Question

A principal plane is a plane of

• A. minimum tensile stress
• B. maximum tensile stress
• C. zero shear stress
• D. maximum shear stress

Hint:

Principal planes are characterized by zero shear stress and the normal stress being maximum or minimum.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Principal Plane Definition.
In stress analysis, principal planes are defined as planes experiencing zero shear stress. The normal stresses on these planes are the principal stresses, representing the maximum and minimum normal stresses at that point.Step 2: Summary.
Principal planes are characterized by the absence of shear stress and the presence of extreme normal stress values. Final Answer: \[ \boxed{\text{zero shear stress}} \]