Tensile, Compressive and Shear Stresses:

We have observed which forces generate elongations or contractions on solids depending on how they act. The forces in which produce elongation on solids are known as tensile forces and the stresses induced through them are known as tensile stresses. Tensile forces and tensile stresses are both considered positive. Same, the forces that cause shortening of length are known as compressive forces and the stresses induced through them are called compressive stresses. Compressive forces and compressive stresses both are considered negative.

We might also observe in which both tensile stresses and compressive stresses act general to the surface on that they act. For this purpose, they are both categorized as normal stresses. Therefore, there are several instances of load applications while the stresses are induced in directions other than which of the normal to the surface. A few such cases are display in Figure. A small element is display enlarged in scale. Besides the element, the coordinate system is also given. The plane BEFC is common to the x axis and is, therefore, defined as x plane. Same, the planes DCFG and ABCD are described as y and z planes respectively.

Figure