Concepts of the photoelastic stress gage

With the photoelastic stress gage birefringence readings are made with light that traverses a path parallel to the surface of the workpiece. Individual stresses are determined in the elastic range of deformation, rather than stress or strain differences. The theory of a circular and linear stress gage is developed, including the influence of Poisson's ratio, and stress gradients. Stresses in the surface of the workpiece are expressed in terms of measured birefringence. Instrumentation is extremely simple. High sensitivity is derived from the relatively long optical-path length through the transducer. Applications should include stress analysis, load analysis and transducer design.     

Scattered-light photoelastic stress analysis of a solid-propellant rocket motor

Scattered-light photoelasticity, a nondestructive technique, is used to determine the stress distribution in a three-dimensional, solid-propellant rocket motor. The model is a case-bonded solid propellant with a stargrain internal boundary. Stresses are induced by internal pressure. The pressure load simulates part of the stresses developed in firing a rocket. The model material is polyurethane rubber which is similar to the binder material in actual rockets. The model construction and data analysis are discussed in detail, and the results are presented in graphical form.     

Photoelastometric recording of stress waves

A very sensitive, fast-responding photomultiplier tube and laser light source were used to record stress-optic data associated with a moving stress wave. By using a “gray-field” (which is halfway between a dark and light field) polariscope, optical-electrical recordings were obtained which were linearly proportional to strain. A discriminatory record results which exhibits a higher signal-to-noise ratio than semiconductor strain gages. Gage length can be varied from 0.005 in. upwards.     

A composite three-dimensional photoelastic method

Care must be taken in preparation and testing of three-dimensional composite photoelastic models. Some problems encountered in modeling the prototype and during model testing are: model-material failure, loss of fringe pattern in slicing, inherent shrinkage response in freezing, inadequate bonding between materials, and modular ratio difficulties. The selection of the correct plastic can eliminate the first four problems, but the correct modular ratio between the matrix and the insert has to be obtained. This investigation illustrated the behavior of commercially manufactured plastics as inserts, with a matrix material of Epon 828 epoxy. The effective moduli of elasticity of these plastics are reported for pure tension and for flexure. Since the manufactured plastics produced varying results, the use of Epon 828 epoxy as an insert was investigated. The inserts were cast in tygon tubing and their curing cycle was altered from that used for the matrix material to produce a different effective modulus of elasticity. The Epon 828 inserts gave excellent results in the beams. The use of the same material for matrix and insert eliminates many of the problems associated with composite three-dimensional photoelasticity.     

A photoelastic fiber-optic strain gage

This paper reports on the development of a photoelastic fiber-optic strain gage sensitive to transverse strain. The sensing element is made from an epoxy resin which is stress frozen to passively achieve the quadrature condition. Light, emitted from an LED operating at 820 nm, is transmitted to and from the sensing element via multi-mode fibers and the signal is detected using a dual-channel operational photodiode/amplifier.This unique combination of optics and electronics produces a fiber-optic sensor having a high signal to noise ratio and a measurement system which is lead-in/out insensitive. Results show that strains on the order of 1 microstrain can be measured over an 800 microstrain range when a dummy gage is used for compensation.Paper was presented at the 1992 SEM Spring Conference on Experimental Mechanics held in Las Vegas, NV on June 8–11.     

Hybrid stress analysis by digitized photoelastic data and numerical methods

A method is presented that determines photoelastic isochromatic values at the nodal points of a grid mesh which in turn is generated by a computer program that accepts digitized input. Values of σ₁ - σ₂ are computed from the digitized fringe orders. The Laplace equation is solved to separate the principal stresses at each nodal point. The method is extended to digitize isoclinics. Subsequently, σ _x - σ _y and τ _xy are calculated to be used as starting values for the solution of the pertaining partial differential equations to enhance convergence. For further accelerating the rate of convergence, superfluous boundary conditions are added from the digitized data; significant improvement is demonstrated. Estimated values of σ _x - σ _y from the digitized data are further used in conjunction with the solution of the Laplace equation to determine the state of stress without solving the boundary value problems. Paper was presented at the 1988 SEM Spring Conference on Experimental Mechanics held in Portland, OR on June 5–10.     

Obtaining stress maps from photoelastic data using a digital computer

A general procedure for the analysis of photoelastic isochromatic and isoclinic photographs by digital computer to produce plots of coordinate normal and shear stresses is presented. The solution for normal stresses, involving a finite-difference iterative harmonization of the Laplace equation, is discussed, including treatment of the boundaries and selection of an appropriate network grid. The results of a classical problem, solved by this technique, are included.     

Determination of the stress distribution in assemblies of photoelastic particles

An optical measuring method and a calculation procedure for determining the distribution of the stress tensor in a plane-strained three-dimensional assembly of random-shaped photoelastic particles are described. The stress tensor at an arbitrary point of the model is determined by an integration procedure, based on the equations of equilibrium of stresses. The distribution of the principal-stress direction and the relative principal-stress difference and at least two normal stresses in a plane have to be known to perform the integration. The distribution of the principal-stress directions and their difference are measured optically by scanning the model with an optical filter system with a single rotating polarizer.     

