CH.7.

PLANE LINEAR
ELASTICITY
Continuum Mechanics Course (MMC)
 Overview
 Plane Linear Elasticity Theory Lecture 1
 Plane Stress
 Simplifying Hypothesis
 Strain Field Lecture 2
 Constitutive Equation
 Displacement Field
 The Linear Elastic Problem in Plane Stress Lecture 3
 Examples
 Plane Strain
 Simplifying Hypothesis
 Strain Field
 Constitutive Equation Lecture 4
 Stress Field
 The Linear Elastic Problem in Plane Stress
 Examples

2
 Overview (cont’d)
 The Plane Linear Elastic Problem
Lecture 5
 Governing Equations
 Representative Curves
 Isostatics or stress trajectories
 Isoclines
 Isobars Lecture 6
 Maximum shear lines

3
 7.1 Plane Linear Elasticity Theory
Ch.7. Plane Linear Elasticity

4
 Plane Linear Elasticity
 For some problems, one of the principal directions is known
a priori:
 Due to particular geometries, loading and boundary conditions
involved.
 The elastic problem can be solved independently for this direction.
 Setting the known direction as z, the elastic problem analysis is
reduced to the x-y plane PLANE ELASTICITY

 There are two main classes of plane linear elastic problems:

 Plane stress
REMARK
 Plane strain The isothermal case will not be studied here for the
sake of simplicity. Generalization of the results
obtained to thermo-elasticity is straight-forward.

7
 7.2 Plane Stress
Ch.7. Plane Linear Elasticity

8
 Hypothesis on the Stress Tensor
 Simplifying hypothesis of a plane stress linear elastic problem:
1. Only stresses “contained in the x-y plane” are not null

σ x τ xy 0
 
[σ ]xyz ≡ τ xy σ y 0
0 0 0 


2. The stress are independent of the z direction.

σ x = σ x ( x, y , t )
σ y = σ y ( x, y , t ) REMARK
τ xy = τ xy ( x, y, t ) The name “plane stress” arises
from the fact that all (not null)
stress are contained in the x-y
plane.

9
 Geometry and Actions in Plane Stress
 These hypothesis are valid when:
 The thickness is much smaller than the typical dimension associated to the
plane of analysis: e << L
 The actions b ( x,t ) , u* ( x,t ) and t* ( x,t ) are contained in the plane of
analysis (in-plane actions) and independent of the third dimension, z.
 t* ( x,t ) is only non-zero on the
contour of the body’s thickness:

10
 Strain Field in Plane Stress
 The strain field is obtained from the inverse Hooke’s Law:
1 2(1 + ν )
(σ x − νσ y )
εx =
E
γ xy =
2ε xy =
E
τ xy
ν 1 +ν
− Tr ( σ ) 1 +
ε= σ 1
E E
σ z =0 εy =
E
(σ y − νσ x ) γ xz =
2ε xz =
0
τ xz =0
ν
τ yz =0 − (σ x + σ y )
εz = γ yz =
2ε yz =
0
E

 As σ x = σ x ( x, y , t )
ε = ε ( x, y , t )
σ y = σ y ( x, y , t )

 And the strain tensor for plane stress is:

 1 
 εx 2
γ xy 0
ν

1
ε ( x, y, t ) ≡  γ xy εy 0

with ε z =
−
1 −ν
( εx +εy )
2 
 
 0 0 εz 
 
11
 Constitutive equation in Plane Stress
 Operating on the result yields:
E
1 2(1 + ν ) =σx ε x + νε y 
εx =
E
(σ x − νσ y ) γ xy 2ε xy =
=
E
τ xy (1 − ν )
2

1 E
εy =
E
(σ y − νσ x ) γ xz =
2ε xz =
0 =σy
(1 − ν )
2
ε y + νε x 

ν
− (σ x + σ y )
εz = γ yz =
2ε yz =
0 τ xy =
E
γ xz
E plane
2 (1 + ν )
=C stress

σ x  1 ν 0  ε x 
  E ν 1   
σ y  =  0  ε y 
τ  1 −ν
2
 1 −ν  γ 
 xy  0 0  xy 
 2 
= {σ} = {ε}

