The Mohr-Coulomb theory is like a game of building a sandcastle on a beach. You know how sometimes you try and build the biggest castle possible, but the sand keeps falling apart, and you get frustrated or upset? That's where the Mohr-Coulomb theory comes in.
First, you need to know that the sand (or any material) has something called "shear strength". This is like how strong you can hold onto a toy, without it slipping out of your hands. The more grip you have, the higher the shear strength of the material.
Now imagine that you are trying to build a sandcastle pyramid by stacking sand one layer at a time. Each layer needs to be supported by the layer below it, so if the bottom layer is not strong enough, the whole pyramid will collapse.
That's where the Mohr-Coulomb theory comes in handy. It helps us understand how much force we can apply to the sand before it collapses. The theory tells us that the sand will start to crack and break at a certain point, just like how you feel your grip slipping when you're holding onto something heavy for too long.
So, if we know the shear strength of the sand and how much force we are applying to it, we can predict whether or not the sandcastle will stay standing or fall apart. This theory is really helpful for engineers and builders who need to know how much weight a foundation can support or how steep a slope can be without collapsing.
In conclusion, the Mohr-Coulomb theory helps us understand when sand, or any material, will start to break under pressure. It's like trying to build a sandcastle without it falling apart!