ADDIS ABABA SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF NATURAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE

DEPARTMENT OF MINING ENGINEERING
STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY: GROUP ASSIGNMENT

TITLE: Mohr circle and its application

GROUP MEMBERS ID Number
1) Bisrat Teklu Ets0307/13
2) Duresa Eshetu Ets0387/13
3) Temesgen Silabat Ets1215/13
4) Tiruneh Wendwose Ets1243/13

Submitted to: Instructor

Submission date: April 11, 2023
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................1

HISTORY................................................................................................................... 2

Stress Element......................................................................................................... 3

MOHR’S Circle For Plane Stress................................................................................4

The Mohr Circle........................................................................................................5

Sign Convention.......................................................................................................5

Principle Stresses on a plane....................................................................................5

Steps To Draw Mohr’s Circle....................................................................................6

Example on stress transformation using mohr circle diagram.................................7

Application of Mohr circle........................................................................................9

Conclusion..............................................................................................................10

REFERENCE.............................................................................................................11
 INTRODUCTION

 German civil engineer Christian Otto Mohr first proposed the Mohr's Circle
graphical approach, which is used to examine complex stress states in
materials, in 1882. Since then, it has been extensively utilised in many
different industries, including engineering, physics, and geology.

 The centre of the circle reflects the average stress, and the circumference
shows how stresses are distributed around a spot in a material. The primary
stresses and strains present in a material can be identified using Mohr's
Circle, which can also be used to forecast the maximum shear stress and
failure mode under specific circumstances.

 Because of its adaptability, Mohr's Circle has become an essential tool for
engineers and scientists to use when analyzing the behavior of materials
and structures.

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 HISTORY
German civil engineer Christian Otto Mohr lived from 8 October 1835 until 2
October 1918. He is well-known for his studies of stress and for his contributions
to structural engineering, such as Mohr's circle.
Mohr Circle, Mohr Columb theory, Moment-Area theorem, and Statically
indeterminate Structure are among Christian Otto Mohr's works.

The Mohr Circle is a graphical representation that helps engineers and scientists
to better understand stress and strain in materials. Born in 1835 in a small town in
Germany, Mohr showed an early aptitude for engineering and mathematics.

He studied civil engineering at the University of Hannover, where he also learned

basic mechanics and natural science. After receiving his degree, Mohr worked as a
civil engineer for many years, designing bridges and other structures.

Then he became interested in the mechanics of materials and began conducting

experiments to better understand how different materials responded to stresses
and strains.

During his experiments, Mohr noticed that there was a relationship between the
stresses and strains in different directions. He used this observation to develop a
mathematical equation that could predict the relationship between these
variables.

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Mohr then developed the Mohr Circle, a graphical representation of his
mathematical equation. The circle shows the stresses and strains in different
directions, making it easier to understand the behavior of materials under
pressure.

The Mohr Circle quickly gained popularity among engineers and scientists, and
has become a standard tool in the field of materials mechanics. Today, it is used
in a wide range of applications, from designing bridges and buildings to analyzing
the behavior of soil and rock.
Mohr's contributions to the field of materials mechanics were significant, and he
is remembered as one of the pioneers of this important field. His legacy lives on in
the Mohr Circle, which continues to be an indispensable tool for engineers and
scientists around the world.

Stress Element
The stresses that are exerting pressure at a certain location within the body are
usefully described as stress elements.

simple example of the beam with axial load

 The stress condition in the stress element will be pretty straightforward
based on the image above. It will only have shear stress, zero normal stress
along the Y-axis, and normal stress solely along the X-axis.
 The normal and shear stress components will have various values
depending on how the stress element is oriented.

Using the Stress Transformation Equations, we can determine the normal and
shear stress for a stress element that is oriented at a particular angle (or, to put it
another way, an inclined plane).

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MOHR’S Circle For Plane Stress
The transformation equations for plane stress can be represented in graphical
form by a plot known as Mohr’s
circle.

Applying the equations for plane-stress transformation using a graphical

Procedure as follows:

in the form:

then the parameter θ can be eliminated by squaring each equation and adding
them together. The result is:

Since σx, σy, Ƭxy are known constants, then the above equation can be written in
a more compact form as:

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 or

The Mohr Circle

 Without using the stress transformation equations, it provides a
straightforward graphical approach for calculating normal and shear
stresses.
 On a 2D graph, the Mohrs circle is depicted with shear stress on the vertical
axis and normal stress on the horizontal axis.

