Chapter 3

Analysis of stress

3.1 The concept of traction/stress

• If ∆F is the resultant force acting on a small area element ∆S with unit normal n, then the traction
(stress) vector t is defined as:
∆F
F
t = lim (3.1)
∆S→0 ∆S
The term ‘traction’ is usually used for stresses acting on the surfaces of a body.

∆F


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

n

 

 

  












































 ∆F 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  































 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  















 

 

 

 

 

 

 



































 

 

 

 

 

 

 ∆ 
 
 S
 
 
 
 
  












































 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 


 


 


 


 


 


  










































∆

 S n 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 














 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
























Figure 3.1: Sketch illustrating traction and stress.

3.2 The stress tensor

• The stress vector t depends on the spatial position in the body and on the orientation of the plane
(characterised by the normal vector):
ti = τij nj , (3.2)
where τij = τji is the stress tensor.
• On an infinitesimal block of material whose faces are parallel to the axes, the component τ ij of the
stress tensor represents the traction component in the positive i-direction on the face x j = const.
whose normal points in the positive j-direction (see Fig. 3.2).

3.3 The equations of equilibrium/motion

• The equations of equilibrium for a body, subject to a body force (force per unit volume) F i is
∂τij
+ Fi = 0. (3.3)
∂xj

• Including inertial effects via D’Alembert forces gives the equations of motion:
∂τij ∂ 2 ui
+ Fi = ρ 2 , (3.4)
∂xj ∂t

7
MT30271 Elasticity: Analysis of stress 8

x3 x3
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 








 



 



 



 



 



 



 



 



 



 



 




 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  τ
  33
  
  


 

τ



22







τ





12










 τ


 21












  


  τ


  


  


  


  












  





  





  τ





  
23




  



  
  



11 
 




 

 

 

  13


 













































 



  













































 
















 

 

  

   

   

   

   

 










 



 



 



 



 

  
 



















 τ


 32


 




























 τ



 



  

 



   

 



   

 



   

 



    

 



 


















 









 


τ
32





 




 







 







 



































 

















 τ





31 






 





31








 







      




 

 

 

 τ

 

23 
 
 
 
 τ
 13
 

 


 

 

 

 

 















 
 
 
 
 











 








 



 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 τ

 33
τ


 11


 


 


 τ


 21


  









 
 
 
 









 τ







 τ 
 22        
 
 
 
 















 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 

 

 

 

  

 

 


12











x1 x2 x1 x2

Figure 3.2: Sketch illustrating the components of the stress tensor.

where ρ is the density of the body and t is time.

3.4 Principal axes/stress invariants

• The stress tensor is real and symmetric, hence all considerations in section 2.4 apply to the stress
tensor as well (transformation to different coordinate systems, principal axes, max. stress and
invariants).
• In particular, we will denote the first invariant (the trace of the stress vector) by

θ = τii . (3.5)

3.5 Homogeneous stress states

• Analogous to homogeneous deformations (see section 2.6): Examples:
Uniaxial stress E.g. τ11 = T0 , τij = 0 otherwise.
Hydrostatic pressure τij = P0 δij (spherically symmetric).
Pure shear stress E.g. τ12 = τ21 = T0 , τij = 0 otherwise.