SHEAR STRESS

Shear Stress:
Shear stress is a fundamental concept in physics and engineering that describes a
material’s internal resistance to deformation when subjected to a force or load that acts
parallel to your selected plane of reference. It is a measure of how easily one plane
within the material can be made to slide or deform along another in response to an
applied force. In practical terms, when you apply a shear force to a solid object, it
deforms the object's shape, causing different layers of the material to slide past each
other. The rate at which this deformation occurs depends on the material's shear
modulus, which is a measure of its resistance to shear deformation.
Shear Stress:
 Shear Stress:
When the deforming forces are such that there is a change in the shape of the body, then the
stress produced is called shearing stress. Shear stress is also called as tangential stress.

Mathematically,
Shear stress = Shearing force (F) / Area under shear
Its S.I. unit of stress is N m-2 or Pa (pascal) and its dimensions are [L-1M1T-2].
Consider a rigid body in the figure which is fixed along the surface CD. Let it be acted upon by
tangential force F along surface AB as shown. Let lateral surface AD get deflected through
angle θ as shown. The tangential force F per unit area of surface AB is called shear stress.
 Shear Strain:
When the deforming forces are such that there is a change in the shape of the body, then
the strain produced in the body is called shear strain.
Shearing strain is defined as the ratio of relative displacement of any layer to its
perpendicular distance from the fixed layer.
Mathematically,
tan θ = x/h

Within the elastic limit, the ratio of the shear stress to the corresponding shear strain in
the body is always constant, which is called modulus of rigidity.
It is denoted by the letter ‘η’. Its S.I. unit of stress is N m-2 or Pa (pascal) and its
dimensions are [L-1M1T-2].
Modulus of Rigidity:
Poisson’s ratio
Poisson’s ratio of a material is a very important parameter in material science and
engineering mechanics. When a force is applied to a bar it deforms (elongates or
compresses) in the axial (longitudinal) direction. At the same time, a deformation is
observed in the transverse (width) direction as well. Poisson’s ratio relates these
changes in the transverse direction and axial direction. This effect is known as
Poisson’s effect which is named after the French mathematician and physicist Simeon
Poisson. The Poisson’s ratio is defined as the ratio of the transverse strain to that
of the axial strain under the influence of the same force. It is a material property
and remains constant.
Poisson’s ratio
Poisson’s ratio
Relation b/w Modulus of Elasticity E, Modulus of
Rigidity G and Poison’s ratio
Shear stress Numerical

Example – 1:
The area of the upper face of a rectangular block is 0.5 m x 0.5 m and the
lower face is fixed. The height of the block is 1 cm. a shearing force applied
to the top face produces a displacement of 0.015 mm. Find the strain, stress
and the shearing force. Modulus of rigidity = η = 4.5 × 1010 N/m².
Shear stress Numerical
Example # 2

A metallic cube of side 5 cm, has its lower surface fixed rigidly. When a

tangential force of 104 kg. wt. is applied to the upper surface, it is

displaced through 0.03 mm. Calculate (1) the shearing stress (2) the

shearing strain and (3) the modulus of rigidity of the metal.

 Shear stress Numerical
Example – 3:
A 5 cm cube of substance has its upper face displaced by 0.65 cm by a tangential
force of 0.25 N. Calculate the modulus of rigidity of the substance.