Mechanics of Materials I:

Fundamentals of Stress & Strain and Axial Loading

Dr. Wayne Whiteman
Senior Academic Professional and Director of the Office of Student Services
Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering
Module 20 Learning Outcome
• Find the Maximum and Minimum In-Plane
Principal Stresses
 Stresses on Inclined Planes for Plane Stress in general

x  y  x  y
n   cos 2  xy sin 2
2 2
 x  y 
 nt     sin 2  xy cos 2
 2 

Angle(s) where the max/min normal stresses,  n , occur  x  y 

2

    xy2
2 xy  2 
tan 2 P 
 x  y  xy
2 P
Where θP is the angle(s) to what are
defined as the “Principal Planes”
2 P 180
 x  y
 x  y 2
Consider and  xy the same sign
2
tan 2 P is positive. Therefore 2 P is between 0° and 90° and between 180° and 270°

There are 2 values of P. One is between 0° and 45° and the other is 90° greater

The rotation is counterclockwise.

 Stresses on Inclined Planes for Plane Stress in general

x  y  x  y
n   cos 2  xy sin 2
2 2
 x  y 
 nt     sin 2  xy cos 2
 2 

Angle(s) where the maximum normal stresses,  n , occur  x  y 

2

    xy2
2 xy  2 
tan 2 P 
 x  y  xy
2 P
Where θP is the angle(s) to what are
defined as the “Principal Planes”  x  y
 x  y 2
Consider and  xy different signs
2
tan 2 P is negative. Therefore 2 P is between 0° and -90° and between -180° and -270°

There are 2 values of P. One is between 0° and -45° and the other is 90° less

The rotation is clockwise.

Thus
2 xy
tan 2 P  
 x  y  x  y 
2

    xy2
 2 

 xy
2 P
 x  y
2
  x  y 
 
cos 2 P    2 
  x  y 
2

    xy2
 2 

 xy
sin 2 P  
  x  y 
2

    xy2
 2 
 Find Maximum and Minimum In-Plane Principal Stresses

x  y  x  y
n   cos 2  xy sin 2
2 2
Sub
  x  y   xy
 
 2  sin 2 P  
cos 2 P    x  y 
2

  x  y 
2
    xy2
    xy2  2 
 2 

   
  x  y    
 
 x  y  x  y   2 
   xy 
 1, 2       xy   
2 2   x  y 
2
   x  y 
2

     xy2       xy2 
  2     2  
   
 
 
 x   y   x   y   
 x  y   x  y 
2 2
1
 1, 2       xy   
2

 1, 2       xy2
2  2      x  y 
2 


    xy2 

2  2 
  2  
Maximum and Minimum In-Plane Principal Stresses

 x  y   x  y 
2

 1, 2       xy2
2  2 

Note that in this development we considered the maximum and

minimum stresses as algebraic quantities. But the minimum algebraic
stress may have a larger magnitude than that maximum stress.

For engineering problems, the term “maximum” will refer to the largest
absolute value (largest magnitude)

 1  700 MPa Maximum

For example: Normal Stress
 2  1200 MPa
Maximum and Minimum In-Plane Principal Stresses

 x  y   x  y 
2

 1, 2       xy2
2  2 

Stress Invariant

1   2   x   y

The sum of the normal stresses on any two perpendicular

(or orthogonal) planes is constant (or invariant).