Foundation Enginering-1

CE-325
Mohr circle, failure theories, and stress paths

1
 Normal and shear stresses on a plane 2

sz sn
tnsinq tn q sncosq
tzx
D C q
F sx tncosq snsinq

sn tn F
E q txz
A B sx

q txz
E t B
zx

EB  EF cos  sz
FB  EF sin 
 Normal and shear stresses on a plane 3

sn tn F
tnsinq tn sn sncosq
q sx
q
q txz
tncosq snsinq E t
zx
B
Assume
Summing force components in horizontal dir. sz element
thickness is t
  zx .EB.t   x .FB.t   n sin  .EF .t   n cos  .EF .t  0
  zx .EF cos    x .EF sin    n sin  .EF   n cos  .EF  0
 n sin    n cos    zx cos    x sin  Eq. 1

Summing force components in vertical dir. and simplifying

 n cos    n sin    z cos    x z sin  Eq. 2
 Normal and shear stresses on a plane 4

Eliminating tn from Eq. 1 and 2. Multiply Eq. 1 with sinq and

Eq. 2 with cosq and add
 n sin 2    n cos  sin    zx cos  sin    x sin 2 
 n cos 2    n cos  sin    z cos 2    xz cos  sin 
 n  cos 2   sin 2     z cos 2    x sin 2   2 x z cos  sin 
 n   z cos 2    x sin 2    x z sin 2
1  cos 2 1  cos 2
since cos  
2
and sin 2
 
2 2
1  cos 2 1  cos 2
n z  x   xz sin 2
2 2
  x  z  x
n  z  cos 2   x z sin 2
2 2
 Normal and shear stresses on a plane 5

Eliminating tn from Eqs. 1 and 2. Multiply Eq. 1 with cosq and

Eq. 2 with sinq and subtract
 n cos  sin    n cos 2    zx cos 2    x cos  sin 
  n cos  sin    n sin 2    z cos  sin    x z sin 2 

  n  cos 2   sin 2      x   z  cos  sin    zx  cos 2   sin 2  

sin 2
  n   x   z    zx cos 2
2

   x 
n   z  sin 2   zx cos 2
 2 
 Normal and shear stresses on a plane 6

Stresses on a plane oriented at angle q to horizontal plane

  x  z  x
  z  cos 2   zx sin 2
2 2
  x
  z sin 2   zx cos 2
2
Stresses on a plane oriented at angle q to major principal
stress plane    3 1   3
  1  cos 2
2 2
 3 sz
  1 sin 2
2
sq tzx
tq
sx
q
q txz
 Normal and shear stresses on a plane 7

1   3 1   3 1   3 1   3
   cos 2    cos 2
2 2 2 2
2 2
 1   3   1   3 
Taking square       cos 2
2
(i)
 2   2 

 3  3 
2
  1 sin 2 Taking square    2
 1  sin 2
2
(ii
2  2  )
Adding equations (i) and (ii)
2 2
  3    3 
   1      0    1
2

 2   2 

The above is equation for a circle with a radius of (s1 – s3)/2 and its
center at [(s1 + s3)/2 , 0]. When this circle is plotted in t-s space, it
is known as the Mohr circle of stress.
 Normal and shear stresses on a plane 8

1   3 1   3 1   3
   cos 2   sin 2
2 2 2
sz

If we square and add these sq tzx

tq
equations, we will obtain the sx
equation for a circle with a q
radius of (s1 – s3)/2 and its q txz
center at [(s1 + s3)/2 , 0].

When this circle is plotted in t-

s space, it is known as the Mohr
circle of stress.
 Mohr’s circle for stress states 9

B (sx,tzx) sz
tzx
txz sx
O D (s3,0) C E (s1,0)
2y txz
R txz A (sz,txz)
B (sx,-tzx)

(sx+sz)/2 A (sz,- Assumption

(sz  sx)/2 • sz > sx
txz)
• counterclock
 x  z 
2
   x  wise shear is
OC    R  AC   z    xz
2
+ive
 2   2 
 Mohr’s circle – principal stresses 10

B (sx,tzx) sz
tzx
txz sx
O D (s3,0) C E (s1,0) y
2y txz
R txz  2 zx 
tan  2    
  z  x 
(sx+sz)/2 A (sz,-
(sz  sx)/2
txz)         x 
2

 1  OE  OC  CE   z x
  z    zx
2

 2   2 
Principal stresses
2
  x     x 
 3  OE  OC  DC   z   z    zx
2

 2   2 
 Mohr’s circle – Pole 11

B (sx,tzx) sz
tzx
sx
O D (s3,0) C E (s1,0) y
2y txz

 2 zx 
tan  2    
Pole, P A (sz,-   z  x 
txz)

