6

Plane Stress
Transformations
61
Lecture 6: PLANE STRESS TRANSFORMATIONS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
6.1. Introduction 63
6.2. Thin Plate in Plate Stress 63
6.3. 2D Stress Transformations 65
6.3.1. Why Are Stress Transformations Important? . . . . . . . 65
6.3.2. Method of Equations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
6.3.3. Double Angle Version . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
6.3.4. Principal Stresses, Planes, Directions, Angles . . . . . . 66
6.3.5. Maximum Shear Stresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
6.3.6. Principal Stress Element . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
6.3.7. Mohrs Circle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
6.4. What Happens in 3D? 610
6.4.1. Including the Plane Stress Thickness Dimension . . . . . 610
6.4.2. 3D Mohr Circles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 610
6.4.3. Overall Maximum Shear . . . . . . . . . . . . . 611
6.4.4. Plane Stress Revisited . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 612
6.4.5. The Sphere Paradox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 613
62
6.2 THIN PLATE IN PLATE STRESS
6.1. Introduction
This Lecture deals with the plate stress problem. This is a two-dimensional stress state, briey
introducedin1.5of Lecture 1. It occurs frequentlyintwokinds of aerospace structural components:
1. Thin wall plates and shells; e.g., aircraft and rocket skins, and the pressure vessels of Lecture 3.
2. Shaft members that transmit torque. These will be studied in Lectures 79.
The material below focuses on thin at plates, and works out the associated problem of plane stress
transformations.
6.2. Thin Plate in Plate Stress
In structural mechanics, a at thin sheet of material is called a plate. The distance between the plate
faces is the thickness, which is denoted by h. The midplane lies halfway between the two faces.
The direction normal to the midplane is the transverse
direction. Directions parallel to the midplane are called
in-plane directions. The global axis z is oriented along
the transverse direction. Axes x and y are placed in the
midplane, forming a right-handed Rectangular Carte-
sian Coordinate (RCC) system. Thus the equation of
the midplane is z = 0. The +z axis conventionally
denes the top surface of the plate as the one that it
intersects, whereas the opposite surface is called the
bottom surface. See Figure 6.1.
x
y
z
Top surface
Figure 6.1. A plate structure in plane stress.
A plate loaded in its midplane is said to be in a state of plane stress, or a membrane state, if the
following assumptions hold:
1. All loads applied to the plate act in the midplane direction, as pictured in Figure 6.1, and are
symmetric with respect to the midplane.
2. All support conditions are symmetric about the midplane.
3. In-plane displacements, strains and stresses are taken to be uniform through the thickness.
4. The normal and shear stress components in the z direction are zero or negligible.
The last two assumptions are not necessarily consequences of the rst two. For those to hold, the
thickness h should be small, typically 10%or less, than the shortest in-plane dimension. If the plate
thickness varies it should do so gradually. Finally, the plate fabrication must exhibit symmetry with
respect to the midplane.
To these four assumptions we add an adscititious restriction:
5. The plate is fabricated of the same material through the thickness. Such plates are called
transversely homogeneous or (in aerospace) monocoque plates.
The last assumption excludes wall constructions of importance in aerospace, in particular composite
and honeycomb sandwich plates. The development of mathematical models for such congurations
requires a more complicated integration over the thickness as well as the ability to handle coupled
bending and stretching effects. Those topics fall outside the scope of the course.
63
Lecture 6: PLANE STRESS TRANSFORMATIONS

x
y
Mathematical
idealization
Midplane
Plate
Figure 6.2. Mathematical model of plate in plane stress. (Symbols and , used to
denote the plate interior and the boundary, respectively, are used in advanced courses.)
x
y
z
x
x x
x
y
In-plane stresses

