What is the result of angular deformation caused by shear stress?

Shear strain is the result of angular deformation caused by shear stress. When a material is subjected to shear stress, it experiences a change in shape without a change in volume, effectively leading to a relative displacement of its layers. This deformation can be quantified by measuring the angle by which these layers have shifted from their original configuration.

Unlike normal strain, which refers to elongation or shortening resulting from axial loads (tensile or compressive), shear strain specifically considers the angular change that occurs due to shear forces acting parallel to the surface. Shear stress is defined as the force per unit area applied in a direction parallel to the face of the material, and the resulting shear strain is a measure of how much the angle has changed from its original state. This distinction is crucial in structural analysis and design, as it helps engineers predict how materials will behave under various loading conditions.