Stress Intensity

Stress Intensity (Tresca Stress ) is one of the representations of equivalent stress. Stress intensity is based on the maximum shear stress failure criterion.

The maximum shear stress criterion, also known as Tresca yield criterion, is based on the Maximum Shear stress theory.

This theory predicts failure of a material to occur when the absolute maximum shear stress (τ_max ) reaches the stress that causes the material to yield in a simple tension test. The Maximum shear stress criterion is used for ductile materials.

τ_max >= σ _limit / 2

τ_max is the stress intensity, and is the greatest of abs (σ₁₂, σ₂₃, σ₁₃) where:

σ₁₂ = (σ₁ – σ₂) / 2;

σ₂₃ = (σ₂ – σ₃ ) / 2;

σ₁₃ = (σ₁ – σ₃) / 2

σ₁, σ₂, σ₃ are the principal stresses in descending order.

Also read a comparison of failure theories : von-Mises Stress vs Tresca Stress

This page is part of The Encyclopedia of Stresses in Solids