452 TranlÍonnotiona al Slreu and Slraln

7.4 MOHR'S CIRCLE FOR PLANE STRESS

The circle used in the preceding section to derive sorne of the basic
formulas relating to the transformation of plane stress was first
introduced by the German engineer Otto Mohr (1835-1918) and ts
known as Mohr's cirde for plane stress. As you will see presently,
this circle can be used to obtain an altemative method for the solu-
tion of the various prohlems considered in Secs. 7.2 and 7.3. This
method Is hased on simple geomebic considerations and does not
require the use of specialized formulas. While originally designed
for graphical solutions, it lends itself well to the use of a
calculator.
Consider a square element of a material suhjected to plane
stress (Fig. 7.15a), and let U.,;, <ry, and 1'zy be the components of the
stress exerted on the element. We plot a point X of coordinates u z
(o) and -.,.UJ• and a point Y of coordinates u'J and +Tzy (Fig. 7.15b). If
1'Y.JJ is positive, as assumed in Fig. 7.15a, point X is located below the
u axis and point Y above, as shown In Fig. 7.15b. If 'T_n¡ is negative,
X is located above the u axis and Y below. Joining X and Y by a
,____ _ Vnw _ _ _ ,
straight line, we define the point C of intersection of line XY with
the u axis and draw the circle of center C and diameter XY. Noting
that the abscissa of C and the radius of the circle are respectively
equal to the quantities u_ and R de6ned by Eqs. (7.10), we con-
B ;. elude that the circle obtained is Mohr's circle for plane stress. Thus
, ~.....'T.-v
-o+--t-'---""'-----.-2-0-P..... the abscissas of points A and B where the circle intersects the u axis
1
r, represent re~tively the principal stresses u um and u atln at the
X(vz,-rry>Apaso c:<Jmad.Enhancer
We also note that, since tan (XCA) = 2Tzy/(ux - uy), the angle
XCA is equal in magnitude to one of the angles 28P that satisfy Eq.
(7.12). Thus, the angle (JP that defines in Fig. 7.15a the orientation
(b) of the principal plane corresponding to point A in Fig. 7.15b can be
Flg. 7.15 Mohr's circle. obtained by dividing in half the angle XCA measured on Mohr's cir-
cle. We further observe that if Ux > u'J and TUJ > O, as in the case
considered here, the rotation that brings CX into CA is counterclock-
wise. But, in that case, the angle (JP obtained from Eq. (7.12) and
defining the direction of the normal Oa to the principal plane is
positive; thus, the rotation hringing Ox into Oa is also counterclock-
wise. We conclude that the senses of rotation in hoth parts of Fig. 7.15
are the same; if a counterclockwise rotation through 28P is required
to bring CX into CA on Mohr's circler a counterclockwise rotation
through (JP wil1 hring Ox into Oa in Fig. 7.15a. t
Since Mohr's circle is uniquely de6ned, the same circle can he
obtained by considering tbe sb'ess oomponents u,,:, u'J', and 'fx•,·, cor-
responding to the x' and y' axes shown in Fig. 7.16a. The point X' of
coordinates U:,;• and -T,:'y', and the point Y' of coordinates u,, and
+Tx• ,, are therefore located on Mohr's circle, and the angle X'CA in
Fig. 'J7.16b must he equal to twice the angle x'Oa in Fig. 7.16a. Since,
as noted befare, the angle XCA is twioe the angle xOa, it follows that

tThis Is due to the fact that we are ustng the circle of Flg 7.8 nther than the cin:le oí
Flg, 7.7 u Moht', c!rcle.
 l .~ lldt/1 Clrd. fo,"- 51,., 453
the angle XCX' in Fig. 7.16b is twice the an~e %0:r' in Fig. 7.16a. Thus
the diameter X'Y' deA.ning the nonnal and shearing stresses Ur , u ,,
and 1'1 •!1' can be obtained by rotating the diameter XY through an anJ;
equal to twioe the angle 8 fonned by the x'nnd x axes in Ftg. 7.1&.
We note that the rotation that bring., the diameter XY into the dJameter
X'Y' in Fig. 7.16b has the same sense as the rotation that bring., the
xy axes into the x'y' axes in Fig. 7.16a.

