Surfaces With Shear Stress  
scene 4 of 5
The figure shows the single shear connection. An axially loaded member is shown detached from a square plate that is anchored to a support on the left. The load on the axially loaded member has a magnitude P and is directed to the right.
 

Shear stress acts on a surface parallel to the applied force. The total shear force acting on the exposed surface equals the applied force P.