Mohr-Coulomb Theory

The Mohr-Coulomb Theory describes how soils and rocks slide or fail under stress. It states that failure occurs when the combination of shear stress (forces sliding layers past each other) and normal stress (force pressing layers together) reaches a certain threshold. This threshold depends on the material's properties, like strength and cohesion, and the angle at which it tends to slide. Essentially, the theory helps predict when and how geological materials will break or slide, which is important for designing stable foundations, slopes, and retaining structures.