xx
yy
=
xy yx
y
In-plane strains
h
h
h

xx
yy
=
xy yx
y
y
In-plane displacements
u
u
x
y
h
y
y
x
x
In-plane internal forces
Thin plate in plane stress
p
xx
p
xy
p
yy
+ sign conventions
for internal forces,
stresses and strains
dx
dx
dy
dy
dx
dy
dx
dy
dx
dy
h
In-plane body forces
b
b
x
y
dx
dy
dx
dy
Figure 6.3. Notational conventions for in-plane stresses, strains, displacements and
internal forces of a thin plate in plane stress.
Remark 6.1. Selective relaxation from assumption 4 leads to the so-called generalized plane stress state, in
which nonzero
zz
stresses are accepted; but these stresses do not vary with z. The plane strain state described
in 5.6.2 of Lecture 5 is obtained if strains in the z direction are precluded:
zz
=
xz
=
yz
= 0.
Remark 6.2. Transverse loading on a plate produces plate bending, which is associated with a more complex
conguration of internal forces and deformations. This topic is studied in graduate-level courses.
Remark 6.3. The requirement of atness can be relaxed to allow for a curved conguration, as long as
the structure, or structure component, resists primarily in-plane loads. In that case the midplane becomes a
midsurface. Examples are rocket and aircraft skins, ship and submarine hulls, open parachutes, boat sails
and balloon walls. Such congurations are said to be in a membrane state. Another example are thin-wall
members under torsion, which are covered in Lectures 89.
The plate in plane stress idealized as a two-dimensional problem is illustrated in Figure 6.2.
64
6.3 2D STRESS TRANSFORMATIONS
x
y
z
x
y t
n
z
P

xx

xy

yx

yy

nn

nt

tn

tt

Global axes
x,y stay fixed
Local axes
n,t rotate by
P
(a) (b)
Figure 6.4. Plane stress system referred to global axes x, y (data) and to local rotated axes n, t .
(Locations of point P in (a,b) coincide; they are drawn offset for visualization convenience.)
In this idealization the third dimension is represented as functions of x and y that are integrated
through the plate thickness. Engineers often work with internal plate forces, which result from
integrating the in-plane stresses through the thickness. See Figure 6.3.
In this Lecture we focus on the in-plane stresses
xx
,
yy
and
xy
and their expressions with respect
to an arbitrary system of axes
6.3. 2D Stress Transformations
The stress transformation problem studied in this Lecture is illustrated in Figure 6.4. Stress com-
ponents
xx
,
yy
and
xy
at a midplane point P are given with respect to the global axes x and y,
as shown in Figure 6.4(a). The material element about P is rotated by an angle that aligns it with
axes n, t , as shown in Figure 6.4(b). (Note that location of point P in (a,b) coincide they are
drawn offset for visualization convenience.)
The transformation problem consists of expressing
nn
,
t t
, and
nt
=
t n
in terms of the stress
data
xx
,
yy
and
xy
, and of the angle . Two methods, one analytical and one graphical, will
be described here. Before that is done, it is useful to motivate what are the main uses of these
transformations.
6.3.1. Why Are Stress Transformations Important?
The transformation problem has two major uses in structural analysis and design.
Find stresses along a given skew direction. Here is given as data. This has several
applications. Two examples:
1. Analysis of ber reinforced composites if the direction of the bers is not aligned with the
{x, y} axes. A tensile normal stress perpendicular to the bers may cause delamination,
and a compressive one may trigger buckling.
2. Oblique joints that may fail by shear parallel to the joint. For example, welded joints.
Find max/min normal stresses, max in-plane shear and overall max shear. This may be
important for strength and safety assessment. Here nding the angle is part of the problem.
Both cases are covered in the following subsections.
65
Lecture 6: PLANE STRESS TRANSFORMATIONS
6.3.2. Method of Equations
The derivation given on pages 524-525 of Vable or in 7.2 of Beer-Johnston-DeWolf is based on
the wedge method. This will be omitted here for brevity. The nal result is

nn
=
xx
cos
2
+
yy
sin
2
+2
xy
sin cos ,

t t
=
xx
sin
2
+
yy
cos
2
2
xy
sin cos ,

nt
= (
xx

yy
) sin cos +
xy
(cos
2
sin
2
).
(6.1)
Couple of checks are useful to verify these equations. If = 0

nn
=
xx
,
t t
=
yy
,
nt
=
xy
, (6.2)
as expected. If = 90

nn
=
yy
,
t t
=
xx
,
nt
=
xy
. (6.3)
which is also OK (can you guess why
nt
at = 90

is
xy
?). Note that

xx
+
yy
=
nn
+
t t
. (6.4)
This sum is independent of , and is called a stress invariant. (Mathematically, it is the trace of the
stress tensor.) Consequently, if
nn
is computed, the fastest way to get
t t
is as
xx
+
yy

nn
,
which does not require trig functions.
6.3.3. Double Angle Version
For many developments it is convenient to express the transformation equations (6.1) in terms of
the double angle 2 by using the well known trigonometric relations cos 2 = cos
2
sin
2