Constitutive equation plane

in plane stress {σ} C stress ⋅ {ε}

=
(Voigt’s notation)
12
 Displacement Field in Plane Stress
 The displacement field is obtained from the geometric equations,
ε ( x, t ) = ∇ S u ( x, t ) . These are split into:
 Those which do not affect the displacement u z :
∂u x
ε x ( x, y , t ) =
∂x
∂u y Integration u x = u x ( x, y , t )
ε y ( x, y , t ) =
∂y in . u y = u y ( x, y , t )
∂u x ∂u y
γ xy ( x, y=
, t ) 2ε=
xy +
∂y ∂x

 Those in which u z appears:

ν ∂uz
ε z ( x, y , t ) =
−
1 −ν
( ε x + ε y ) ( x, y , t ) =
∂z
⇒ uz ( x, y , z, t )

∂u x ( x, y ) ∂uz ∂uz 
γ xz ( x, y , t ) = 2ε xz =
∂z  ∂x
+ =
∂x
= 0 Contradiction !!!
 
=0 
 ⇒ uz ( z, t )
∂u y ( x, y ) ∂uz ∂uz
γ yz ( x, y , t ) = 2ε yz = + = = 0
 ∂ z  ∂y ∂y 
=0 
13
 The Linear Elastic Problem in
Plane Stress
 The problem can be reduced to the two dimensions of the plane of
analysis.
 The unknowns are:
ε x  σ x 
u x 
u ( x, y , t ) ≡   {ε}( x, y, t ) ≡ ε y  {σ}( x, y, t ) ≡ σ y 
u y  γ  τ 
 xy   xy 
 The additional unknowns (with respect to the general problem) are either null,
or independently obtained, or irrelevant:

σ=
z τ=
xz τ=
yz γ=
xz γ=
yz 0 REMARK
This is an ideal elastic problem because it
ν
εz = −
1 −ν
(ε x + ε y ) cannot be exactly reproduced as a particular
case of the 3D elastic problem. There is no
u z ( x, y , z , t ) does not appear guarantee that the solution to u x ( x, y, t ) and
in the problem
u y ( x, y, t ) will allow obtaining the solution to
u z ( x, y, z , t ) for the additional geometric eqns.

14
 Examples of Plane Stress Analysis
 3D problems which are typically assimilated to a plane stress state are
characterized by:
 One of the body’s dimensions is significantly smaller than the other two.
 The actions are contained in the plane formed by the two “large” dimensions.

Slab loaded on
Deep beam
the mean plane

15
 7.3 Plane Strain
Ch.7. Plane Linear Elasticity

16
 Hypothesis on the Displacement Field
 Simplifying hypothesis of a plane strain linear elastic problem:
1. The displacement field is

u x 
 
u = u y 
0
 

2. The displacement variables associated to the x-y plane are

independent of the z direction.

u x = u x ( x, y , t )
u y = u y ( x, y , t )

17
 Geometry and Actions in Plane Strain
 These hypothesis are valid when:
 The body being studied is generated by moving the plane of analysis
along a generational line.
 The actions b ( x,t ) , u* ( x,t ) and t* ( x,t ) are contained in the plane
of analysis and independent of the third dimension, z.
 In the central section, considered as the “analysis section” the
following holds (approximately) true:

uz = 0
∂u x
=0
∂z
∂u y
=0
∂z

18
 uz = 0
∂u x

Strain Field in Plane Strain

=0
∂z
∂u y
=0
∂z

 The strain field is obtained from the geometric equations:

∂u x ( x, y , t ) ∂uz
ε x ( x, y=
,t) εz
= = 0
∂x ∂z
∂u y ( x, y , t ) ∂u x ( x, y , t ) ∂uz
ε y ( x=
, y, t ) γ xz
= =
+ 0
∂y ∂z ∂x
∂u x ( x, y , t ) ∂u y ( x, y , t ) ∂u y ( x, y , t ) ∂u
γ xy ( x=
, y, t ) + γ yz
= + z 0
=
∂y ∂x ∂z ∂y
 And the strain tensor for plane strain is:
 1 
 εx 2
γ xy 0
 
1 REMARK
ε ( x, y, t ) ≡  γ xy εy 0
2  The name “plane strain” arises
 
 0 0 0 from the fact that all strain is
  contained in the x-y plane.

