Discussion Overview
The discussion revolves around the decomposition of a uniaxial compressive stress into hydrostatic and pure shear components, focusing on the mathematical representation and understanding of stress tensors. It includes elements of homework-related inquiry and technical reasoning.
Discussion Character
- Homework-related
- Mathematical reasoning
- Technical explanation
Main Points Raised
- One participant expresses difficulty in decomposing a uniaxial compressive stress tensor and presents their initial attempt at a solution.
- Another participant inquires about the trace of the stress tensor, suggesting it may be relevant to the decomposition process.
- Several participants propose that the hydrostatic pressure, denoted as ## p ##, is equal to ## -\sigma/3 ##, indicating a potential approach to the problem.
- There is mention of the deviatoric tensor being pure shear, with a participant noting confusion regarding the assignment's reference to two states of pure shear.
- A suggestion is made to replace the ## p ## values in the initial post with ## \sigma/3 ## to arrive at the correct answer, although the correctness of this approach is not established.
Areas of Agreement / Disagreement
Participants express differing levels of understanding regarding the decomposition of the stress tensor, with some proposing specific values for hydrostatic pressure while others indicate confusion about the assignment's requirements. No consensus is reached on the correct approach to the problem.
Contextual Notes
There is uncertainty regarding the interpretation of the assignment's wording and the definition of states of pure shear. The discussion does not resolve the mathematical steps involved in the decomposition process.