TRIBHUVAN UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING
PULCHOWK CAMPUS

INTRODUCTION TO SOLID MECHANICS

FAILURE THEORY

Submitted To: Submitted By:

Professor Dr. Hikmat Raj Joshi Gaurav Malla
Department of Geotechnical Engineering 073/MSGT/806
Pulchowk Campus
Lalitpur, Nepal

Aug 1st 2017

Contents
1. Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 1
2. Theories of failure .......................................................................................................................... 1
2.1. Maximum Principal stress theory (Rankines Theory) ............................................................ 2
3.1. Maximum shear stress theory (Treskas Theory).................................................................... 2
3.2. Maximum principal strain theory (St. Venants Theory)......................................................... 3
3.3. Maximum strain energy theory (Beltrami - Haighs Theory) .................................................. 3
3.4. Maximum Distortion Energy theory (Von Mises and Henkys Theory) .................................. 4
4. Application of Failure Theory......................................................................................................... 5
5. Conclusion and recommendation: ................................................................................................. 5
Bibliography ............................................................................................................................................ 6
APPENDIX-I .............................................................................................................................................. 7
 1. Introduction
Failure itself can sometimes be difficult to identify and even more difficult to define. For cases
considered here, failure is taken to involve the interruption of the usual linear, reversible range
of behavior by a major change to irreversibility. Failure implies the materials lack of ability to
sustain and support significant loads.

Failure in solids bears an interesting relationship to turbulence in fluids. Fully turbulent flow
in fluids and the failure occurrence in solids marks the departure from linear control to a
completely nonlinear behavior. It does not appear possible to establish an analogy between
turbulent flow and failure in generalized continua, nevertheless both cases conform to the
dominance by an ultimate nonlinearity.

Failure theory is the science of predicting the conditions under which solid materials fail
under the action of external loads.

In mathematical terms, failure theory is expressed in the form of various failure criteria which
are valid for specific materials. Failure criteria are functions in stress or strain space which
separate "failed" states from "unfailed" states. A precise physical definition of a "failed" state
is not easily quantified and several working definitions are in use in the engineering
community. Quite often, phenomenological failure criteria of the same form are used to predict
brittle failure and ductile yield.

2. Theories of failure
Various theories of failure have been proposed, their purpose being to establish from the
behavior of a material subjected to simple tension or compression test, the point at which failure
will occur under any type of combined loading. By failure we mean either yielding or actual
rupture, whichever occurs first.
The theories of failure can be divided into two major classes
Stress theories

Maximum principal Stress Theory (Rankine)

Maximum Octahedral Shearing Stress Theory
Maximum Shear Stress Theory (Treska, Guest, Coulomb)
Strain Theories

Maximum Strain Theory (Saint-Venant)

Total Strain Energy Theory (Beltrami-Haigh)
Maximum Distortion Energy Theory (Von Mises and Henkys Theory)

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 2.1. Maximum Principal stress theory (Rankines Theory)
The theory of failure due to the maximum normal stress (principal stress) is generally attributed
to W. J. M. Rankine. According to this theory, the maximum principal stress in the material
determines failure regardless of what the other two principal stresses are, so long as they are
algebraically smaller i.e. this theory disregards the effect of possible other principal stresses
and shearing stresses.
For ductile materials, the condition of failure can be defined as:

1 yield

For a two-dimensional system 1 can be expressed as

Where

1 Principle stress
yield =yp=Yield stress

Note:
1. This theory is suitable for the safe design of machine components made of brittle materials
under all loading conditions (tri-axial, biaxial etc.) because brittle materials are weak in tension.

2. This theory is not suitable for the safe design of machine components made of ductile
materials because ductile materials are weak in shear.

2.2. Maximum shear stress theory (Treskas Theory)

The theory associated with Treska and Guest and is also known as the criterion. According to
this theory, occurs when the maximum shearing stress reaches a critical value. The maximum
shearing stress theory is accepted to be fairly well justified for ductile materials. This theory
is generally implemented for ductile load carrying members where large shears occur and
which are subject to unequal triaxial tensions, the maximum shearing stress theory is used
because of its simplicity.

If 1 > 2 > 3 are the three principal stresses at a point, failure occurs when

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max = y /2

where y /2 is the shear stress at yield point in a uniaxial test.

Note:
1. Main Shear Stress Theory and Main Principal Stress Theory will give same results for
ductile materials under uniaxial state of stress and biaxial state of stress when principal
stresses are like in nature.
2. M.S.S.T is not suitable under hydrostatic stress condition.
3. This theory is suitable for ductile materials and gives over safe.

2.3. Maximum principal strain theory (St. Venants Theory)

The theory is associated with St. Venant. According to this theory, failure occurs at a point in
a body when the maximum strain at that point exceeds the value of the maximum strain in a
uniaxial test of the material at yield point. The maximum principal strained stated above
corresponds to the yield point during a simple tensile test.

If 1 > 2 > 3 are the three principal stresses at a point,

Maximum strain in simple tension test case is given by

So, condition of failure according to this theory is,

Where E is Youngs modulus of the material.

