Plot > Surface Components > Strength/Stress

Contours the strength/stress ratio on DD elements.

This component can be accessed via the Strength Factor Components toolbar as follows:

This toolbar can be changed to a vertical orientation by dragging is against either the right or left hand edge of the main window.

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In elastic analysis the maximum in-plane shear stress is normally used with the in-plane normal stress and the Mohr-Coulomb strength criterion to estimate the amount of slip due to over-stressing, on a fault, joint set or bedding plane.

By contrast, in non-linear analysis the maximum in-plane shear stress can never exceed the strength unless some creep is used. In this latter case, viscous creep can allow stress states above the failure criterion, thus indicating a lack of static equilibrium. Hence for non-linear analysis one normally directly considers the amount of slip predicted by the model

Mohr-Coulomb in DD planes

Fault-Gouge in DD planes

Backfill-Hyperbolic in DD planes

Strength/Stress   can be determined as [ Cohesion + (σn-p) tan(φ) ] / τs

dTs   Excess Shear Stress  can be determined as Δτs = τs - [ Cohesion + (σn-p) tan(φ) ]

If fluid pressure is specified as part of the Stress State, the effective normal stress (σn-p) is used (here p is the fluid pressure).

The contour range is set using

Plot > Range

This component can be added to the contour toolbar if desired

Tools > Configure Contouring Toolbar

Related Topics:

Plot > Surface Components > dTs - Excess Shear Stress