19
 Stress Field in Plane Strain
 Introducing the strain tensor into Hooke’s Law
= (σ λTr ( ε ) 1 + 2Gε ) and
operating on the result yields:
σ x = λ (ε x + ε y ) + 2Gε x τ xy = G γ xy
σ y = λ (ε x + ε y ) + 2Gε y τ xz = G γ xz = 0
= ( λ + 2G ) ε y + λε x
σ z = λ (ε x + ε y ) = v (σ x + σ y ) τ yz = G γ yz = 0

ε x = ε x ( x, y , t )
 As ε y = ε y ( x, y , t )
σ = σ ( x, y , t )
ε z = ε z ( x, y , t )
γ xy = γ xy ( x, y , t )

σ x τ xy 0 
And the stress tensor
σ z ν (σ x + σ y )

σ ( x, y, t ) ≡ τ xy σ y 0  with=
for plane strain is:  0 0 σ z 

20
 Constitutive equation in Plane Strain
 Introducing the values of the strain tensor into the constitutive equation
and operating on the result yields:
E (1 −ν )  ν 
σ x =( λ + 2G ) ε x + λε y = ε + εy
(1 +ν )(1 − 2ν )  1 −ν 
x

σ λ Tr ( ε ) 1 + 2 µ ε σ y =( λ + 2G ) ε y + λε x =
E (1 −ν ) 
ε +
ν
ε

(1 +ν )(1 − 2ν )  1 −ν 
y x

E
τ xy G=
= γ xy γ xy
2 (1 +ν )
plane
=C strain

 ν 
 1 0  plane
1 −ν
σ x 
E (1 − ν )

 ν


ε x  {σ} C strain ⋅ {ε}
=
   
σ y  =  1 0  ε y 
τ  (1 +ν )(1 − 2ν ) 1 −ν  γ  Constitutive equation
 xy   0 1 − 2ν   xy  in plane strain
0
= {σ} 
 2 (1 −ν )  = {ε} (Voigt’s notation)

21
 The Lineal Elastic Problem in
Plane Strain (summary)
 The problem can be reduced to the two dimensions of the plane of
analysis.
 The unknowns are:
ε x  σ x 
u x 
u ( x, y , t ) ≡   {ε}( x, y, t ) ≡ ε y  {σ}( x, y, t ) ≡ σ y 
u y  γ  τ 
 xy   xy 

 The additional unknowns (with respect to the general problem) are either null
or obtained from the unknowns of the problem:
uz = 0
ε=
z γ=
xz γ=
yz τ=
xz τ=
yz 0
σ z ν (σ x + σ y )
=

22
 Examples of Plane Strain Analysis
 3D problems which are typically assimilated to a plane strain state are
characterized by:
 The body is generated by translating a generational section with actions
contained in its plane along a line perpendicular to this plane.
 The plane strain hypothesis ( ε=
z γ=
xz γ=
yz 0 ) must be justifiable. This typically
occurs when:
1. One of the body’s dimensions is significantly larger than the other two.
Any section not close to the extremes can be considered a symmetry
plane and satisfies:
uz = 0
∂u x u x 
=0  
∂z u = u y 
∂u y 0
=0  
∂z
2. The displacement in z is blocked at the extreme sections.