Sign Convention
 If shear stresses that spin anticlockwise are considered positive and those
that rotate clockwise are considered negative. For this reason, the shear
stresses in the Y-face are viewed negatively. Negative shear stresses are
plotted on the upward axis, and positive shear stresses are plotted on the
downward axis.

Principle Stresses on a plane

 Are maximum and minimum normal stresses that occurs when stress
element is rotated such that shear stress is zero. And can be used to predict
failure. The horizontal axis of the Mohrs circle the value of shear stress will
always be zero. Hence, the points at which the horizontal axis cuts the
circle gives the Maximum and Minimum principal stresses.
MOHR CIRCLE

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We know that the plane at which the shear stresses are zero, that plane is known
as Principal Plane and the corresponding normal is Principal Stresses

Equation for Normal AND Shear stresses.

Steps To Draw Mohr’s Circle

1. Set the coordinate axis (σ - X-axis, τ - Y-axis)
2. Plot the points A (σx,τxy) and B (σy,-τxy).
3. With A and B as diameter and C as the centre, draw a circle.

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Maximum Shear Stress : maximum shear stress is nothing but the Radius of the
Mohrs circle.

Example on stress transformation using mohr circle diagram

Using Mohr’s circle, determine the stresses acting on an element inclined at an
angle θ=30°.

Solution

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 ,

Mohr circle becomes :

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 Application of Mohr circle

Mohr's Circle is commonly used by engineers, geologists, and scientists to

visualize and analyze stresses and strains in materials. It is a graphical
representation of stress and strain used to analyze complex stress states
within materials, such as rocks, metals, and other engineering materials.

The application of Mohr's Circle can be used to determine the principal

stresses and strains within a given material or structure. The circle shows the
distribution of stresses around a point in a material, with the center of the
circle representing the average rate of deformation or stress.

In addition, Mohr's Circle can also be used to analyze and solve problems
related to shear strength and failure. With this technique, it is possible to
identify the maximum shear stress at a specific point, predict whether a
material will fail under certain conditions, and calculate the necessary forces
required to cause failure.

One of the most significant benefits of using Mohr's Circle is that it allows
engineers and scientists to visualize complex stress distributions and gain
insight into the behavior of a material or structure. In addition to its use in
engineering, Mohr's Circle is also used in geology to study rock deformation,
and it has been applied in various fields of science for decades.

Overall, Mohr's Circle is an essential tool for analyzing and understanding the
behavior of materials and structures under different stress conditions. The
circle is an excellent visual representation that is easy to understand and

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interpret, making it a valuable tool for any engineer or scientist working with
materials and structures.

Conclusion
When analyzing complicated stress states in materials, Mohr's Circle,
commonly referred to as the Mohr-Coulomb hypothesis, is a graphical
depiction of stress and strain. The concept was first introduced by Christian
Otto Mohr, a German civil engineer, in 1882.
Mohr's Circle is a 2-D graphical representation of the stresses.
Engineering and geology are the two main domains where Mohr's Circle is
used. It's used to calculate the maximum shear stress and forecast whether
a material or building would collapse under particular circumstances.
Mohr's Circle is essential for the design of buildings, bridges, and dams
because it enables engineers to anticipate and manage potential failure
modes.
Mohr's Circle has been modified over time to address issues in a variety of
disciplines, including mechanics, physics, and geology. The capacity of
Mohr's Circle to visualise and examine complicated stress states and their
distribution within materials is one of its most important advantages. This
makes it a useful tool for scientists and engineers working in a variety of
fields.
In conclusion, Mohr's Circle is a powerful technique for analyzing and
understanding the behavior of materials and structures under different
stress conditions. The concept, first introduced in 1882, has become an
invaluable tool used globally within engineering and geology. Its versatility

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 has allowed for it to be used in a range of different applications, making it a
valuable contribution to the scientific community.

REFERENCE
 Mohr's Circle: Definition, Equation, Diagram [GATE Notes]
(byjusexamprep.com)
 Stress Transformation And Mohr's Circle - The Structural Blog
 www.wikipedia.com
 AASTU Chapter-2 structural geology

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