Past exam of the elasticity and plasticity course of the University of Oxford / 2009 / 3 / c / Solution

Insert the two constitutive stresses into the radial component of the Cauchy momentum equation. After collecting terms, $(\lambda +2\mu )(u_r^{\prime \prime }+u_r^{\prime }/r-u_r/r^2)=0$, so $u_r=Ar+B/r$. Its stresses areThe far pressure gives $A=-p_{\infty }/[2(\lambda +\mu )]$. At the tunnel wall, compressive bracing imposes ${\tau }_{rr}(a)=-P$, so $B=(P-p_{\infty })a^2/(2\mu )$. HenceWith no shear and ${\tau }_{\theta \theta }=k{\tau }_{rr}$, divide the yield identity by the nonzero ${\tau }_{rr}^2$ to obtain $4k=(1+k{)}^2{\cos }^2\varphi$. Solving its quadratic givesTo locate first yield, the stress-circle center is the constant $-p_{\infty }$, while its radius is $|P-p_{\infty }|a^2/r^2$. The radius is maximal at $r=a$, so that is where it first meets the friction envelope as the bracing departs from the hydrostatic value. At the wall ${\tau }_{rr}=-P$ and ${\tau }_{\theta \theta }=P-2p_{\infty }$; hence $k=(2p_{\infty }-P)/P$ andFor lowering bracing from $P=p_{\infty }$, the hoop stress becomes more compressive, so $k=k_{+}>1$ and $\boxed{P_{\mathrm{crit}}=p_{\infty }(1-\sin \varphi )}$. Increasing bracing instead selects $k_{-}$ and reaches the other threshold $p_{\infty }(1+\sin \varphi )$. Stating the loading direction removes any ambiguity between the two reciprocal stress ratios. These conclusions describe first yield of the elastic field, not the later plastic-zone solution.