and sin 2 = 2 sin cos , in addition to sin

2
+cos
2
= 1. The result is

nn
=

xx
+
yy
2
+

xx

yy
2
cos 2 +
xy
sin 2,

nt
=

xx

yy
2
sin 2 +
xy
cos 2.
(6.5)
Here
t t
is omitted since, as previously noted, it can be quickly computed as
t t
=
xx
+
yy

nn
.
6.3.4. Principal Stresses, Planes, Directions, Angles
The maximum and minimum values attained by the normal stress
nn
, considered as a function of
, are called principal stresses. (A more precise name is in-plane principal normal stresses, but
the qualiers in-plane and normal are often dropped for brevity.) Those values occur if the
derivative d
nn
/d vanishes. Differentiating the rst of (6.1) and passing to double angles gives
d
nn
d
= 2(
yy

xx
) sin cos +2
xy
(cos
2
sin
2
)
= (
yy

xx
) sin 2 +2
xy
cos 2 = 0.
(6.6)
66
6.3 2D STRESS TRANSFORMATIONS
This is satised for =
p
if
tan 2
p
=
2
xy

xx

yy
(6.7)
There are two double-angle solutions 2
1
and 2
2
given by (6.7) in the range [0 360

] or
[180

180

] that are 180

apart. (Which range is used depends on the textbook; here

we use the rst one.) Upon dividing those values by 2, the principal angles
1
and
2
dene the
principal planes, which are 90

apart. The normals to the principal planes dene the principal

stress directions. Since they differ by a 90

angle of rotation about z, it follows that the principal

stress directions are orthogonal.
As previously noted, the normal stresses that act on the principal planes are called the in-plane
principal normal stresses, or simply principal stresses. They are denoted by
1
and
2
, respectively.
Using (6.7) and trigonometric relations it can be shown that their values are given by

1,2
=

xx
+
yy
2

xx

yy
2

2
+
2
xy
. (6.8)
To evaluate (6.8) it is convenient to go through the following staged sequence:
1. Compute

av
=

xx
+
yy
2
and R = +

xx

yy
2

2
+
2
xy
. (6.9)
Meaning of these values:
av
is the average normal stress at P (recall that
xx
+
yy
is an
invariant and so is
av
), whereas R is the radius of the Mohrs circle, as described in 6.3.7
below, thus the symbol. Furthermore, R represents the maximum in-plane shear stress value,
as discussed in 6.3.5 below.
2. The principal stress values are

1
=
av
+ R,
2
=
av
R. (6.10)
3. Note that the a priori computation of the principal angles is not needed to get the principal
stresses if one follows the foregoing steps. If nding those angles is of interest, use (6.7).
Comparing (6.6) with the second of (6.5) shows that d
nn
/d = 2
nt
. Since d
nn
/d vanishes for
a principal angle, so does
nt
. Hence the principal planes are shear stress free.
6.3.5. Maximum Shear Stresses
Planes on which the maximum shear stresses act can be found by setting d
nt
/d = 0. A study
of this equation shows that the maximum shear planes are located at 45

from the principal

planes, and that the maximum and minimum values of
nt
are R. See for example, 7.3 of the
Beer-Johnston-DeWolf textbook.
This result can be obtained graphically on inspection of Mohrs circle, covered later.
67
Lecture 6: PLANE STRESS TRANSFORMATIONS
x
x
y
x
y t
n
P
=100 psi
xx
xy
= =30 psi
yx
= 20 psi
yy

1
=18.44
2
= 108.44
x
| |= R=50 psi
max
18.44 +45
= 63.44
principal
planes
principal
directions
principal
planes
principal
planes
(a)
(b)
(c)
P
(d)
=110 psi
1
2
=10 psi
P
plane of max
inplane shear
principal
stress
element
P
45
45
Figure 6.5. Plane stress example: (a) given data: stress components
xx
,
yy
and
xy
; (b) principal stresses and
angles; (c) maximum shear planes; (d) a principal stress element (actually four PSE can be drawn, that shown is one
of them). Note: locations of point P in (a) through (d) coincide; they are drawn offset for visualization convenience.
Example 6.1. This example is pictured in Figure 6.5. Given:
xx
= 100 psi,
yy
= 20 psi and
xy
= 30 psi, as
shown in Figure 6.5(a), nd the principal stresses and their directions. Following the recommended sequence
(6.9)(6.10), we compute rst

av
=
100 +20
2
= 60 psi, R = +

100 20
2

2
+30
2
= 50 psi, (6.11)
from which the principal stresses are obtained as

1
= 60 +50 = 110 psi ,
2
= 60 50 = 10 psi. (6.12)
To nd the angles formed by the principal directions, use (6.7):
tan 2
p
=
2 30
100 20
=
3
4
= 0.75, with solutions 2
1
= 36.87