T
b

\
yl
CTY

-
T,y ----
. .----- '
o B A CT

re[' / '
'Ó;·•
(a)
·~ :r' (b)

Flg. 7.16
Apago PDF Enh ance r
The property we have just indicate d can be used to verify the
fact that the planes of maximum shearing stress are at 45° to the
principa l planes. Indeed. we recall that points D and E on Mohr's
circle corresp ond to the planes of maximum shearing stress, while A
and B corresp ond to the principa l planes (Fig. 7.17b). Since the
diamete rs AB and DE of Mohr's circle are at 90º to each other, it
follows that the faces of tbe correspo nding element s are at 45º to
each other (Fig. 7.17a).

00"

B e A CT

E
(a) (b)

Flg. 7.17
454 Tl'DI\WffllOliona el Snu m,d Slruln The amstruction of Mohr's circle for plane stress is great1y simpli-
fied if""' oonsider separnt.ely each faoe of thc element used to define
the stress oomponen!J. From Fig,. 7.15 and 7.16""' observe that. when
the shearing stress exerted on a giVffl f ace tends to rotate the element
clockwtse, the point on Mohr's circle corresponding to that fa.ce is
located ~ the <T uis. When the shearing stress on a given fa.ce tends
to roro.te the element rounterclockwlse, the point oonesponding to that
face is located below the u axis (Fig. 7.18). f As fur as the nonnal
stresses are concemed, the usual convention hokb, i.e., a ten.sile stress
is considered as pmtttve and Is plotted to the right, whlle a compressive
stress Is considered as negativc and is plotted to the lelt.

;J_u
~
(o) Clockwtse - Abave (b) Counterdockwtse - Below
flg. 7,11 Con-..ntion lor plotting 1hearln9 1lnl11 on Mohr'1 circle.

EXAMPLE 7.02 For the state of plane stress already considered in Example 7.01,
{a) construct Mobr's circle, (b) determine the principa1 stresses,
IJ Apa~e,terpnpe °Efli'faffe~trss and the corresponclíng normal
sll'ess.

10 MPa
(a) Conshvction of Mohr's Circle. We note from Fig. 7.19a that
the normal stress exerted on the face oriented toward the x axis is
SOMPn :r tensile (positive) and that the shearing stress exerted on that face tends
to rotate the element counterclockwise. Point X of Mohr's circle, there-
T (o)
fore, will be plotted to the right of the vertical axis and below the hori-
wntal axis (Fig. 7.19b). A similar inspection of the normal stress and
10-;1 shearing stress exerted on the upper face of the element shows that
point Y should be plotted to the left of the vertical axis and above the
t7
40
horizontal axis. Drawing the line XY, we obtain the center C of Mohr's
circle; its abscissa is
.L _~___.,__... F_ _.A u(MPa)
B t u
"""
u,+u,
2
50+(-10)
= ---'- = --""--~ = 20 MPa
2
40

l Since the sides of the shaded triangle are

CF = 50 - 20 = 30 MPa and FX = 40 MPa

-r) the rad.ius of the cirele is
(b)
Flg. 7.19 R =ex= V{30)1 + (40)1 = 50 MPa
tThe following jingle IJ helpful In rememberlng t.hls am\lelltian. "In the kttchen, the dock
IJahove, and the OOl'Jntn- IJ below."
 (b) Principal Planas and Principal Stresses. The principal
stresses are

u_ = OA e: OC + CA = 20 + 50 = 70 MPa
u.,.= 08 = OC - BC = 20 - 50 = -30 MPa
Recalling that the anglc ACX represents 28, (Ftg. 7.19b), we write

FX 40
tan 29, = CF = 30
28, = 53.1° 8, = 26.6°

Slnce the rotation whic.b brings CX into CA in Fig. 7.2'1, is counterclock-

wise, the rotation that brings Or into the axiJ 0a corresponding to u_
in Fig. 7.2<b is also countercloclcwue.

