Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Solid Mechanics-I (ME212)
Practice Sheet 2 (2025)
Two and Three Dimensional Stresses
1. At a point in a piece of material, the principal stress on a plane is 25
MPa tensile and the components of stress on a second plane at the
same point are normal stress of 85MPa tensile and a shear stress of 45
MPa. The principal stress on a third plane perpendicular to first and
second is zero. Determine
(a) The angle between the first and the second plane mentioned above.
(b) The other principal stress.
(c) The maximum shear stress.
2. On a plane there is a compressive stress of 6 N/mm2 and a shearing st
ress of 3 N/mm2 , while on other plane which is inclined to first by 60◦
there is a tensile stress of 1.5N/mm2 and a shearing stress. Determine
the value of this shearing stress ,the principal stresses and the position
of the principal planes with respect to the first plane.
3. Stress tensor at a point is given by
2 7 −4
τ = 7 5 1
−4 1 8
(a) Find traction vector on the following planes passing through that
point. Normal to the planes are
(i) 2î + 3ĵ + k̂, (ii) î − ĵ + 2k̂.
(b) Find normal and shear stresses on those planes.
(c) Find all the stress invariants.
(d) Find principal stresses and principal directions.
4. For a state of stress at a point three principal stresses are 10 MPa, 20
MPa and 40 MPa. For any arbitrary plane passing through that point
normal stress and shear stresses are N and S respectively. Explain
whether following values of N and S are possible. You have to justify
your answer. 6
(a) N=25, S=15
(b) N=12, S=8
(c) N=22, S=5
(d) N=35, S=11
5. The state of stress at a point is given by σxx = 120 MPa, σyy = 55
MPa, σzz = −85 MPa, σxy = −55 MPa, σxz = −75 MPa, and
σyz = 33 MPa. Construct the Mohr’s circles of stress for this stress
state and locate the coordinates of points A and B for normal and shear
stress acting
on the cutting planes with outward
normal
vectors given
1 1 1 1 1
by N 1 = √ , √ , √ and N 2 = √ , √ , 0 relative to the
3 3 3 2 2
principal axes of stress.
6. The state of stress at a point is given by σxx = 80 MPa, σyy = 60
MPa, σzz = 20 MPa, σxy = 20 MPa, σxz = 40 MPa, and σyz = 10
MPa. Determine
(a) the stress vector on a plane normal to the vector r = i + 2j + k,
(b) the principal stresses and the maximum shear stress,
(c) the octahedral shear stress and compare it to the maximum shear
stress.
7. The stress array for the torsion problem of a circular cross section bar
of radius a and with longitudinal axis coincident with the z axis of
rectangular Cartesian axes x, y, z) is
0 0 −Gyβ
σ = 0 0 Gxβ
−Gyβ Gxβ 0
where G and β are constants.
(a) Determine the principal stresses at a point x = y on the lateral
surface of the bar.
(b) Determine the principal stress axes for a point on the lateral sur-
face of the bar.
8. In a test of a model of a short rectangular airplane wing member
(Fig. 1), the member is subjected to a uniform compressive load that
produces a compressive stress with magnitude σ0 . Design specifications
2
require that the stresses in the member not exceed a tensile stress of
400 MPa, a compressive stress of 560 MPa, and a shear stress of 160
MPa. The compressive stress σ0 is increased until one of these values
of reached.
(a) Which value is first attained and what is the corresponding value
of σ0 .
(b) Assume that σ0 is less than 560 MPa. Show that σ0 can be in-
creased by applying uniform lateral stresses to the member (Fig.
1), without exceeding the design requirements. Determine the
values of σxx and σyy to allow σ0 to be increased to 560 MPa.
Figure 1: Problem 8
Figure 2: Problem 9
9. Fig. 2 shows the resultant stresses on two planes at a certain point in
a material. On a certain plane, it is 80 MPa compressive at an angle
3
of 30° to its normal, and on another plane, it is 60 MPa tensile at an
angle of 75° to its normal. Determine the angle between the planes.
Also, find the principal stresses and their directions to the given plane.
10. Find the spherical and deviatoric components of the stress tensor τ
given below. Find the principal stresses and directions of the deviatoric
tensors.
1.44 0.22 −0.76
τ = 0.22 2.25 −0.38
−0.76 −0.38 2.31
11. The stresses on two perpendicular planes through a point in a body are
30 MPa and 15 MPa both tensile along with a shear stress of 25 MPa.
Find
• the magnitude and direction of principal stresses,
• the planes of maximum shear stress,
• the normal and shear stresses on the planes of maximum shearing
stress.
12. In a 2-D stress system, stresses at a point in a material are 50 MPa
compressive and 30 MPa shearing in one plane and 20 MPa tensile and
a shearing stress in another plane at 60° to the first one. Determine
the value of the shearing stress in the second plane and the principal
stresses and position of their planes.
