Strain Measure

ME 333
Q For a given Strain field is the displacement field unique?
MECHANICS OF MATERIALS

Lecture 4: Principal Strains & Strain Invariants

No. The reason can be found if we integrate the strain - displacement relations which
give out constants of integration that are variable and which account for rigid body
translations and rotations.
Ravi Sastri Ayyagari

Mechanical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar

Sem I, 2025-2026

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Strain Measure Strain Measure

Q Why is the y axis of Mohr’s circle for strain γxy /2 ?
Q What is the final direction of line element post deformation ?
z
The engineering strain is defined as:
B0
ds01
ds′ − ds ds′ ds′
 
P0
ϵE = = −1 =⇒ = 1 + ϵE ds02 A0
ds ds ds
∆

Using relation between primed and unprimed quantities : B

P ds1 y
 ′ 
∂u

∂u ∂u

ds2
 dx      A

 
 1 +

 ds 
 
 l 
′
 ∂x ∂y ∂z  l 
 
  
   

    
 
dy′
 
′ ∂v ∂v ∂v
= (1 + ϵE ) m =  1+  m
 

 ds  
    ∂x ∂y ∂z  

  
 n′   
  x
 dz′ 
 

   n (0, 0, 0)

 
 ∂w ∂w ∂w Origin
1+
ds ∂x ∂y ∂z

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 Review of Basics of Tensors

Strain Measure Review of Basics of Tensors

The angles between line elements in undeformed and deformed states: Q What is a tensor ?

cos(π/2) = l1 l2 + m1 m2 + n1 n2 = 0; cos θ′ = l′1 l′2 + m′1 m′2 + n′1 n′2 u = u î + v ĵ + w k̂

ϵ = ϵxx î ⊗ î + ϵyy ĵ ⊗ ĵ + ϵzz k̂ ⊗ k̂ + ϵxy î ⊗ ĵ + ϵyz ĵ ⊗ k̂ + ϵzx k̂ ⊗ î
The shear strain measure can be written as:
+ ϵyx ĵ ⊗ î + ϵzy k̂ ⊗ ĵ + ϵxz î ⊗ k̂
γxy = (1 + ϵEx )(1 + ϵEy ) cos θ′
where:
= 2l1 l2 ϵxx + 2m1 m2 ϵyy + 2n1 n2 ϵzz + 2(l1 m2 + m1 l2 )ϵxy + 2(m1 n2 + n1 m2 )ϵyz
 
+ 2(l1 n2 + n1 l2 )ϵxz 1 
 
1 0 0
î ⊗ î = 0 1 0 0 = 0 0 0  ; ···
Special Case : If l1 = 1, m1 = n1 = 0 and m2 = 1 and l2 = n2 = 0, then:  
0 0 0 0
γxy = 2ϵxy [Example]
 
∂u ∂ ∂ ∂ 
Note: Tensorial shear strain equals half of engineering shear strain. ϵ= = î + ĵ + k̂ u î + v ĵ + w k̂
∂x ∂x ∂y ∂z
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Review of Basics of Tensors Review of Basics of Tensors

Review of Basics of Tensors Review of Basics of Tensors

Coordinate Transformations Tensor Invariants :
1 Consider a vector v: Let us consider a symmteric second order tensor (32 elements) :
   ′
 e1 e1  
v3 e2  = v1 v′2 v′3 e′2 
 ′
a e f
 
v = v1 v2
e3 e′3 A = e b g
f g c
2 Taking dot product with respect to the primed unit vectors:
 ′
e1 · e1 e′1 · e2 e′1 · e3

Then its eigenvalues can be determined as:
′
v = e′2 · e1 e′2 · e2 e′2 · e3  v = QT v
e′3 · e1 e′3 · e2 e′3 · e3 a−λ e f
det(A − λI) = e b−λ g =0
Note: Q is transformation/rotation matrix and is not a tensor.
f g c−λ
3 The transformation matrix is orthogonal (Q−1 = QT ) and therefore:
v = Qv′ The eigen values represent the principal components. WHY ?
4 For second order tensor therefore: A′ = QT AQ
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 Review of Basics of Tensors Review of Basics of Tensors

Review of Basics of Tensors Review of Basics of Tensors

Tensor Invariants : Contd ... [Example 1] Determine the Invariants.

Its characteristic equation is: 
5 2 4


A = 2 3 1
λ3 − I1 λ2 + I2 λ − I3 = 0
4 1 6
The coefficients of the characteristic equation are termed as “Invariants” and are
defined as: The invariants are:

I1 = (a + b + c) I1 = tr(A) = 5 + 3 + 6 = 14
I2 = (ab + ac + bc − e2 − g2 − f 2 ) I2 = (15 + 30 + 18 − 4 − 1 − 16) = 42
2 2 2
I3 = (abc − ag − e c − bf + 2efg) I3 = det(A) = 29

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Review of Basics of Tensors Review of Basics of Tensors

Review of Basics of Tensors Review of Basics of Tensors

[Example 1] Contd ...
Upon coordinate transformation (in plane rotation by 90◦ ): Q What is the invariant in the case of a first order tensor (vector)?
     
0 1 0 5 2 4 0 −1 0 3 −2 1
A′ = QT AQ = −1 0 0 2 3 1 1 0 0 = −2 5 −4
0 0 1 4 1 6 0 0 1 1 −4 6

The invariants are:

I1 = tr(A′ ) = 3 + 5 + 6 = 14
I2 = (15 + 18 + 30 − 4 − 16 − 1) = 42
I3 = det(A′ ) = 29

Note: Invariants are quantities of a tensor that as the name suggests - do not change to
coordinate transformations.

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 Review of Basics of Tensors Review of Basics of Tensors

Review of Basics of Tensors Review of Basics of Tensors

[Example 2] Invariant for a vector quantity [Example 3] Coordinate transformations in 2D (Mohr’s Circle)
Let v = {2, 3, 4} be any arbitrary vector. Its length (magnitude) is: Let a tensor in planar case be defined as:
√ √ 
S S12

|v| = 4 + 9 + 16 = 29 S = 11
S21 S22
Let it transform through a rotation about the z-axis by 45◦ counterclockwise, then: Then for any arbitrary rotation θ about the z-axis:
   ′
1 1  5  S11 S′12
      
√ √   cos θ sin θ S11 S12 cos θ − sin θ
0   
 2
√  =
 2 2   2 

 
 S′21 S′22 − sin θ cos θ S21 S22 sin θ cos θ
 1 1 1

′ T
v = Q v = − √ √ 0 3 = √

   The relations can be expanded and written as:
2 2  4 
 2


 


 


0 0 1 4 S′11 = S11 cos2 θ + S22 sin2 θ + S12 sin 2θ
√ S′22 = S11 sin2 θ + S22 cos2 θ + S12 sin 2θ
Length v′ = 29. S′12 = (S22 − S11 ) sin θ cos θ + S12 cos 2θ

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Review of Basics of Tensors

Reading Assignment

Chapter 2: Sections 2.7 - 2.9

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