(e) Maximum Shearing Streu. Since a further rotation of 90"

counterclockwise bñngs CA lnto CD in Flg. 7.20b, a further rotatfon of
45" counterclocltwise will bring the uis 0a into the uis 0d corresponding
to the maximum shearing stress in Flg. 7.20a. We note from Flg. 7.20b
that T _ = R = 50 MPa and that the corresponding normal stress is u' =
u_ = 20 MPa. Since point D u located above the u axis In Fig. 7.2.0b,
the shearing stresses exerted on the faces perpendicular to 0d In~ ( b
must be directed so that tbey wApagOattBNmeB acer

Id
T(Ml'a))
u' • 20V
1Pa cr'=-
i20 111Pa u 'c: u..,.c 20
~
~ T,_ = SOMPa
D

l
,¡_- so

IJ
\ /
B_ _,.__ _ .,__,_ _.A...:.,_.,__
O
¡ __
aiMPa)
u.,,. e 70 MPn

O 11m11:, • JO MPn
p
:r
u.,..• 70

(o) (b )

Flg. 7.20

455
456 T ~ ol S-.. oncl 5-ain Mohr's drcle provides a convenient way of checlcing the result:s
obtained earlier for streues under a cenbic uial loading (Sec. 1.12)
and under a torsional loading (Sec. 3.4). In the Rm case (Fig. 7.21a),
we bave <Ts = P/A, <T'I = O, and 1'-, = O. The corresponding point:s
X and Y define a circle of radius R = P/2A that passes through the

y
d
D
-t-
1
: R • p
p· P'
r. ~ .X
e, u

,11)
l±J (b) (e)

Flg. 7.21 Mohr'a cirde For cenlric axiol looding.

origin of coordinates (Fig. 7.21b ). Points D and E yield the orienta-

tion of the planes of maJimum shearing stress (Fig. 7.21c), a.s well
as the values of 1'mar and of the corresponding normal stresses u ':

Apa go PDF Enl;l:maaaQE\ra = .!._

2A
(7.18)

In the case of torsion (Fig. 7.-22.a), we have u. = u'J = O and

-rStJ = 1'mar = Te/]. Points X and Y, therefore, are located on the -r axis,

) - Th
- J
B- -- - . . . ~l---=
u A

¡x
(b) (e)

Flg. 7.22 Mohr'a cirde For torslonol looding.

and Mohr's ci.rcle is a ci.rcle of radius R = Te/] centered at the origin

(Fig. 7.22b). Points A and B de:fine the principal planes (Fig. 7 ~)
and the principal stresses:
Te- (7.19)
(f
ma. mln -
-+
-
R- --+J
 YI SAMPLE PROBLEM 7.2

- t - l - --:r
tfiOMl'a.
For the 1tate of plan.e 1tre11 shown, determl:ne (o) the prtnclpal planea and
□ lOOMl'n the princtpal 11:rellel, (b) the 1tn:u component:1 exerted on the element
obtalned by rotating the glven element counten:lockwtae througb 306.
T48Ml'n

T (MPa))
SOLUTION
u,,..• 80 MPa.
Construction of Mohr's arde. We note that on a face perpendJcular
• X(lOO, "8) to the % ah, the normal mea is tensi1e and the sheuing stress tends to rotate
the element cloclcwlse; thUJ, we plot X at a polnt 100 wúts to the rtght of
the vertical ail and 48 wúts abow, the boriamtaJ uis. In a atmllar fuhlon, we
O 8...____~
_ 4 - - _ ; ; .,.
_..._- - 4 A u 1(MPa) examine the stress oompooents on tbe upper face md plot point Y(60, -48).

