Purpose of Mohr’s Circle

• Visual tool used to determine the stresses

that exist at a given point in relation to the
angle of orientation of the stress element.
• There are 4 possible variations in Mohr’s
Circle depending on the positive directions
are defined.
 Sample Problem
y
A particular point
on the part
x

y = -2 ksi
Some Part
x = 6 ksi

xy = 3 ksi
x & y  orientation
Mohr’s Circle  (CW)

y = -2 ksi
x-axis
x = 6 ksi (6 ksi, 3 ksi)
2 6
3
xy = 3 ksi


3 Center of
Mohr’s Circle
(-2 ksi, -3 ksi)
y-axis
 (avg, max)
Mohr’s Circle  (CW)

y = -2 ksi
x-face
x = 6 ksi
(6 ksi, 3ksi)

xy = 3 ksi

 avg= 2ksi 

(-2 ksi, -3ksi)

y-face
x  y (avg, min)
 avg   2 ksi
2
 (avg, max)
Mohr’s Circle  (CW)
(2 ksi, 5 ksi)
y = -2 ksi
x-face
x = 6 ksi
(6 ksi, 3ksi)
R
3 ksi
xy = 3 ksi 
 
4 ksi
R (3 ksi) 2  ( 4 ksi) 2
 5 ksi
R  max y-face
avg + R7 ksi (avg, min)
avg – R ksi (2 ksi, -5 ksi)
 (avg, max)
Mohr’s Circle  (CW)
(2 ksi, 5 ksi)
y = -2 ksi
x-face
x = 6 ksi
(6 ksi, 3ksi)
3 ksi
xy = 3 ksi 2 
 
4 ksi
1  3 ksi 
2  Tan  
 4 ksi 
2  36.869
y-face
  18.435
(avg, min)
(2 ksi, -5 ksi)
 (avg, max)
Principle Stress  (CW)
(2 ksi, 5 ksi)
2 = -3 ksi x-face

(6 ksi, 3ksi)
 = 18.435°
3 ksi
1 = 7 ksi 2 
Principle Stress  
4 ksi
Element

Rotation on element is
half of the rotation from
the circle in same (avg, min)
direction from x-axis (2 ksi, -5 ksi)
 (avg, max)
Shear Stress  (CW)
(2 ksi, 5 ksi)

avg = 2 ksi x-face

 = 26.565°
2 (6 ksi, 3ksi)
max = 5 ksi
3 ksi
2 
avg = 2 ksi
 
Maximum Shear 4 ksi
Stress Element
2  90  2
2  90  36.869
y-face
2  53.130 (avg, min)
  26.565 (2 ksi, -5 ksi)
 Relationship Between Elements
avg = 2 ksi

y = -2 ksi max = 5 ksi

avg = 2 ksi
x = 6 ksi  = 26.565°

 = 18.435° 2 = -3 ksi
xy = 3 ksi

1 = 7 ksi
 +  = 18.435 ° + 26.565 ° = 45 °
 What’s the stress at angle of 15°
CCW from the x-axis?
y
A particular point
on the part
x V

= ? ksi
Some Part  = ? ksi U
15°
x
 = ? ksi

U & V  new axes @ 15° from x-axis

 (avg, max)
Rotation on  (CW)

(U, U)
Mohr’s Circle
x-face
30°


 avg= 2ksi 

y-face
15° on part and (V, V)
element is 30° on (avg, min)
Mohr’s Circle
 (avg, max)
Rotation on  (CW)

(U, U)
Mohr’s Circle
x-face
U = avg + R*cos(66.869°) R

U = 3.96 ksi 66.869°


 avg= 2ksi 
V = avg – R*cos(66.869°)
V = 0.036 ksi y-face

UV = R*sin(66.869°) (V, V)

(avg, min)
UV = 4.60 ksi
What’s the stress at angle of 15°
CCW from the x-axis?
y
A particular point
on the part
x V
V= .036 ksi
U = 3.96 ksi
Some Part U
15°
x
 = 4.60 ksi
 Questions?

Next: Special Cases

 Special Case – Both Principle
Stresses Have the Same Sign
Y

X pD
x 
Z 2t

pD
y 
Cylindrical 4t
Pressure Vessel
 y
Mohr’s Circle
 (CW)
x  y
x 
2


y x

This isn’t the whole

story however… Mohr’s Circle for X-Y Planes

x = 1 and y = 2
 y Mohr’s Circle z = 0

 (CW)
x
x maxxz
z

z = 0 since it is

perpendicular to the free 1
3
face of the element.
z = 3 and x = 1

1   3 Mohr’s Circle for X-Z Planes

max 
2
 y Mohr’s Circle
 (CW)

x maxxz
z


3 2 1

z = 0 since it is
perpendicular to the free
face of the element.  1 > 2 >  3
 Pure Uniaxial Tension

y = 0 x
 max 
2
x = P/A

2 = 0 1 =  x

Note when x = Sy,

Ductile Materials Tend to Fail Sys = Sy/2
in SHEAR
Pure Uniaxial Compression

x
y = 0 max 
2
x = P/A
1 = 0
2= x
 Pure Torsion
T

 max   xy
T

Tc
 xy  2 = -xy 1 = xy
J

Brittle materials
1 tend to fail in
CHALK TENSION.
 Uniaxial Tension & Torsional
Shear Stresses
• Rotating shaft with axial load.
• Basis for design of shafts.
 max  R
x, xy)
x = P/A

2 = x/2-R x/2 1 = x/2+R

xy = Tc/J
0, yx)
2
 
R   x    2xy  max
 2 