Question

If a member, whose tensile strength is more than 1.5 times the shear strength and is subjected to an axial load upto failure, the failure of the member will occur by

• A. maximum normal stress
• B. maximum shear stress
• C. normal stress or shear stress
• D. none of the above

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

maximum shear stress

We know that maximum shear stress induced in a member which is subjected to an axial load is equal to half of maximum normal stress. Thus for a material with tensile strength more than $1.5$ times the shear strength the failure occurs due to shearing.