then
( )
FOS
S
FOS
S
yt
yt
= o
o o o + o =
2 1
2
2
2
1
Case 4 (Fourth quadrant)

1
is +ve and
2
is -ve and equal
to , then
( )
( )
FOS
S
FOS
S
FOS
S
FOS
S
yt
yt
yt
yt
577 . 0
3 3
2
2 1
2
2
2
1
2 1
2
2
2
1
= o
o = o =
o o + o + o =
o o o + o =
Case 2 (Second quadrant)

1
is -ve and
2
is +ve and equal
to , then
( )
( )
FOS
S
FOS
S
FOS
S
FOS
S
yt
yt
yt
yt
577 . 0
3 3
2
2 1
2
2
2
1
2 1
2
2
2
1
= o
o = o =
o o + o + o =
o o o + o =
Case 3 (Third quadrant)

1
is -ve and
2
is +ve and
equal to , then
( )
FOS
S
FOS
S
yt
yt
= o
o o o + o =
2 1
2
2
2
1
Failure is assumed to take place at a point in a member
where strain energy per unit volume in a biaxial stress
system reaches the limiting strain energy that is strain
energy at yield point per unit volume as determined
from a simple tension test.
Strain energy per unit volume in a biaxial system is


The limiting strain energy per unit volume for yielding
as determined from simple tension test is
(

+ =
m E
U
2 1
2
2
2
1 1
2
2
1 o o
o o
4. Max. Strain energy theory (Heighs Thoery):
2
2
2
1
(

=
FOS
S
E
U
yt
Equating the above two equations then we get


In a biaxial case o
1
, o
2
are calculated based as o
x
, o
y
& t
xy

2
2 1
2
2
2
1
2
|
|
.
|

\
|
= +
FOS
S
m
yt
o o
o o
It will be checked whether the Left Hand Side of
Equation is less than Right Hand Side of Equation or
not. This theory is used for ductile materials.
E FOS
S
mE

E
yt
2 1
max

= =
It is assumed that the failure or yielding occurs at a point
in a member where the maximum principal (normal) strain
in a biaxial stress exceeds limiting value of strain (strain at
yield port) as obtained from simple tension test.
In a biaxial stress case
One can calculate o
1
& o
2
given o
x
, o
y
& t
xy
and check
whether the material fails or not, this theory is not used
in general as reliable results could not be detained in
variety of materials.
5.Max. Principal Strain theory (Saint Venants Theory):
Example :1
The load on a bolt consists of an axial pull of
10kN together with a transverse shear force of
5kN. Find the diameter of bolt required
according to
1. Maximum principal stress theory
2. Maximum shear stress theory
3. Maximum principal strain theory
4. Maximum strain energy theory
5. Maximum distortion energy theory
Permissible tensile stress at elastic limit =100MPa
and Poissons ratio =0.3
Solution 1
Cross sectional area of the bolt,

Axial stress,


And transverse shear stress,


2 2
7854 . 0
4
d d A =
t
=
2
2 2
1
/
73 . 12
7854 . 0
10
mm kN
d d A
P
= = = o
2
2
/ 365 . 6
7854 . 0
5
mm kN
d A
P
s
= = = t
According to maximum principal stress theory
Maximum principal stress,






According to maximum principal stress
theory, S
yt
=
1


2
2
1
2 2
xy
x x
t +
|
.
|

\
|
o
+
|
.
|

\
|
o
= o
2
2
1
2 2
xy
y x y x
t +
|
|
.
|

\
|
o o
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
o + o
= o
2
2
1
2
2
2
2 2
1
/
15365
365 . 6
2
73 . 12
2
73 . 12
mm N
d
d d d
= o
(
(

|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
= o
mm d
d
4 . 12
15365
100
2
= =
According to maximum shear stress theory
Maximum shear stress,





According to maximum shear stress,


mm d
d
S
yt
42 . 13
2
100 9000
2
2
max
=
= = t
2
2
max
2
xy
y x
t +
|
|
.
|

\
|
o o
= t
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
max
/
9000
/
9 365 . 6 73 . 12
2
mm N
d
mm kN
d d d
xy
x
= =
(
(

|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
=
t +
|
.
|

\
|
o
= t
According to maximum principal strain theory
The maximum principal stress,




And minimum principal stress,







2
2
1
2 2
xy
y x y x
t +
|
|
.
|

\
|
o o
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
o + o
= o
2
2
2
2 2
xy
y x y x
t +
|
|
.
|

\
|
o o

|
|
.
|

\
|
o + o
= o
2
2
2
1
15365
2 2 d
xy
x x
= t +
|
.
|

\
|
o
+
|
.
|

\
|
o
= o
2
2
2
2
2
2
2 2
2
2
2
/
2635
365 . 6
2
73 . 12 73 . 12
2 2
mm N
d
d d d
xy
x x

= o
|
.
|

\
|
+
|
.
|

\
|
= t +
|
.
|

\
|
o

|
.
|

\
|
o
= o
And according to maximum principal strain theory,
mm d
d d
7 . 12
100
3 . 0 2635 15365
S
m

E
S
mE

2 2
yt
2
1
yt
2 1
=
=

+ =
=
According to maximum strain energy theory






According to maximum distortion theory



mm d
d d d d
S
m
yt
78 . 12
100 3 . 0
2635 15365
2
2635 15365
2
2
2 2
2
2
2
2
2
2 1
2
2
2
1
=
=

+
(

=
o o
o + o
( )
mm d
d d d d
S
yt
4 . 13
2635 15365 2635 15365
100
2 2
2
2
2
2
2 1
2
2
2
1
=
|
|
.
|

\
|


(

+
(

=
+ = o o o o