Principal Stress Calculator

Calculate max and min normal stresses and maximum shear stress from a 2D stress state.

Stress Components

Normal Stress X (σx)

Normal Stress Y (σy)

Shear Stress (τxy)

Calculation Results

Enter stress components

About this calculator

Overview

In mechanics of materials, principal stresses are the maximum and minimum normal stresses acting on a specific plane where shear stress is zero.

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Pro Tips

Fun Facts

"Failure in brittle materials usually occurs when the max principal stress exceeds the material's strength."
"Ductile materials often fail due to maximum shear stress (Tresca criterion)."
"Principal stresses are the eigenvalues of the stress tensor."

Formula: σ₁,₂ = (σx+σy)/2 ± √[((σx-σy)/2)² + τxy²]