r,., - Jointng pomts X and Y by a ltralgbt lioe, we de8ne tbe center C of Mohr'1
52MPo circle. Tbe abldua of C, wbich represents u_ and tbe ndlua R of tbe clrde
1 can be measured dln,ctly or calcul•ted u foDows:
Y(60, - "8) • --
u.,.. = OC= l{u. + u,)= !(100 + 60),. 80 MPa
- u 1'\U., 132 Ml'a -
R =- V(CF)1 + (PX)' = V(20)1 + (48)1 • 52 MPa

o. Principal Piones oncl Principal Stresses. We rotate tbe dwneter

XY clockwlse through 28, unul U coincides with the diameter AB. We bave

tan 28, = 'XF

CF =
48
20
= 2.4 28, = 67.4º J e, = 33.7" J ◄

The principal stresses IU'e represented by the absdss11 of potnts A and B:

u..,. = OA = OC + CA = 80 + 52 u mu = + 132 M Pa ◄
cr.1a = 0B = OC - BC = 80 - 52 cr...ta = + 28 MPa ~
T(MPa)) ~ - l80" - fH - ff'T.-4º
• • 52.fr
Since tbe rotation that brin°'CI"'
_._..on that
XY into AB Is cloclcwise, the JVIAU
brings O.t loto the axis 0a correspondlng to u ms Is alto cloclcwise; we obtain
the orientation shown for tbe principal planes.
2,, - ff'T•••

\ u (MPa) b. Stress Components on Element Rotated 30º '\. Polnts X' and Y'
-~~,- +-----i
~ L A on Mohr's circle that correspond to the stress components on the rotated
1
l element are obtained by rotating r/ co\D\terclockwtse through 28 60•. =
We A.nd
"' = 180° - ao• -67.4• <f, = 52.6ª ◄
cr, = OK == OC - KC • 80 - 52 cos 52.6• a, = + 48.4 MPo. ◄
uv, ' \~11.6 MPú / x' O'r• = OL =OC+ CL e: 80 + 52 cos 52.6• u r' = + 111.6 MPa ◄
/u,.= 48 ◄ MPa T,.•r· = KX' 52 sln 52.6• ,T.-w- = 41.3 MPa ◄

O~\
e:

/ ~ ;;>.,.. 4 l.l MP:i Since X' is located abow, the borb.ontal axis, the sbearing stress on the faoe
t perpendlcular to Ch:' tends to rotate the element cloclcwise.

-tEJ - -
- O :>H'

-' %

457
 '1 SAMPLE PROBLEM 7.3
A state of plane streu comiltl of a tmui.le streu u 0 • 8 bJ exerted on verti-
To _ cal rurfaoes and of 1mlmown aheartng streue,. Determine (a) the mag,iltude
~ tioLI!~ a_h_, __ of the 1hearing ,tres, T'o for whlch the largest normal ltresl u 10 bJ, (b) the
corresponding ma:imum shearing ,tren.
- To

SOLUTIO N
O'mu "' 10"5i- Cons1ruction of Mohr's Gde. We assume that the ahearing sb'essel
act in the senses shown. Thu,, the shearing stress T'o on a face perpendicular
O' = Sbl to the % ais teods to rotate the element clodcwise and we plot the point X
= of coordinates 8 bi and To above the horizontal ais. Considering a horuontal
-
2 ksl 0._ O'
:ksl -' bl
faoe of the elemeot, we observe that u., = O and that To teods to rotate the
element counterclodtwise; thu,, we plot point Y at a distanoe To below O.
We note that the abscissa of the oenter C of Mohr's ci.rcle IJ
,\11
1
"- = ku. +u,)= i(B +O)= 4bl
The radius R of the circle is determined by observing that the maximum
-,--..,_.:..+ --e::...;¡.- -'--..___~._ _- ' - -
F A u(lai) normal stress, u_ = 10 ksi, is represented by the abscissa of point A
and writing
u_=u-+ R
E 10 lcsi = 4 lcsi + R R =6bi

