Failure Theories – Static Loads

Static load – a stationary load that is gradually applied having an unchanging

magnitude and direction

Failure – A part is permanently distorted and will not function properly.

A part has been separated into two or more pieces.

Material Strength

Sy = Yield strength in tension, Syt = Syc

Sys = Yield strength in shear
Su = Ultimate strength in tension, Sut
Suc = Ultimate strength in compression
Sus = Ultimate strength in shear = .67 Su

Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 1

 Ductile and Brittle Materials
A ductile material deforms significantly before fracturing. Ductility is measured
by % elongation at the fracture point. Materials with 5% or more elongation are
considered ductile.

Brittle material yields very little before fracturing, the

yield strength is approximately the same as the
ultimate strength in tension. The ultimate strength in
compression is much larger than the ultimate
Ken Youssefi
strength in tension.
Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 2
 Failure Theories – Ductile Materials
Yield strength of a material is used to design components made of
ductile material

• Maximum shear stress theory (Tresca 1886)

(max )component > ( )obtained from a tension test at the yield point Failure

 = Sy Sy
= 2
To avoid failure
Sy
(max )component <
2
 = Sy

Sy
max = 2n
n = Safety
factor

Design equation
 =Sy
Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 3
 Failure Theories – Ductile Materials
• Distortion energy theory (von Mises-Hencky)

Simple tension test → (Sy)t Hydrostatic state of stress → (Sy)h

t
h
(Sy)h >> (Sy)t

Distortion contributes to h
failure much more than
change in volume.
h

t
(total strain energy) – (strain energy due to hydrostatic stress) = strain energy
due to angular distortion > strain energy obtained from a tension test at the
yield point → failure
Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 4
 Failure Theories – Ductile Materials
The area under the curve in the elastic region is called the Elastic Strain Energy.

U = ½ ε

3D case
UT = ½ 1ε1 + ½ 2ε2 + ½ 3ε3
Strain
energy
Stress-strain relationship

1 2 3
ε1 = E
v E
v E
2 1 3
ε2 = E
v E
v E
3 1 2
ε3 = E
v E
v E

1
UT = (12 + 22 + 32) - 2v (12 + 13 + 23)
2E Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 5
Ken Youssefi
 Failure Theories – Ductile Materials
Distortion strain energy = total strain energy – hydrostatic strain energy

Ud = UT – Uh
1
UT = (12 + 22 + 32) - 2v (12 + 13 + 23) (1)
2E
Substitute 1 =  2 = 3 =  h
1
Uh = (h2 + h2 + h2) - 2v (hh + hh+ hh)
2E

Simplify and substitute 1 + 2 + 3 = 3h into the above equation

3h
2
(1 + 2 + 3)2 (1 – 2v)
Uh = (1 – 2v) =
2E 6E
Subtract the hydrostatic strain energy from the total energy to
obtain the distortion energy
1+v
Ud = UT – U h = (1 – 2)2 + (1 – 3)2 + (2 – 3)2 (2)
Ken Youssefi
6E Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 6
 Failure Theories – Ductile Materials
Strain energy from a tension test at the yield point

1= Sy and 2 = 3 = 0 Substitute in equation (2)

1+v
U d = UT – Uh = (1 – 2)2 + (1 – 3)2 + (2 – 3)2 (2)
6E

2 1+v
Utest = (Sy)
3E

To avoid failure, Ud < Utest

(1 – 2)2 + (1 – 3)2 + (2 – 3)2 ½

< Sy
2

Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 7

 Failure Theories – Ductile Materials

(1 – 2)2 + (1 – 3)2 + (2 – 3)2 ½

< Sy
2

2D case, 3 = 0
½
(1 – 12 + 2 ) < Sy = 
2 2

Where  is von Mises stress

Sy
′ = Design equation
n

Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 8

 Failure Theories – Ductile Materials

Pure torsion,  =  1 = – 2
2
(12 – 2 1 + 22) = Sy

3 = Sy
2 2
Sys = Sy / √ 3 → Sys = .577 Sy

Relationship between yield strength in

tension and shear

If y = 0, then 1, 2 = x/2 ± [(x)/2]2 + (xy)2

the design equation can be written in terms of the dominant

component stresses (due to bending and torsion)

2 2 1/2 Sy
(x) + 3(xy) =
n
Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 9
 Design Process
Distortion energy theory Maximum shear stress theory

Sy Sy
′ = max =
n 2n
• Select material: consider environment, density, availability → Sy , Su
• Choose a safety factor
n Size Weight Cost

The selection of an appropriate safety factor should be based

on the following:

 Degree of uncertainty about loading (type, magnitude and direction)

 Degree of uncertainty about material strength
 Uncertainties related to stress analysis
 Consequence of failure; human safety and economics
 Type of manufacturing process
 Codes and standards
Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 10
 Design Process

 Use n = 1.2 to 1.5 for reliable materials subjected to

loads that can be determined with certainty.

 Use n = 1.5 to 2.5 for average materials subjected to

loads that can be determined. Also, human safety and
economics are not an issue.

 Use n = 3.0 to 4.0 for well known materials subjected to

uncertain loads.

Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 11

 Design Process

• Select material, consider environment, density, availability → Sy , Su

• Choose a safety factor

• Formulate the von Mises or maximum shear stress in terms of size.

• Use appropriate failure theory to calculate the size.

Sy Sy
′ = max =
n 2n

• Optimize for weight, size, or cost.

Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 12

 Failure Theories – Brittle Materials
One of the characteristics of a brittle material is that the ultimate strength
in compression is much larger than ultimate strength in tension.

Suc >> Sut

Mohr’s circles for compression and tension tests.


Suc 3 Stress 1 Sut

state

Tension test
Compression test

Failure envelope
The component is safe if the state of stress falls inside the failure envelope.
1 > 3 and 2 = 0
Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 13
 Failure Theories – Brittle Materials
Modified Coulomb-Mohr theory

3 or 2
3 or 2
Sut Sut

Safe Safe Sut I Sut

1 1
Suc
Safe II
-Sut -Sut
Safe
III

Suc Suc

Cast iron data Three design zones

Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU 14

 Failure Theories – Brittle Materials
Zone I 3
Sut
1 > 0 , 2 > 0 and 1 > 2
Sut I Sut
1 = Design equation 1
n
II
-Sut
Zone II III
1 > 0 , 2 < 0 and 2 < Sut

Sut Suc
1 = Design equation
n

Zone III
1 1 2 1
1 > 0 , 2 < 0 and 2 > Sut 1 ( – ) – =
Sut Suc Suc n

Ken Youssefi Mechanical Engineering Dept., SJSU Design equation 15