Normal stress measurements

A review of the methods for obtaining the normal stress differences in simple shear flow from force measurements on the walls of apparatus in which curvilinear shear flows are generated is given. Indirect methods, for example the flow birefringence method, are considered. Some new work on normal stress measurement using cone and plate, parallel plate pressure distribution and total thrust measurements in conjunction with flow birefringence methods are reviewed. The difficulties found in obtaining consistant results are discussed.Paper presented at the Conference on Experimental Rheology, University of Bradford, April 17–19, 1968. — Original paper published in Rheo. Acta,7, 368 (1968).