, 2
2
= 2
1
+180

= 216.87

,
whence
1
= 18.44

,
2
=
1
+90

= 108.44

.
(6.13)
These values are shown in Figure 6.5(b). As regards maximum shear stresses, we have |
max
| = R = 50 psi.
The planes on which these act are located at 45

from the principal planes, as illustrated in Figure 6.5(c).

6.3.6. Principal Stress Element
Some authors, such as Vable, introduce here the so-called principal stress element or PSE. This is
a wedge formed by the two principal planes and the plane of maximum in-plane shear stress. Its
projection on the {x, y} plane is an isosceles triangle with one right angle and two 45

angles. For
the foregoing example, Figure 6.5(d) shows a PSE.
There are actually 4 ways to draw a PSE, since one can join point P to the opposite corners of
the square aligned with the principal planes in two ways along diagonals, and each diagonal splits
the square into two triangles. The 4 images may be sequentially produced by applying sucessive
rotations of 90

. Figure 6.5(d) shows one of the 4 possible PSEs for the example displayed in that
Figure. The PSE is primarily used for the visualization of material failure surfaces in fracture and
yield, a topic only covered supercially in this course.
68
6.3 2D STRESS TRANSFORMATIONS
x
y
P
=100 psi
xx
xy
= =30 psi
yx
= 20 psi
yy
(a)
= normal
stress
= shear
stress
0 20 40 60 80 100
50
40
30
20
10
0
10
20
30
40
50
H
V
C
= 110
1
= 10
2
coordinates of blue points are
H: (20,30), V:(100,-30), C:(60,0)
= 50
min
= 50
max
Radius R = 50
1
2 = 36.88
2 = 36.88 +180 = 216.88
2
(b) Mohr's circle
(a) Point in plane stress
Figure 6.6. Mohrs circle for plane stress example of Figure 6.5.
6.3.7. Mohrs Circle
Mohrs circle is a graphical representation of the plane stress state at a point. Instead of using the
methods of equations, a circle is drawn on the {, } plane. The normal stress () and the share
stress () are plotted along the horizontal and vertical axes, respectively, with as a parameter.
All stress states obtained as the angle is varied fall on a circle called Mohrs circle.
1
This representation was more important for engineers before computers and calculators appeared.
But it still retains some appealing features, notably the clear visualization of principal stresses and
maximum shear. It also remains important in theories of damage, fracture and plasticity that have
a failure surface.
To explain the method we will construct the circle corresponding to Example 6.1, which is re-
produced in Figure 6.6(a) for convenience. Draw horizontal axis =
nn
() to record normal
stresses, and vertical axis =
nt
() to record shear stresses. Mark two points: V (for vertical
cut, meaning a plane with exterior normal parallel to x) at (
xx
,
xy
) = {100, 30} and H (for
horizontal cut, meaning a plane with exterior normal parallel to y) at (
yy
,
xy
) = (20, 30).
The midpoint between H and V is C, the circle center, which is located at (
1
2
(
xx
+
yy
), 0) =
(
av
, 0) = (60, 0). Now draw the circle. It may be veried that its radius is R as given by (6.9);
which for Example 6.1 is R = 50. See Figure 6.6(b).
The circle intersects the axis at two points with normal stresses
avg
+ R = 110 =
1
and

