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Mohr-Coulomb Failure PDF

The document discusses the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, which relates stress, brittle failure, and frictional faulting in rocks. It defines principal stresses, shear stress, normal stress, and the Mohr circle diagram. It then introduces Coulomb's law of failure, which defines the critical shear stress required for failure. The law includes parameters for cohesive strength and the angle of internal friction. It also discusses how pore fluid pressure can reduce effective stresses and induce faulting.

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Hugo Damian Aval
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341 views25 pages

Mohr-Coulomb Failure PDF

The document discusses the Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion, which relates stress, brittle failure, and frictional faulting in rocks. It defines principal stresses, shear stress, normal stress, and the Mohr circle diagram. It then introduces Coulomb's law of failure, which defines the critical shear stress required for failure. The law includes parameters for cohesive strength and the angle of internal friction. It also discusses how pore fluid pressure can reduce effective stresses and induce faulting.

Uploaded by

Hugo Damian Aval
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Mohr-Coulomb failure

Goal: To understand relationship between


stress, brittle failure, and frictional faulting
and to use this relationship to predict rock
behavior
Stress review
Stress = Force/Area
3 principal vectors: 1, 2, and 3 at right
angles to each other
1 2 3
1 is the maximum principal stress
direction, 2 is the intermediate principal
stress direction, and 3 is the minimum
principal stress direction
We also define:
Static stress as 1 = 2 = 3
Lithostatic stress as static stress
generated by mass of overlying rocks
Differential stress (d) as (1 - 3)
Confining pressure as 2 = 3 for the
conditions 1 > 2 = 3
Shear stress and normal stress
For any plane in a stress field defined by 1,
2, and 3 with strike parallel with 2:
1

3 3

1
The stress is resolved into 2 components:
1. Shear stress (s), acting parallel with the
plane
2. Normal stress (n), acting perpendicular
to the plane
1 n

s s
3 3

n
1
Stress components are related by:
1. s = (1 - 3)sin(2)
2. n = (1 + 3) - (1 - 3)cos(2)
where = angle between plane and 1
1 n

s s
3 3

n
1
Mohr diagram for stress
Relationship between 1, 3, s, and n is
plotted graphically in Cartesian coordinates
s

n
Mohr circle for stress: circle with diameter =
d plotted on mohr diagram
Center on the n-axis at point = (1 + 3)

n
3 1

(1 + 3)
Finding s, and n
Can use a Mohr circle to find s, and n for
any plane
s

n
3 1
Plot a line from center to edge of circle at
angle 2-clockwise from n-axis

2
n
3 1
X- and y-coordinates of intersection of line
and circle define s and n for the plane

s (s, n) of plane

n
3 1
Coulombs failure criterion
Every homogeneous material has a
characteristic failure envelope for brittle
shear fracturing
Combinations of s and n outside of the
envelope result in fracture
Determining failure envelope
Experimental rock deformation

Holger Stunitz in the


lab at Basel University
The Coulomb envelope
s Shear
Fracture

Stable
Fracture
Tensile

2
n
3 1

Stable
Shear
Fracture
Coulomb law of failure
c = 0 + tan()n
s

0

n
c = 0 + tan()n
Formula defines shear stress under which
rocks will fracture
c = critical shear stress s at failure
0 = cohesive strength s when n = 0
= angle of internal friction 90 - 2
For most rocks, angle of internal friction
30
Therefore, at failure is also 30
s is greatest when = 45
Failure
envelopes
for different
rocks
Slip on pre-existing fractures
Pre-existing fractures have no cohesive
strength, 0 = 0

Failure envelopes for pre-existing fractures


derived experimentally
Envelope of sliding friction
s

f = angle of sliding friction

n
Byerlees law
Describes frictional sliding envelope
c = tan(f)n

f 40 for low confining pressures


and 35 for high confining
pressures
Byerlees law for different rock types
Effect of pore-fluid pressure
Pore fluid pressure (Pf) effectively lowers the
stress in all directions
The effective stresses (1eff, 2eff, and 3eff) =
principal stresses - Pf

1eff = 1 - Pf 2eff= 2 - Pf 3eff = 3 - Pf


s Stable stress conditions

1
n
3
s Increase in pore fluid pressure can
drive faulting!!

1eff 1
n
3eff 3

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