An application of holography to complete stress analysis of photoelastic models

A new procedure is proposed by which holographic principles may be extended to include stress analysis of three-dimensional photoelastic models. A sixth independent equation can be obtained to permit a complete stress solution by using the double-exposure hologram technique in conjunction with an immersion tank. The salient feature of the method is that no stress relieving is necessary between exposures of the hologram. Two experiments were performed to compare the stress-relieving method to the immersion method. In both experiments, a two-dimensional model was used to simplify the demonstration of the general techniques, which are also applicable to slices from frozen-stress models.     

A photoelastic study of crack repair

Birefringent coatings have been employed to study the effectiveness of an adhesively bonded repair of a center-cracked tension panel. The repair was one sided, with photoelastic coatings applied to the opposite side. Photoelastic coatings were also applied over the patch. Analysis methods are presented to permit the stress intensity factor to be determined from the isochromatic fringe patterns recorded from both continuous andX- andY-edged coatings. The results showed that the one-sided adhesively bonded patch reduced the stress intensity factor; however, the repair did not markedly change the character of stress distributions. Fringe loops formed near the crack tips for both the cracked and repaired tension panels. The primary difference was in the size of the loops. The reduction inK _I due to repair was smaller than anticipated, but even small improvements in ΔK _I markedly enhance the life of a repaired panel. The Paris power law is used to show the relation between the reduction in ΔK _I and the improvement in the crack growth rateda/dN. Fringe patterns from the birefringent coatings applied to the patch provided a means not only to investigate the stresses in the patch but also to detect the initiation of the local debonding of the adhesive in the neighborhood of the crack. The birefringent coating on the patch is an approach for producing an optically “smart” repair.     

Dynamic photoelastic investigation of interaction of stress waves with running cracks

Dynamic photoelasticity in conjunction with high-speed photography was utilized in experiments to study the interaction of stress waves with a running crack. Experimental data were analyzed to study the effect of wave scattering about a moving crack tip. The results indicated a strong influence of stress waves on crack-propagation behavior and crack branching.     

Dynamic photoelastic study of wave fields in elastic plates with stress concentrators

The method of dynamic photoelasticity is used to study the dynamic failure of structural members in the form of plates with a curvilinear (circular or elliptic) hole and an isolated crack under impulsive loading. The time-dependences of the stress intensity factors and the crack tip velocity are investigated for two types of models __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 41, No. 12, pp. 84–92, December 2005.     

Integrated-plane photoelastic method—Application of photoelastic isodynes

It has been shown by Pindera and Mazurkiewicz that a new type of scattered-light modulation in the plane of a two-dimensional photoelastic object can be obtained when the stationary integrated photoelastic method developed by Pindera and Straka is applied in a scanning mode and when the transfer function of the photoelastic system satisfies certain conditions. The new type of light modulation, called field of isodynes by the authors, carries information on stress components normal to the direction of propagation of primary beam, and on corresponding total-force component. The points where this stress component is equal to zero can be easily determined. The classical scattered-light modulation along a chosen line represents a cross section of a corresponding isodynes field. It is shown that these features of the method of isodynes make it possible to easily determine the distribution and values of normal stress components at any arbitrary rectilinear cross section, and to check immediately the accuracy of measurements. The experimental determination of contact stresses and contact regions using the method of isodynes is especially simple and elegant.     

A photoelastic determination of mixed-mode stress-intensity factors

A new evaluation method of the isochromatic-fringe pattern for the determination of mixed-mode stress-intensity factors (SIF) was developed. The method bypasses the error-prone measurements on the isochromatic patterns near to the crack tip and uses data from the far region. Suitable extrapolation laws were given for transferring the far-from-the-crack-tip data to the near region. Then, the well-known Irwin's formulas can be used for the determination of mixed-mode SIFs. Convenient formulas facilitating the calculation of SIFs were established. Experimental evidence corroborated the results obtained by the new method.     

A dynamic photoelastic analysis of dynamic-tear-test specimen

Dynamic photoelasticity was used to analyze the transient response of dynamic-tear-test (DTT) specimens, .0889×.400m (3.5×15 in.) in size, machined from .0095m (3/8 in.)-thick Homalite-100 plates. Dynamic-stress-intensity factors, dynamic-energy release rates, and crack velocities in ten specimens were determined. Dynamic tear energies were obtained by integrating the area under the dynamic-energy release-rate curves. The average dynamic-energy release rates which were obtained by dividing the dynamic tear energies by the total length of the crack paths, were found to be approximately equal to the critical strain-energy release rate of Homalite-100. Results of the drop-weight-hammer impact vs. crack-initiation experiments showed that the crack initiated after the first buildup of impact forces in the hammer, thus indicating possible ambiguity in using a specified location on the hammer-force curve to derive a comparable static-fracture load for the DTT specimen.     

Graphical methods for determining the resulting photoelastic effect of compound states of stress

The aim of this work is to give a simplified representation of an interesting subject, namely, the calculation of the photoelastic effect behind a system in which the principal stresses or secondary principal stresses rotate about the direction of the propagation of light. The methods are described in a popular form for understanding the essential features and the necessary graphical operations for solving these complicated problems. Further, the relations between the different methods are shown. Thej-circle technique is improved in order to simplify the operations and a new possibility in applying Wulff's grid is introduced in photoelasticity. The graphical tools can then be applied as so-called “rotation rules.” Some examples related to recent papers which present theoretical results or new methods are given in order to study the function of these “rotation rules” and to recognize the power of these methods.