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Civil Engineering · Q2

Theory Of Structures

Engineering and GATE · Civil Engineering · question 2

Q2

Principal planes are subjected to

A.
Normal stresses only
Answer
B.
Tangential stresses only
C.
Normal stresses as well as tangential stresses
D.
None of these

Answer: Option A

Solution

Answer: Option A
Solution:
Principal planes are special planes within a stressed body.
They are unique because at these specific planes, something very important happens:
There are NO shear stresses acting.
This means that the only stresses present on a principal plane are normal stresses (also called direct stresses), which act perpendicular to the plane.
Therefore, the correct answer is that principal planes are subjected to normal stresses only.
The other options are incorrect because shear stress is absent on principal planes.