11.8: Tresca Yield Condition
- Page ID
- 24885
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)The stress state in uni-axial tension of a bar depends on the orientation of the plane on which the stresses are resolved. In Chapter 2 it was shown that the shear stress \(\tau\) on the plane inclined to the horizontal plane by the angle \(\alpha\) is
\[\tau = \frac{1}{2} \sigma_{11} \sin 2\alpha \]
where \(\sigma_{11}\) is the uniaxial tensile stress, see Figure (\(\PageIndex{1}\)).

The maximum shear occurs when \(\sin 2\alpha = 1\) or \(\alpha = \frac{\pi}{4}\). Thus in uniaxial tension
\[\tau_{\text{max}} = \frac{\sigma_{11}}{2} \]
Extending the analysis to the 3-D case (see for example Fung) the maximum shear stresses on three shear planes are
\[\tau_1 = \frac{|\sigma_1 − \sigma_2|}{2}, \quad \tau_2 = \frac{|\sigma_2 − \sigma_1|}{2}, \quad \tau_3 = \frac{|\sigma_3 − \sigma_1|}{2} \]
where \(\sigma_1\), \(\sigma_2\), \(\sigma_3\) are principal stresses. In 1860 the French scientist and engineer Henri Tresca put up a hypothesis that yielding of the material occurs when the maximum shear stress reaches a critical value
\[\tau_o = \text{ max } \left\{ \frac{|\sigma_1 − \sigma_2|}{2}, \frac{|\sigma_2 − \sigma_3|}{2}, \frac{|\sigma_3 − \sigma_1|}{2} \right\} \]
The unknown constant can be calibrated from the uniaxial test for which Equation (11.4.9) holds. Therefore at yield \(\tau_o = \sigma_y/2\) and the Tresca yield condition takes the form
\[\text{ max } \{|\sigma_1 − \sigma_2|, |\sigma_2 − \sigma_3|, |\sigma_3 − \sigma_1|\} = \sigma_y \]
In the space of principal stresses the Tresca yield condition is represented by a prismatic open-ended tube, whose intersection with the octahedral plane is a regular hexagon, see Figure (\(\PageIndex{2}\)).

For plane stress, the intersection of the prismatic tube with the plane \(\sigma_3 = 0\) forms a familiar Tresca hexagon, shown in Figure (\(\PageIndex{3}\)).

The effect of the hydrostatic pressure on yielding can be easily assessed by considering \(\sigma_1 = \sigma_2 = \sigma_3 = p\). Then
\[\sigma_1 − \sigma_2 = 0 \]
\[\sigma_2 − \sigma_3 = 0 \]
\[\sigma_3 − \sigma_1 = 0 \]
Under this stress state both von Mises yield criterion (Equation (??)) and the Tresca criterion (Equation (??)) predict that there will be no yielding.