av
R = 10 =
2
. Those are the principal stresses. Why? At those two points the shear stress
nt
vanishes, which as we have seen characterizes the principal planes. The maximum in-plane shear
occurs when =
nt
is maximum or minimum, which happens at the highest and lowest points of
the circle. Obviously
max
= R = 50 and
mi n
= R = 50. What is the normal stress when the
shear is maximum or minimum? By inspection it is
av
= 60 because those points lie on a vertical
line that passes through the circle center C.
1
Introduced by Christian Otto Mohr (a civil engineer and professor at Dresden) in 1882. Other important personal
contributions were the concept of statically indeterminate structures and theories of material failure by shear.
69
Lecture 6: PLANE STRESS TRANSFORMATIONS
Other features, such as the correlation between the angle on the physical plane and the rotation
angle 2 traversed around the circle will be explained in class if there is time. If not, one can nd
those details in Chapter 7 of Beer-Johnston-DeWolf textbook, which covers Mohrs circle well.
6.4. What Happens in 3D?
Despite the common use of simplied 1D and 2D structural models, the world is actually three-
dimensional. Stresses and strains actually live in 3D. When the extra(s) space dimensions are
accounted for, some paradoxes are resolved. In this nal section we take a quick look at principal
stresses in 3D, stating the major properties as recipes.
6.4.1. Including the Plane Stress Thickness Dimension
To x the ideas, 3D stress results will be linked to the plane stress case studied in Example 6.1. and
pictured in Figure 6.5. Its 3D state of stress in {x, y, z} coordinates is dened by the 3 3 stress
matrix
S =

100 30 0
30 20 0
0 0 0

(6.14)
It may be veried that the eigenvalues of this matrix, arranged in descending order, are

1
= 110,
2
= 10,
3
= 0. (6.15)
Now in 3D there are three principal stresses, which act on three mutually orthogonal principal
planes that are shear stress free. For the stress matrix (6.14) the principal stress values are 110, 10
and 0. But those are precisely the eigenvalues in (6.15). This result is general:
The principal stresses in 3D are the eigenvalues of the 3D stress matrix
The stress matrix is symmetric. A linear algebra theorem says that a real symmetric matrix has a
full set of eigenvalues and eigenvectors, and that both eigenvalues an eigenvectors are guaranteed
to be real. The normals to the principal planes (the so-called principal directions) are dened by
the three orthonormalized eigenvectors, but this topic will not be pursued further.
In plane stress, one of the eigenvalues is always zero because the last row and column of S are null;
thus one principal stress is zero. The associated principal plane is normal to the transverse axis z,
as can be physically expected. Consequently
zz
= 0 is a principal stress. The other two principal
stresses are the in-plane principal stresses, which were those studied in 6.3.4. It may be veried
that their values are given by (6.8), and that their principal directions lie in the {x, y} plane.
Some terminology is needed. Suppose that the three principal stresses are ordered, as usually done,
by decreasing algebraic value:

1

2

3
(6.16)
Then
1
is called the maximum principal stress,
3
the minimum principal stress, and
2
the inter-
mediate principal stress. (Note that this ordering is by algebraic, rather than by absolute, value.)
In the plane stress example (6.14) the maximum, intermediate and minimum normal stresses are
110, 10 and 0, respectively. The rst two are the in-plane principal stresses.
610
6.4 WHAT HAPPENS IN 3D?
= normal
stress
= shear
stress
0 20 40 60 80 100
50
40
30
20
10
0
10
20
30
40
50
= 110
1
= 50
max
= 10
2
= 0
3
All possible
stress states lie
in the shaded
area between
the outer and
inner circles
inplane
= 55
max
overall
= normal
stress
= shear
stress

1
Outer Mohr's
circle
Inner Mohr's
circles

2

3
Overall
max shear
(a)
(b)
Yellow-filled circle is the inplane one
Figure 6.7. Mohrs circles for a 3D stress state: (a) general case; (b) plane stress example of Figure 6.5. In (b)
the Mohr circle of Figure 6.6 is the rightmost inner circle. Actual stress states lie on the grey shaded areas.
6.4.2. 3D Mohr Circles
More surprises (pun intended): in 3D there are actually three Mohr circles, not just one. To draw
the circles, start by getting the eigenvalues
1
,
2
and
3
of the stress matrix, for example through
the eig function of Matlab. Suppose they are ordered as per the convention (6.16). Mark their
values on the axis of the vs. plane. Draw the 3 circles with diameters {
1
,
2
}, {
2
,
3
} and
{
1
,
3
}, as sketched in Figure 6.7(a).
2
For the principal values (6.15) the three Mohr circles are
drawn in Figure 6.7(b), using a scale similar to that of Figure 6.6.
Of the three circles the wider one goes from
1
(maximum normal stress) to
3
(minimum normal
stress). This is known as the outer or big circle, while the two others are called the inner circles.
It can be shown (this is proven in advanced courses in continuum mechanics) that all actual stress
states at the material point lie between the outer circle and the two inner ones. Those are marked
as grey shaded areas in Figure 6.7.
6.4.3. Overall Maximum Shear
For ductile materials such as metal alloys, which yield under shear, the 3D Mohr-circles diagram
is quite useful for visualizing the overall maximum shear stress at a point, and hence establish the
factor of safety against that failure condition. Looking at the diagram of Figure 6.7(a), clearly the
overall maximum shear, called
overall
max
, is given by the highest and lowest point of the outer Mohrs
circle, marked as a blue dot in that gure. (Note that only its absolute value is of importance for
safety checks; the sign has no importance.) But that is also equal to the radius R
out er
of that circle.
If the three principal stresses are algebraically ordered as in (6.16), then