The stress sz acts on horizontal plane & the stress sx acts on the
vertical plane.
If we draw these planes in Mohr’s circle, they intersect at a point, P.
Point P is called the pole of the stress circle.
 Mohr’s circle – Pole 12

B (sx,tzx) sz
tzx
sx
O D (s3,0) C E (s1,0) y
2y txz
s3 s1
y s1 s3
Pole, P A (sz,-
txz)


It is a special point because any line passing through the pole will
intersect Mohr’s circle at a point that represents the stress on a
plane parallel to the line.
 Mohr’s circle – Pole 13

A (sz,0)
sq
sz B (sx,0)

sx tq
R
q q
O C
B (sx,0) A (sz,0)
sq tq

q Pole, P
 Example 1 14

Stresses on an element are shown in the Figure below. Find the

normal stress s and the shear stress t on the plane inclined at
a = 35o from the horizontal reference plane.
15
 Example 2 16

The same element as shown in previous example is rotated 20o

from the horizontal, as shown below. Find the normal stress s and
the shear stress t on the plane inclined at a = 35o from the base
of the element.
17
 Idealized stress-strain response 18

Material response to normal loading and unloading

Lets apply incremental vertical load D P to a deformable cylinder of area A,
the cylinder will compress by Dz and the radius will increase by Dr. This is
called uniaxial loading. The change in vertical stress is
P
 z 
A Forces and displacements on a cylinder
The vertical and radial strains are, DP
z r
 z  ,  r  Dz
Ho ro
Original
The ratio of the lateral (radial) Ho configuratio
strain to axial (vertical) strain is n
called Poisson’s ratio, m , defined as Deformed
configuratio
  r n

 z r
o Dr
 Idealized stress-strain response 19

Material response to normal loading and unloading

Linearly elastic material: For equal increments of DP, we get the same
value of Dz. We get straight line OA in graph of stress-strain. Upon
unloading cylinder returns to its original configuration.

Forces and displacements on a cylinder

Linearly elastic
DP
A
E Dz
B
Stress (sz)

1 Original
Ho configuratio
Nonlinearly elastic n
Deformed
configuratio
n
O
Strain (ez) r
o Dr
 Idealized stress-strain response 20

Material response to normal loading and unloading

Nonlinearly elastic material: For equal increments of DP, we get the
different values of Dz, but on unloading the cylinder returns to its original
configuration. The plot of strain-strain relationship is curve OB.

Forces and displacements on a cylinder

Linearly elastic
DP
A
E Dz
B
Stress (sz)

1 Original
Ho configuratio
Nonlinearly elastic n
Deformed
configuratio
n
O
Strain (ez) r
o Dr
 Idealized stress-strain response 21

Material response to normal loading and unloading

Elastoplastic material: Soils do not return to their original configuration
after unloading. OA is the loading response. AB is the unloading response
and BC is the reloading response. Strain during loading OA consists of two
parts – elastic (recoverable), BD, and plastic (unrecoverable), OB.
A Forces and displacements on a cylinder
C
E DP
Stress (sz)

1 Elastic response Dz
during unloading
Original
Ho configuratio
n
B D
O Deformed
Strain (ez) configuratio
n
r
Plastic Elastic o Dr
 Friction 22

When a<< f
t/s = tan(a)
t = s
tan(a)

t = H/A When a = f
s = W/A tmax/s = tan(f)
tmax = s
tan(f)(m)
Coeff. of friction

 = angle of obliquity.  is the angle that reaction on the

plane of sliding makes with normal to that plane. When sliding
is imminent  reaches its limiting value . tan is called
coefficient of friction (m).
Note: maximum sliding resistance is observed when angle of
obliquity  reaches its limiting value .
 Mohr failure criterion 23

Otto Mohr (1900) hypothesized a criterion of failure for real materials.

“The materials fail when the shear stress on the failure plane at failure
reaches some unique function of the normal stress on that plane or tff =
f(sff) ”, where t is the shear stress and s is the normal stress. The first
subscript f refers to the plane on which the stress acts (in this case the
failure plane) and the second f means at the failure. tff is called the shear
strength of the material.
t

tff = f(sff)
s
 Mohr failure criterion 24

If we know principal stresses at failure, we can construct a Mohr circle to

represent the state of stress.

If we conduct several tests to failure, and construct Mohr circle for each
state of stress, we can draw failure envelope.

This envelope expresses functional relationship between shear stress tff

and normal stress sff at failure.

