Theoretical Strength of a Crystal
The theoretical strength of a material with a perfect lattice is very high and of great importance.
Theoretical strength is determined by the nature of :
- inter-atomic forces
- temperature (causes atoms to vibrate)
- stress state of the material. We shall make calculations of two states of stresses: uniaxial normal stress and shear stress
The stresses required for failure under the two situations will be calculated, and the theoretical strength should be the lower of the two values.