THEORIES OF FAILURE

 The strength of machine members is based upon the mechanical

properties of the materials used. Since these properties are usually
determined from simple tension or compression tests, therefore,
predicting failure in members subjected to uniaxial stress is both simple
and straight-forward.
 But the problem of predicting the failure stresses for members subjected
to bi-axial or tri-axial stresses is much more complicated. In fact, the
problem is so complicated that a large number of different theories have
been formulated.
The principal theories of failure for a member subjected to bi-axial stress are
 Maximum principal (or normal) stress theory (Rankine’s theory).
 Maximum shear stress theory (Guest’s or Tresca’s theory).
 Maximum principal (or normal) strain theory (Saint Venant theory).
 Maximum strain energy theory (Haigh’s theory).
 Maximum distortion energy theory (Hencky and Von Mises theory).
Since ductile materials usually fail by yielding i.e. when permanent
deformations occur in the material and brittle materials fail by fracture,
therefore the limiting strength for these two classes of materials is normally
measured by different mechanical properties.
For ductile materials, the limiting strength is the stress at yield point as
determined from simple tension test and it is, assumed to be equal in tension
or compression.
For brittle materials, the limiting strength is the ultimate stress in tension or
compression.
Maximum Principal or Normal Stress Theory (Rankine’s Theory)
 According to this theory, the failure or yielding occurs at a point in a member
when the maximum principal or normal stress in a bi-axial stress system reaches
the limiting strength of the material in a simple tension test.
 Since the limiting strength for ductile materials is yield point stress and for brittle
materials the limiting strength is ultimate stress, therefore according to the above
theory, taking factor of safety (FoS) into consideration, the maximum principal or
normal stress (σ1) in a bi-axial stress system is,

σ yield = σ1 , Applying a suitable factor of safety

2
σ yield σx + σy  σx  σy  2
σe  = σ1 = +   + (τ xy )
η 2  2 
where, σ e is the elastic limit stress or working stress.

 Since the maximum principal or normal stress theory is based on failure in

tension or compression and ignores the possibility of failure due to shearing
stress, therefore it is not used for ductile materials.
 This theory is generally used for brittle materials which are relatively strong in
shear but weak in tension or compression.
 Maximum Shear Stress Theory (Guest’s or Tresca’s Theory)

According to this theory, the failure or yielding occurs at a point in a

member when the maximum shear stress in a bi-axial stress system within
elastic limit reaches a value equal to the shear stress at yield point in a
simple tension test. Mathematically,
τ yield 1
 σ x  σ y  + 4(τ xy ) 2 = (σ1  σ 2 )
2
τe = =
FoS (η) 2
σ yield σ yield σ yield
σe  since τ yield  τe =
η 2 2 η
where, σ e is the elastic limit stress or working stress.
σe
Assuming τ e 
2

σ 
2 2
σe  x  σ y + 4(τ xy )

This theory is mostly used for designing members of ductile materials.

The load on a bolt consists of an axial pull of 10kN together with a
transverse shear force of 5kN. Find the diameter of bolt required according
to 1. Maximum principal stress theory; 2. Maximum shear stress theory;
3. Maximum strain energy theory; and 4. Maximum distortion energy theory.
Take permissible tensile stress at elastic limit = 100MPa and Poisson’s ratio
= 0.3.

Axial force 10×103×4

Stress due to axial load σ a   2
MPa
Area π×d
12732.4
= 2
MPa = σ x
d
Transverse force 5×103×4
Shear stress due to transverse load  xy   2
MPa
Area π×d
6366.2
= 2
MPa
d
 According to maximum principal stress theory

2
σ yield σx + σy  σx  σy  2
σe  = σ1 = +   + (τ xy )
η 2  2 

2 2
12732.4  12732.4   6366.2 
 2
+  2  + 2 
2d  2d   d 
2
12732.4 1  12732.4 
  
2
=   + 6366.2
2d 2 d2  2 

6366.2 9003.16 15369.36

 2
 2

d d d2

15369.36
σ e  100 = d = 12.4mm
d2
According to maximum shear stress theory

σ  σ y  + 4  τ xy  = (σ1  σ 2 )
2 2
σe = x

where, σ e is the elastic limit stress or working stress.

