angle of internal friction

A Dictionary of Earth Sciences | 1999 | 391 words | Copyright

angle of internal friction (friction angle) A measure of the ability of a unit of rock or soil to withstand a shear stress. It is the angle (φ), measured between the normal force (N) and resultant force (R), that is attained when failure just occurs in response to a shearing stress (S). Its tangent (S/N) is the coefficient of sliding friction. Its value is determined experimentally.

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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "angle of internal friction." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 10 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

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AILSA ALLABY and MICHAEL ALLABY. "angle of internal friction." A Dictionary of Earth Sciences. 1999. Retrieved February 10, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O13-angleofinternalfriction.html

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