23
 Examples of Plane Strain Analysis
 3D problems which are typically assimilated to a plane strain state are:

Pressure pipe Continuous brake shoe

Solid with blocked z

Tunnel
displacements at the ends

24
 7.4 The Plane Linear Elastic Problem
Ch.7. Plane Linear Elasticity

25
 Plane problem
 A lineal elastic solid is subjected to body forces and prescribed
traction and displacement
Actions:
*

 t *
x ( x, y, t ) 
On Γσ : t = * 
t
 y ( x , y , t ) 

x ( x, y , t ) 

 u *

On Γu : u* =  * 
 y (
u x , y , t )
bx ( x, y, t ) 
On Ω: b=
b ( x , y , t ) 
 y 

 The Plane Linear Elastic problem is the set of equations that

allow obtaining the evolution through time of the corresponding
displacements u ( x, y, t ), strains ε ( x, y, t ) and stresses σ ( x, y, t ) .
26
 Governing Equations
 The Plane Linear Elastic Problem is governed by the equations:
1. Cauchy’s Equation of Motion.
Linear Momentum Balance Equation.
∂ 2u ( x, t )
∇ ⋅ σ ( x, t ) + ρ0b ( x, t ) =
ρ0
∂ t2
2D

∂σ x ∂τ xy ∂τ xz ∂ 2u x
+ + + ρ bx =
ρ 2
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂t
∂τ xy ∂σ y ∂τ yz ∂ 2u y
+ + + ρ by =
ρ 2
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂t
∂τ xz ∂τ yz ∂σ z ∂ 2u z
+ + + ρ bz =
ρ 2
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂t

27
 Governing Equations
 The Plane Linear Elastic Problem is governed by the equations:
2. Constitutive Equation (Voigt’s notation).
Isotropic Linear Elastic Constitutive Equation.
σ ( x, t ) = C : ε
2D

{σ}= C ⋅ {ε}
σ x  εx  1 ν 0 
With {σ} ≡ σ y  , {ε} =  ε y  and C=
E 
2 
ν 1 0


τ  γ  1 −ν
 xy   xy   0 0 (1 −ν ) 2 
E
E=
PLANE E=E PLANE 1 −ν 2
STRESS ν =ν STRAIN ν
ν =
(1 −ν )
28
 Governing Equations
 The Plane Linear Elastic Problem is governed by the equations:
3. Geometrical Equation.
Kinematic Compatibility.
1
ε ( x, t )= ∇ S u ( x, t )= (u ⊗ ∇ + ∇ ⊗ u )
2

2D
This is a PDE system of
∂u
εx = x 8 eqns -8 unknowns:
∂x
∂u u ( x,t ) 2 unknowns
εy = y
∂y ε ( x,t ) 3 unknowns
γ=
∂u x ∂u y
+
σ ( x,t ) 3 unknowns
xy
∂y ∂x Which must be solved in
the  2 ×  + space.

29
 Boundary Conditions
 Boundary conditions in space
 Affect the spatial arguments of the unknowns
 Are applied on the contour Γ of the solid,
which is divided into:
 Prescribed displacements on Γ u :

x ( x, y , t ) 
*

 u *
x = u *

u = * 
u
 y = u *
y ( x , y , t ) 

 Prescribed stresses on Γσ : nx 

n= 
n y 
*

 t *
x = t *
x ( x, y, t )  t*= σ ⋅ n with
t = * * 
 y y (
t = t x , y , t )  σ x τ xy 
σ≡ 
τ xy σ y 

30
 Boundary Conditions
 INTIAL CONDITIONS (boundary conditions in time)
 Affect the time argument of the unknowns.
 Generally, they are the known values at t = 0 :
 Initial displacements:
ux 
u ( x, =
y ,0 ) =  0
u
 y
 Initial velocity:

∂u ( x, y , t )  u x   v x 
≡ u ( x, y ,0 ) =
   =  = v 0 ( x, y )
∂t t =0
u
 y  y v

31
 Unknowns
 The 8 unknowns to be solved in the problem are:
 1 
u x   εx γ xy
2  σ x τ xy 
u ( x, y , t ) =   ε ( x, y , t ) ≡   σ ( x, y , t ) ≡  
u y  1 γ εy  τ xy σ y 
 2 xy 

 Once these are obtained, the following are calculated explicitly:

ν
=
PLANE STRESS εz
1 −ν
( ε x +εy )

σz ν σx +σ y
PLANE STRAIN = ( )

32
 7.5 Representative Curves
Ch.7. Plane Linear Elasticity

33
 Introduction
 Traditionally, plane stress states where graphically represented
with the aid of the following contour lines:
 Isostatics or stress trajectories
 Isoclines
 Isobars
 Maximum shear lines
 Others: isochromatics, isopatchs, etc.

