Theory of failure

By

Hareth Amer Mohammed

A Master Report
Mechanical Engineering Department

University Of Mosul

5 December
 1. Introduction

In engineering, the Theory of Failure is like a guide for understanding why materials break
down. Imagine it as a special tool for engineers, helping them predict and prevent failures
in structures. This report explains the basics of this theory, uncovering key principles that
control how things stay together. It's not just about theory; it's about using this knowledge
to design things better. We'll explore different aspects of failure theory, asking questions
like: What makes materials fail? How do we find possible weak spots? And most
importantly, how does this information help us build long-lasting structures?

When we talk about the failure of materials, we mean situations where a substance
doesn't meet the standards it should, leading to problems with how things work or how
solid they are. This happens a lot in engineering and making things, often because of
issues like mistakes in the material, errors in how it's made, or being exposed to
conditions it wasn't designed for. Figuring out and fixing the reasons behind these failures
is super important for making things safer and more reliable in different industries.
 2. Theories of failure

There are different ideas about why things break, and these ideas aim to figure out when
a material will fail under different kinds of stress. Failure can mean either bending or
breaking. These ideas are split into two main groups.

The theories of failure can be divided into two major classes:

Stress theories

• Maximum principal Stress Theory (Rankine)

• Maximum Shear Stress Theory (Tresca, Guest)

Strain Theories

• Maximum Strain Theory (Saint-Venant)

• Total Strain Energy Theory (Beltrami-Haigh)
• Maximum Distortion Energy Theory (Von Mises and Henky’s Theory)

2.1. Maximum principal Stress Theory (Rankine)

Rankine's Maximum Principal Stress Theory predicts material failure when the maximum
principal stress surpasses the ultimate tensile or compressive strength of the material.
This criterion is suitable for brittle materials but doesn't consider intermediate principal
stress or hydrostatic pressure, limiting its accuracy. Engineers often prefer more
advanced criteria for a comprehensive analysis.

For ductile materials, the condition of failure can be defined as:

σ1 = σ yield

For a two-dimensional system σ1 can be expressed as:

Note:

1. This theory is suitable for the safe design of machine components made of brittle
materials under all loading conditions (tri-axial, biaxial etc.) because brittle materials are
weak in tension.

2. This theory is not suitable for the safe design of machine components made of ductile
materials because ductile materials are weak in shear.

2.2. Maximum shear stress theory (Tresca’s Theory)

Tresca's Theory, or the Maximum Shear Stress Theory, predicts material yielding or
failure when the maximum shear stress at any point exceeds the material's yield
strength. This criterion is suitable for ductile materials like metals that tend to undergo
plastic deformation before failure. However, it doesn't consider certain aspects of
material behavior, leading to more advanced criteria such as the von Mises criterion for
a more comprehensive analysis.

If 1 >2 >3 are the three principal stresses at a point, failure occurs when
𝜏max = y /2

where (y /2) is the shear stress at yield point in a uniaxial test.

Note:

1. Main Shear Stress Theory and Main Principal Stress Theory will give same results for
ductile materials under uniaxial state of stress and biaxial state of stress when principal
stresses are like in nature.

2. M.S.S.T is not suitable under hydrostatic stress condition.

3. This theory is suitable for ductile materials and gives over safe.

2.3. Maximum principal strain theory (St. Venant’s Theory)

Saint-Venant's Theory, or the Maximum Principal Strain Theory, predicts material failure
when the maximum principal strain at any point exceeds the material's ultimate strain.
This criterion is particularly relevant for ductile materials where deformation plays a crucial
role in the failure process. However, for a comprehensive analysis, engineers often
consider a combination of strain and stress-based criteria.

If 1 >2 >3 are the three principal stresses at a point,

Maximum strain in simple tension test case is given by

So, condition of failure according to this theory is,

2.4. Maximum strain energy theory (Beltrami - Haigh’s Theory)

This theory is associated with Beltrami and Haigh. According to this theory failure at any
point in a body subjected to a state of stress begins only when the energy density
absorbed at that point is equal to the energy density absorbed by the material when
subjected to elastic limit in a uniaxial stress state. In terms of principal stress, strain
energy density can be written as,

1 >2 >3 being three principal stresses.

From the above equation, the strain energy density at yield can be written as,

This theory holds good for the failure criterion for brittle materials.

Note: Total strain energy theory is suitable under hydrostatic stress condition.

2.5. Maximum Distortion Energy theory (Von Mises and Hencky’s Theory)

This theory is based on the work of Huber, von Mises and Hencky. Strain energy can be
separated into energy, which is associated with volume change, and energy, which
causes distortion of the element. The maximum distortion energy failure theory predicts
yielding when the distortion energy reaches a critical value. The energy of distortion can
be obtained by subtracting the energy of volumetric expansion from the total energy

The work done or energy stored during the volumetric change is,

(1 − 2ν)
𝑈′ = (σ1 + σ2 + σ3)2
6E

The total strain energy density(U) is given by

Subtracting U’ from U and substituting the value of G =E/2(1+ν) for shear modulus, we
get

The failure criterion may be written simply as,

𝜎𝑦 2
𝑈𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
6𝐺

where y is the principal stress at yield point for uniaxial tests.

Note: This theory is best theory of failure for ductile material, it gives safe and economic
design.

3. Application of Failure Theory.

Failure theories provide valuable insights into how materials behave under stress and
strain. They play a crucial role for engineers in determining the safe dimensions of
machine components that experience combined stress from various loads during
operation. These theories help establish a connection between stresses occurring under
different loading conditions and material properties obtained from tests.

The applications of failure theories can be broadly understood in the following ways:
1. Material Selection: Guides engineers in selecting materials that can withstand
expected loads.
2. Structural Design: Provides insights into failure under different loads, aiding in
component and structure design.
3. Safety Analysis: Ensures structures have an adequate factor of safety through
comparison with predicted failure criteria.
4. Fatigue and Creep Analysis: Predicts conditions leading to fatigue failure and
creep deformation over time.
5. Composite Materials Design: Applied in designing composite materials,
considering layer behavior under various loads.
6. Quality Control: Used for testing materials against failure criteria in quality control
processes.
7. Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineering: Ensures structural integrity and
safety in aircraft and spacecraft components.
8. Automotive Engineering: Applied in designing components for vehicles under
various loading scenarios.

In summary, failure theories serve as essential tools for engineers in designing

structures, developing materials, and understanding the strengths and
weaknesses of different components in machinery.
4. Conclusion and recommendation:

In summarizing the discussions on various yield criteria within different failure theories,
the choice of an appropriate failure theory depends on the material properties and the
combination of loads involved in a specific problem. For instance, the Maximum Principal
Stress Theory tends to offer the most accurate predictions for brittle materials like cast
iron. On the other hand, when dealing with ductile materials such as steel and aluminum,
the Maximum Distortion Energy Theory demonstrates good agreement with experimental
results (see Figure 1). Additionally, the discussion on the Maximum Distortion Energy
Theory suggests that materials are less prone to failure under a hydrostatic stress system.

It is crucial to note that all the failure theories discussed yield consistent results when
tested under uniaxial stress or when one principal stress significantly outweighs the
others. However, in situations involving a pure shear state of stress, the various failure
theories produce divergent results. In light of these findings, the appropriate choice of a
failure theory is essential for accurate predictions based on the specific characteristics of
the material and the loading conditions involved.
Figure 1: Plane stress yield surface, Comparison of test data from several sources with
theories of failure.
5. References

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