EOSC364: Rock Deformation Theory of homogeneous stress in two-dimensions The state of stress acting at a point is represented by the two-dimensional

stress tensor:

xx xy ij = yx yy
This is composed of two normal stress and two shear stresses acting on planes that are at right angle to each other. We can relate the principal stresses to the normal and shear stresses measured on a any plane using the equations:

n = =

1 + 2
2

1 2
2

cos 2

1 2
2

sin 2

Hence if we know the principal stresses, then we can calculate the shear stress and normal stress on any plane orientated at and angle to the plane on which the greatest principal stress acts. Similarly, the normal and shear stresses can be related to the principal stresses using the following equations:

1 ( x y )2 + 4 2 2 2 + y 1 ( x y )2 + 4 2 2 = x 2 2

1 =

x + y

These equations are incredibly useful in a situation where the direction and magnitude of the principal stresses are not known. Normal stresses are relatively easy to measure using a variety of techniques (some of which we will cover in the next lecture) and hence from a number of measurements of normal stress, the direction and magnitude of principal stresses can be determined. Mohr circle construction The first two equations have the same form as the parametric equations of a circle, and hence we can represent these equations graphically using the Mohr circle construction:

yx

(yy,yx)

yy

xx

xy

(xx,xy)