34
 Isostatics or Stress Trajectories
 System of curves which are tangent to the principal axes of stress
at each material point .
 They are the envelopes of the principal stress vector fields.
 There will exist two (orthogonal) families of curves at each point:
 Isostatics σ 1 , tangents to the largest principal stress.
 Isostatics σ 2 , tangents to the smallest principal stress.

REMARK
The principal stresses are orthogonal
to each other, therefore, so will the two
families of isostatics orthogonal to
each other.

35
 Singular and Neutral Points
 Singular point: characterized by the stress state
σx =σy
τ xy = 0
 Neutral point: characterized by the stress state
σ=
x σ=
y τ=
xy 0

Mohr’s Circle of
REMARK
a singular point
In a singular point, all directions
are principal directions. Thus, in
singular points isostatics tend to
Mohr’s Circle of loose their regularity and can
a neutral point abruptly change direction.

36
 Differential Equation of the Isostatics
 Consider the general equation of an isostatic curve: y = f ( x )

2τ xy 2 tg α
tg
= ( 2α ) =
σ x − σ y 1 − tg 2 α
dy
α
tg= = y′
dx

2τ xy 2 y′ σ x −σ y
( y′ ) +
2
= y′ − 1 =0
σ x −σ y 1 − ( y′ ) τ xy
2

φ ( x, y ) Known this function,

 Solving the 2nd order eq.: the eq. can be integrated
to obtain a family of
Differential equation y ' =
−
( σ x −σ y )  σ x −σ y 
± 
2

+ 1 curves of the type:

 2τ 

of the isostatics 2τ xy  xy  = y f ( x) + C

37
 Isoclines
 Locus of the points along which the principal stresses are in the
same direction.
 The principal stress vectors in all points of an isocline are parallel to
each other, forming a constant angle θ with the x-axis.

 These curves can be directly found using photoelasticity methods.

38
 Equation of the Isoclines
 To obtain the general equation of an isocline with angle θ , the
principal stress σ 1 must form an angle α = θ with the x-axis:
ϕ ( x, y )
2τ xy For each value of θ , the equation of
Algebraic equation
tg ( 2θ ) =
of the isoclines σ x −σ y the family of isoclines parameterized
in function of θ is obtained:
y = f ( x, θ )

REMARK
Once the family of isoclines is
known, the principal stress
directions in any point of the
medium can be obtained and,
thus, the isostatics calculated.

39
 Maximum shear lines
 Envelopes of the maximum shear stress (in modulus) vector fields.
 They are the curves on which the shear stress modulus is a maximum.
 Two planes of maximum shear stress correspond to each material
point, τ max and τ min .
 These planes are easily determined using Mohr’s Circle.

REMARK
The two planes form a 45º
angle with the principal
stress directions and, thus,
are orthogonal to each
other. They form an angle
of 45º with the isostatics.

42
 Equation of the maximum shear lines
 Consider the general equation of a slip line y = f ( x ), the relation
2τ xy π  π 1
tan 2α = and β= α + tan ( 2 β ) =
tan  2α −  = −
σ x −σ y 4  2 tan 2α
 Then,
1 σ x −σ y 2 tan β
tan ( 2 β ) =
− =
− =2
tan ( 2α ) 2τ xy 1 − tan β σ x −σ y 2 y′
− =2
tan (=
dy not
β ) = y′
2τ xy 1 − ( y′ )
dx

4τ xy
( y′ ) −
2
y′ − 1 =0
σ x −σ y

43
 Equation of the maximum shear lines
 Solving the 2nd order eq.: φ ( x, y ) Known this function,
the eq. can be integrated
Differential 2 to obtain a family of
2τ xy  2τ xy 
equation of the y'= ± 
 σ −σ   + 1 curves of the type:
slip lines σ x −σ y  x y 
=y f ( x) + C

44