ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Mohr-Coulomb theory

The Mohr-Coulomb theory is a way of understanding how materials like rocks and soil behave when they are put under stress or pressure. Let's say you have a rock, and you start pushing it from two sides like squishing a sandwich. The Mohr-Coulomb theory tells us that the rock will start to change shape and eventually break if you push it hard enough.

This theory also helps us understand how strong the rock or soil is by looking at something called the "shear strength". Picture a layer of soil or rock that's sitting on top of another layer, like a cake with a layer of frosting on top. If something pushes down on the top layer, like heavy rain or a big weight, it can cause the bottom layer to shift or slide. The Mohr-Coulomb theory helps us figure out how much pressure the top layer can handle before the bottom layer starts to move.

Basically, the Mohr-Coulomb theory uses some fancy math to help engineers and geologists figure out how much force something can handle before it breaks or moves. It's like a super hero that helps keep our buildings and roads stable and safe!