a. Shearing Stress To. Considering the right triangle CFX, we 6nd

CF CF 4 lcsl
= - = 24.1º J
, ex R = -s 1cs1- 28, = 48.2º J
cos28 = - B,

To = FX = R sin 29,, = (6 ksi) sin 48.2º To = 4.47 ksi ◄

b. Maximum Shearing Stress. The coordina.tes of point D of Mohr's

circle represent the muimum shearing stress and the corresponding normal
stress.
T..,.=R=6 ksi Ta,u = 6 ksi ◄
29, = 00° - 2s, = 90° - 48..2º = 41.8º , s.= 20.9°'
'nie maximum shearing stress is eerted on an element that Is oriented as
umlJl• 2bi ~
shown in Fig. a. (Tbe element upon which the principal stresses are eerted
is also shown.)
~ _, .. lOksl

-:rt~ -~-l__
~ 'lo f
- -o ,
20.9" r
--...,/
_m _ _ _
O'

Tow • 6 Jcsl
:r
Nots. If our original assumptioo regarding the sense of To was
revenai, we would obta.in the same ci.rcle and the same answen, but the
orientation of the elemenl3 would be as shown in Fig. b.

(b) r:t◄~

458
.464 T~ ol S..... and s.uln 7.6 APPUCATION OF MOHR'S CIRCI.E TO THE THREE·
DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS OF STRESS
If the element shown in Fig. 7.9.5 ls rotat.ed about one of the principal
axes at Q, say the e ui.9 (Fig. 7.2.6), the COTTC5J>Oflding transformation
of stress can be analyzed by mearu of Moru's circle as lf it were a
transformation of plaru, stress. Indeed. the shearing stresses exerted
on the faces perpendicular to the e ui.9 remain equal to zero, and the
normal stres.s Uc is perpendicular to the plaru, ah in which the ~
formation takcs place aru:l. thus. does not afTect this tnnsfonnation.
We therefore use the ci.rcle of diameter AB to detemune the normal
and shearing stresses exerted on the faces of the element as it ls
rotared ahout the e uis (Fig. 7.27). Similarly, circles of diameter BC
and CA can be used to determine the stresses on the element as it is
. . . 7.26 rotated about tbe a and b ues, respectively. Whi1e our analysú will be
limited to rotations about the principal axes, it oould be shown that
any other transformation of axes wouid lead to stresses represented in
Fíg. 7.27 by a point located within the shaded area. Thus, the radJus

C
~ B J\ !
Apago PDF

Rg. 7.27 Mohr's cird. for ei-rul

lftll9ofsnu.

of the largest of the three circles yields the maximum value of tbe
shearing stress at point Q. Noting that the diameter of that ciJcle is
equal to tbe difference between u_ and u,_, we write

D (7.22)

,, ✓
where u,_ and u ai1a represent the algebraic values of the maximum
,. -- ' '/
and minimum stresses at point Q.
Bf, z- o Let us now retum to the particular case of pla:ne ~ . which
o- was discussed ín Secs. 7.2 througb 7.4. We recall that. if the x and
y axes are selected in the plane of stress. we have u,. = -r... = -r =
O. This m~ans that the :z axis, l~.• the uis perpendicular to the pfu\e
of stress, is one of the three pnncipal axes of stress. In a Mohr-circle
diagram. this axis corresponds to the origin O, where u = ,,. = o.
rr _, u_ We also recall that th~ o~er two principal axes correspond to points
A and B where Mohrs circle for the xy plane inte rsects the u a.ús.
l'lg. 7.21 lf A and B are located on opposite sides of tbe origin O (Fig. 7.28).
th~ _corresponding principal stresses represent the muimum and
uumm~m normal stresses at point Q, and the muimum shearing
~ is equal to the maximum ·m-plane• shearing stress. As noted
m Sec. 7.3, the planes oí maximum shearing stress oorrespond to
point:s D and E oí Mohr's circle and are at 45° to the principal planes
corresponding to point:s A and B. They are, therefore, the shaded
diagonal planes shown in Figs. 7.29a and b.