Not possible
Stable
condition, since
it does not
touch failure
envelope
 Mohr failure criterion 25

Using pole method, we can determine angle of the failure plane from the
point of tangency of the Mohr circle and Mohr failure envelope.

The Mohr failure hypothesis states that the point of tangency defines the
angle of the failure plane in the element or test specimen.
 Coulomb strength equation 26

M Coulomb (1776) studied lateral earth pressure exerted against retaining

walls. He observed that there was a stress-independent component shear
strength and a stress-dependent component.

The stress-dependent component is similar to sliding friction in solids, so

he called this component the angle of internal friction, f.

The other component seemed to be related to the intrinsic cohesion of the

material and is commonly denoted by symbol c.
 Mohr-Coulomb Failure Criterion 27

If we combine Coulomb equation with the Mohr failure criterion, it

becomes Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion.
 Stress condition before failure 28

tff is the shear

t strength available
(shear stress on the
failure plane at
failure).
tf is mobilized shear
tff resistance on
potential failure
tf plane
s
sf
Since we haven’t reached
failure yet, there is some
reserve strength remaining,
and this is the factor of safety
of the material.
 Stress condition before failure 29

t
af f

tff

Shear strength
tmax available when
tmax = (s1f – s3f)/2

45o
s3f sff sn s1f s
Note: shear stress on the failure plane at failure tff is not the
largest of maximum shear stress in the element. The maximum
shear stress tmax acts on the plane inclined at 45o and is equal to
tmax = (s1f – s3f)/2 >tff
 Maximum obliquity 30

Maximum shearing resistance is observed when angle of obliquity 

reaches its limiting value . For this condition line OD becomes
tangent to the stress circle at angle  to axis OX (see fig. below).
Note: Failure plane is not the plane subjected to the maximum value
of shear stress. The criterion of failure is maximum obliquity, not
maximum shear stress.
Although plane AE is
subjected to greater
shear stress than plane
AD, it is also subjected to
a larger normal stress & tma
therefore the angle of x
obliquity is less than on
AD which is plane of
failure
 Inclination of failure plane 31

qf

t h
f'
tff d  ff  c    tan  
180o-2qf
g
2qf
f f' e qf b s’
O s'3f s'ff a s'1f
Pole
From Dadf
f’ + 90o + (180o-2qf) =
180o
2qf = 90o + qf = 45o +
 Inclination of failure plane 32

qf

t h
f'
tff d  ff  c    tan  
180o-2qf
g
2qf
f f' e qf b s’
O s'3f s'ff a s'1f
Pole
 1   3
ad ad 
 sin   2
af  1   3
af  fO  Oa  c cot   
2
 Inclination of failure plane 33

 1   3
ad ad 
 sin   2
af  1   3
 
af  fO  Oa  c cot  
2
 1   1
c cot   
ad 2
sin    
af  1   1
2

 1  sin     cos   
 1   3    2c 
 1  sin     1  sin   
 Inclination of failure plane 34

 1  sin     cos   
 1   3    2c 
 1  sin     1  sin   
We know that

1  sin   2  
 tan  45  
o

1  sin    2
cos    o  
 tan  45  
1  sin    2

     
 1   3 tan  45    2c tan  45  
2 o o

 2  2
 Inclination of failure plane – summary 35

qf

t
f'
tff  ff  c    tan  

f' qf
s'3f s'ff s'1f
s’
O
Pole
     
 1   3 tan  45    2c tan  45  
2 o o

 2  2
1 f   3 f 1 f   3 f 1 f   3 f
 ff   cos 2 f  ff  sin 2 f
2 2 2
 Example 1 36

A geotechnical engineer is evaluating the stability of the slope. The

evaluation is considering the potential for a shear along the shear
surface shown. The soil has f’ = 30o and no cohesive strength.
Compute the shear
strength at point A
along this surface
when the
groundwater table is
at level B, the
compute the new
strength if it rose to
level C. The unit
weight of the soil is
120 pcf above the
groundwater table
and 123 pcf below.
 Example 2 37

Samples have been

obtained from both soil
strata and brought to a
soil mechanics lab. A
series of shear strength
test were performed on
both samples. The c’ and
f ’ values obtained for
these soils are shown in
figure.

Using this data, compute

the shear strength on
horizontal and vertical
planes at Points A, B,
and C.
 Example 3 38

300 k load applied

by jack to press
the pipe into c‘ = 400 psf, f’ = 29o, g = 120 pcf
ground

Will the soil beyond the plate be able to resist this load with a factor of safety of
1.5?