2 2
 12732.4   6366.2 
σe =  2  + 4 2 
 d   d 
1
 2 12732.42  4(6366.2) 2
d

18006.33
100 = 2
d= 13.41mm
d
A rod of circular section is to sustain a torsional moment of 300kN-m and a
bending moment of 200kn-m. Selecting C45 steel and assuming a FoS of 3,
determine the diameter of the rod according to (i) Maximum shear stress
theory (ii) Distortion energy theory.
6 8
32M b 2 32  200  10 64  10
Bending stress, σ b = 3
N/mm = 3
 3
 σx
πd πd πd
6 8
16M t 2 16  300  10 48  10
Torsional shear stress, τ xy = 3
N/mm = 3

πd πd π  d3

For C45 steel select the value of σyield from DDHB

σyield = 353N/mm2 and FoS=3 (Given)

σe = 117.7N/mm2
According to maximum shear stress theory

σ  σ y  + 4  τ xy  = (σ1  σ 2 )
2 2
σe = x
 8 2 8 2
 64  10   48 10 
117.7=  π  d3  + 4  π  d3 
   

1.15  1010 1.15  1010

3
117.7= d  = 31202925.8mm 3
π  d3 π  117.7
d = 314.8mm

According to maximum distortion energy theory

σ yield
σ x 2 + σ y 2  σ x σ y + 3  τ xy  = σ12 + σ 2 2  σ1σ 2
2
σe  =
η
8 2 8 8 2
 64 10  64 10  48 10 
σe   π  d3   3
+ 3 3 
  πd  π  d 

8 2 8 8 2
 64 10 
2 64 10  48 10 
117.7   3 
 3
+ 3 3 
 π  d  πd  π  d 
Multiplying both sides by π  d 3
2 3  4.096  1019  8  6.912 1019 
117.7  π  d   3   64 10 +  3 
 π  d   π  d 
19
 11.008  10 
117.7 2  π  d 3   3   64  10 8

 π  d 
117.7  π  d
2

3 2
 11.008 1019  64 108  π  d 3 

117.7 2
π  d 
3 2
 64 108  π  d 3   11.008  1019  0

The above quadratic equation is in the form ax2+bx+c=0

a = 117.72, b = 64108, c = 11.0081019 and x = d3
The solution for the above quadratic equation is given by,

b  b2  4  a  c
x 
2 a
Solving the above equation d = 304.74mm
A MS shaft 60mm in diameter is subjected to a bending moment of 2510 5N-mm and
a torsional moment ‘T’. If the yield point of steel in tension is 230N/mm 2, find the
value of this torque without causing yielding of the shaft according to (i) Maximum
normal stress theory (ii) Maximum shear stress theory (iii) Maximum distortion
energy theory. Assume a FoS =1.5.
5
32M b 32  25  10
Bending stress, σ b = 3
N/mm 2 = 3
 117.9N/mm 2  σ x
πd π  60
16M t 2 16  T 5 2
Torsional shear stress, τ xy = N/mm =  2.35  10 T N/mm
πd3 π  603
According to maximum principal stress theory
2
σ yield σx + σy  σx  σy  2
σe  = σ1 = +   + (τ xy )
η 2  2 
2
117.9  117.9 
 +  2.35 10 T 
2
5
153.33  + 
2  2 
2
 117.9 
 +  2.35  10 T 
5 2
153.33  58.95  94.38   Squaring both sides
 2 
 2
 117.9 
 
5 2 10 2
8907.58    + 2.35  10 T or 5432.47 = 5.522  10 T
 2 
T = 3136395.38N-mm

According to maximum shear stress theory

σ yield
σ  σ y  + 4  τ xy 
2 2
σe =  x
η

+ 4  2.35 10 T 
2
117.9 
2 5
153.33  Squaring both sides

23510.09  13900.41+ 4  (5.522 1010 T 2 )

9609.68  2.2088 109 T 2 or T= 2085817.3N-mm

According to maximum distortion energy theory

σ yield
σ x + σ y  σ x σ y + 3  τ xy 
2 2 2
σe  =
η
  117.9 + 3  2.35 10 T  Squaring both sides
2
117.9 
2 5
153.33 

23510.09  13900.41  117.9 + 3  (5.522 1010 T 2 )

9727.58  1.656  109 T 2 T = 2423224N-mm