b b

\ \

lli
(4) (b)
flg. 7.29

--·--....
D'
'
If. on the other hand. A MWQ thr~ si~l.l~.éMlCer ,<✓_ "'' D ',,
~ .
1

:"""¡"' tu..
is, if u. and have the same sign, then the circle defining utna, z _ 0 ,/ '
Uf,

stress within the xy plane. If u. > O'b > O, as assumed in Fig. 7.30,
we have u mm: = u•• u alln = O, and T _ is equal to the radius of the
circle defined by point:s O and A, that is, T ma = ½u ma· We also note
'\- _/,
',
''- __f _-/ /
/,
j'
\ ,,
O'm1ru and T mm: is not the circle corresponding to a transformation of =--~-___.;c..,__ ___,...---'----=u

that the normals Qd' and Qe' to the planes of mamnum shearing u_, "' 0
stress are obtained by rotating the axis Qa through 45º within the za - -17mm = u.
plane. Thus. the planes of maximum shearing stress are the shaded
diagonal planes shown in Figs. 7.31a and b. Flg. 7.30

d'
48' o

lli
z

(o) (b)

Flg.7.31
 EXAMPLE 7.03 For the state of plane stress sbown in Flg. 7.32, determine (a) the three
prindpal planes and principal stresses, (b) the maximum sheartng stress .
(a) Principa l Planes and Principal Stresses. We conrtruct
Mohr's circle for the transformation of stress in the ry plane (Fig. 7.33).
Point X is plotted 6 units to the right of the T axis and 3 unlts above the
u axis (since the corresponding &hcaring stress tends to rotate the element
clochvlse). Point Y is plotted 3.5 1D1its to the rlght of the T axis and 3
units below the u axis. Drawtng the line XY. we obtaln the center C of
Mohr's circle for the ry plano; its absci.ua is
--:r
u.+ur 6+3.5
u = -= - - - = 4.75 ksi
- 2 2
Slnce the sirles of the right triangle CFX are CF =6 - 4.75 = 1.25 ksi
and FX = 3 lai, the n.dius of thc circle ls
Flg. 7.32 R = ex = V(I..25)1 + (3)1 = 3.25 1cs1
f') The principal st:resses in the plane of stress are
u. = OA = OC + CA = 4.75 + 3.25 = 8.00 ksi
&1a•-¡x u,. = OB = OC - BC = 4.75 - 3.25 = 1.50 ksi
-------rt Since the faces of the element that are perpendicular to the z axis are
3lat
free of stress, these faces define one of the principal planes, and the corre-
l u sponding principal stress is u. = O. The other two principal planes are
O B A
deflned by points A and B on Mohr's circle. The angle IJ, through which the
element should be rotated about the z axis to bring its faces to coincide with
these planes (Fig. 7.34) is half the angle ACX. We have
3.5 lat Apago PDF ED~é\J}.c;er= _3
f') 'P CF 1.25
Flg. 7.33 2JJ, = 67.4º J IJ,, = 33.7° J
b

•o y 5~~ • /

z
/ ;JS7:_·
1.50 lcsi a
Flg. 7.34

(b) Maximum Shearing Stress. We now draw the circles of diame-

ter OB and OA, whlcb correspond respecüvely to rotations of the element
about the a and b axes (Fig. 7.35). We note that the mamnum shearing
u stress is equal to the radius of the circle of diameter OA. We thus bave

T, _ = !u. = !(8.00 lcsi) = 4.00 lcsi

Since points D' and E', which define the planes of maximum shearing
stress, are located at the ends of the vertical diameter of the circle cor-
responding to a robltion about the b axis, the faces of the element of Fig.
7.34 can be brought to coincide with the planes of maximum shearing
Flg. 7.35 stress through a rotation of 45º about the b axis.

466