overall
max
= R
out er
=

3

1
2
(6.17)
Note that the intermediate principal stress
2
does not appear in this formula.
2
In the general 3D case there is no simple geometric construction of the circles starting from the six x, y, z independent
stress components, as done in 6.3.7 for plane stress.
611
Lecture 6: PLANE STRESS TRANSFORMATIONS
If the principal stresses are not ordered, it is necessary to use the max function in a more complicated
formula that picks up the largest of the 3 radii:

overall
max
= max

2
2

3
2

1
2

(6.18)
Taking absolute values in (6.18) is important because the max function picks up the largest algebraic
value. For example, writing
overall
max
= max(30, 50, 20) = 30 picks up the wrong value. On the
other hand
overall
max
max(|30|, | 50|, |20|) = 50 is correct.
6.4.4. Plane Stress Revisited
Going back to plane stress, how do overall maximum shear and in-plane maximum shear compare?
Recall that one of the principal stresses is zero. The ordering (6.16) of the principal stresses is
assumed, and one of those three is zero. The following cases may be considered:
(A) The zero stress is the intermediate one:
2
= 0. If so, the in-plane Mohr circle is the outer
one and the two shear maxima coincide:

overall
max
=
i nplane
max
=

1

3
2
(6.19)
(B) The zero stress is either the largest one or the smallest one. Two subcases:
(B1) If
1

2
0 and
3
= 0 :
overall
max
=

1
2
,
(B2) If
3

2
0 and
1
= 0 :
overall
max
=

3
2
.
(6.20)
In the plane stress example of Figure 6.5, the principal stresses are given by (6.12). Since both
in-plane principal stresses (110 psi and 10 psi) are positive, the zero principal stress is the smallest
one. We are in case (B), subcase (B1). Consequently
overall
max
=
1
2

1
= 55 psi, whereas
i nplane
max
=
1
2
(
1

2
) = 50 psi.
612
6.4 WHAT HAPPENS IN 3D?
= 0
3
= 40
max
overall (b)
= normal
stress
= shear
stress
0 20 40 60 80 100
50
40
30
20
10
0
10
20
30
40
50
(a)
= =80
1 2
= 0
max
inplane
= normal
stress
= shear
stress
0 20 40 60 80 100
50
40
30
20
10
0
10
20
30
40
50
= =80
1 2
= 0
max
inplane
Figure 6.8. The sphere paradox: (a) Mohrs in-plane circle reduced to a point, whence
i nplane
max
= 0;
(b) drawing the 3D circles shows that
overall
max
= 40.
6.4.5. The Sphere Paradox
Taking the third dimension into account claries some puzzles such as the sphere paradox.
Consider a thin spherical pressure vessel with p = 160 psi, R = 10 in and t = 0.1 in. In Lecture 3,
the wall stress in spherical coordinates was found to be = p R/(2 t ) = 80 ksi, same in all
directions. The stress matrix at any point in the wall, taking z as the normal to the sphere at that
point, is

80 0 0
0 80 0
0 0 0

(6.21)
The Mohr circle reduces to a point, as illustrated in Figure 6.8(a), and the maximum in-plane shear
stress is zero. And remains zero for any p. If the sphere is fabricated of a ductile material, it should
never break regardless of pressure. Plainly we have a paradox.
The paradox is resolved by considering the other two Mohr circles. These additional circles are
pictured in Figure 6.8(b). In this case the outer circle and the other inner circle coalesce. The
overall maximum shear stress is 40 ksi, which is nonzero. Therefore, increasing the pressure will
eventually produce yield, and the paradox is solved.
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