Diploma of Mechanical Engineering

Mohr's Circle
This is a graphical method of establishing the state of stress within a material. Once the circle
has been constructed, the values of direct and shear stress occurring at any angle in the material
can be measured for the circle.

Construction of Mohr's circle

1

Draw the element with all the applied stresses on the top right corner of the page. This
is used as the reference for angles and stresses.

Draw the axes for Mohr's circle. Normal stress () Horizontal and Shear stress () on
the vertical.

Plot and label the X point (using the values of x and x ) and Y points (using the values
of Y and Y ) on the graph.

Join the X and Y points and draw a circle to pass through these two points. The centre
must be on the axis.

Note -- Any angle measured on the element are drawn on the circle as TWICE the angle.

Maximum
Shear

Shear

x
x

x
y
x-axis
2

Principle
stress

y-axis

Normal
stress
Principle
stress

Y
X

Principle
stress

Morhs circle construction.doc

S. E. Tomsett.

Version 13-Feb-06

Christchurch Polytechnic
Institute of Technology

Page 1
Printed 16-Feb-09

Diploma of Mechanical Engineering

EXAMPLE PART A
A material is subjected to a stress of 100
MPa in the X direction and a compressive
stress of 30 MPa in the Y direction. A
shear stress of 30 MPa is also applied on
the X axis.
A complementary shear stress of -30 MPa
must exist on the Y axis to prevent the
element from spinning.
This element is now shown in figure 1.
The X Stresses shown in fig 1 are +100
MPa Normal stress (+ being tensile)
and a shear of +30 MPa (+ meaning the
shear arrow is trying to turn the
element clockwise).
The Y Stresses and -30 MPa and -30
MPa.
Note that the two X stresses act on the
same face of the element with the
direct stress acting in the direction of
the x axis.
The X and Y points are plotted and labelled (fig 1). And a circle drawn through the two points
(fig 2).
The X axis labelled in the circle shows the direction of the X stress. The direction of the
maximum stress is also shown (these arrows are
only draw to assist in the explanation of the
method and are not normally drawn). The
direction of the max principal stress lies
clockwise from the direction of the X stress by an
angle of 2. Thus, draw this axis on the element
at an angle of clockwise from the X axis and
state the value of stress given on the circle, 106.6
MPa (show in fig 2). This is the maximum
principal stress.
Draw the principal element aligned at this angle
of . The stresses on the other face of the
element are 90 from the ones above on the
element, so their values are obtained from the circle 180 from the first point. (fig 3). These are
the minimum principal stresses.
Note there is no shear stress on the principal element.

Morhs circle construction.doc

S. E. Tomsett.

Version 13-Feb-06

Christchurch Polytechnic
Institute of Technology

Page 2
Printed 16-Feb-09

Diploma of Mechanical Engineering

PART B
If the stresses on an element at an angle of
30 clockwise from the X axis are
required, (top right hand of fig 4), then
this axis is plotted on the circle at an angle
of 2 x 30 = 60 clockwise from the X axis
shown on the circle. (figure 4).
This axis touches the circle at a point
giving the stresses of = 93.5 MPa and
= -41.3 MPa. (figure 5) Note -ve shear
means the shear arrow for this axis will
turn the element ACW.
These stress act on the axis at 30.
The stresses on the other face of the element are
90 from these on the element, so their values
are obtained from the circle 180 from the first
point.

Morhs circle construction.doc

S. E. Tomsett.

Version 13-Feb-06

Christchurch Polytechnic
Institute of Technology

Page 3
Printed 16-Feb-09