2.4. Maximum strain energy theory (Beltrami - Haighs Theory)

This theory is associated with Beltrami and Haigh. According to this theory failure at any point
in a body subjected to a state of stress begins only when the energy density absorbed at that
point is equal to the energy density absorbed by the material when subjected to elastic limit in
a uniaxial stress state. In terms of principal stress, strain energy density can be written as,

1 > 2 > 3 being three principle stresses.

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From the above equation, the strain energy density at yield can be written as,

This theory holds good for the failure criterion for brittle materials.
Note:
1.Total strain energy theory is suitable under hydrostatic stress condition.

2.5. Maximum Distortion Energy theory (Von Mises and Henkys

Theory)
This theory is based on the work of Huber, von Mises and Hencky. Strain energy can be
separated into energy, which is associated with volume change, and energy, which causes
distortion of the element. The maximum distortion energy failure theory predicts yielding when
the distortion energy reaches a critical value. The energy of distortion can be obtained by
subtracting the energy of volumetric expansion from the total energy

The work done or energy stored during the volumetric change is,

(1 2) 2
= (1 + 2 + 3 )
6

The total strain energy density(U) is given by

Subtracting U from U and substituting the value of G =E/2(1+) for shear modulus, we get

The failure criterion may be written simply as,

2
=
6
where y is the principal stress at yield point for uniaxial tests.

Note:
This theory is best theory of failure for ductile material. It gives safe and economic design.

Apart from the above discussed failure theories there exists other failure theories too which are
not discussed here few examples being Octahedral Shear Stress theory and Mohrs failure
theory.

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 3. Application of Failure Theory.
Failure theories are the theories which provides insight to the character of material under stress
and strain helping engineers to determine the safe dimension of machine components while
subjected to combined stress due to various loads acting on it during functionality as well as it
plays a key role in establishing the relationship between stresses induced under combined
loading condition and the material properties obtained from tests such as uniaxial test. The
applications can be generalized.

1. To design structural components and calculate margin(factor) of safety:

When a factor of safety N is prescribed, we may consider two ways of introducing it in design:
Design the member so that it safely carries a load NF.

(ii) If the factor associated with failure is X, then see that this factor at any point in the member
does not exceed X/N.
But the second method of using N is not correct, since by the definition of the factor of safety,
the member is to be designed for N times the load. So long as X is directly proportional to F,
whether one uses NF or X/N for design analysis, the result will be identical. If X is not directly
proportional to F, method (ii) may give wrong results. (Shrinath, 2003)
2. To guide in materials development.
3. To determine weak and strong directions
4.Few examples of the machinery components are
i. I.C engine crankshaft
ii. Shaft used in power transmission

iii.Spindle of a screw jaw

4. Conclusion and recommendation:

Although the different yield criterion is discussed in different failure theories, depending upon
the material property and combination of loading the proper failure theory must be chosen in
accordance to the problem. For example Maximum principal stress theory appears to give best
correlation for brittle materials (cast iron) while for the case of ductile material (steel ,
aluminum etc.) there exists a good agreement between maximum distortion energy theory and
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experimental results figure 1 . (APPENDIX -I). Also by the discussion under topic of maximum
distortion energy theorem it can be concluded that the materials tend to fail least under
hydrostatic stress system.

All the theories of failure discussed above will give the same result when tested under uniaxial
state of stress or when one of the principle stress is very large when compared to the other
principal stresses but for pure shear state of stress, all the theories of failure will give different
results.

Bibliography
(n.d.). Retrieved September 25, 2017, from Retreived from
imechanica.org/files/theories%20of%20failure.pdf
(n.d.). Retrieved September 2017, 2017, from from
http://www.nptel.ac.in/courses/Webcourse-contents/IIT-
ROORKEE/strength%20of%20materials/lects%20&%20picts/image/lect35/lecture35.
htm

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(n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2017, from
https://www.slideshare.net/MANMEET2591/theories-of-failure
(n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2017, from
http://classes.mst.edu/civeng120/lessons/failure/theories/index.html
(n.d.). Retrieved September 28, 2017, from
https://www.scribd.com/document_downloads/direct/17687139?extension=pdf&ft=1
501346460&lt=1501350070&user_id=166133692&uahk=y57z9CTABkcdVL_dPhgR
MJq5zh8
Christensen, R. M. (n.d.). Retrieved September 27, 2017, from http://www.failurecriteria.com
Fracture Mechanics. (2017, July 31). Retrieved 27 2017, september , from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fracture_mechanics
Material failure theory. (2017, June 6). Retrieved September 27, 2017, from
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Material_failure_theory
shames, I. H., & Pitarresi, J. M. (2003). Introduction to Solid Mechanics. Pretince-Hall India.
Shrinath, L. (2003). Advanced Mechanics of Solics. Tata McGraw-Hill.

APPENDIX-I

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Figure 1: Comparison of test data from several sources with theories of failure . (shames &
Pitarresi, 2003)

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 1. (shames & Pitarresi, 2003)
2. (Shrinath, 2003)
3. (Christensen, n.d.)
4. http://www.failurecriteria.com
5. (Material failure theory, 2017)
6. (Fracture Mechanics, 2017)
(17Se)
7. (n.d.). Retreived (17Se1)
8. (n.d.). (17Se2)

9. (n.d.). Retreived from (17Se3)

10. (n.d) Retreived from (17Se4)

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