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.     

A recording photoelastic stress meter

An instrument for automatically making photoelastic measurements of stress is described. It may be used for recording transient stresses at a point or for scanning spatial stress distributions. Its use is illustrated by an application entailing the measurement of transient thermal stresses in a viscoelastic material.     

Analysis of vibrating-wire stress gage in soft rock

An analysis for the in situ elastic response of a vibrating-wire stress gage in soft rock (E<10⁵ Mpa) has been accomplished with the use of the finite-element method and approximate analytical procedures. The vibrating-wire stress gage is not a true stressmeter in that it is somewhat dependent on rock-modulus changes. Conventional procedures for calibration include the assumption that this dependency is linear with respect to rock modulus. In this analysis, a nonlinear relationship is demonstrated and an approximate mathematical expression is derived for it. Good agreement is obtained between theoretical calibration factors and test results on laboratory-scale samples with the stressmeter.     

Triaxial-in-a-plane soil stress gage for vehicle mobility applications

The approach used here consists of an axisymmetric gage with a tapered exterior. Raw outputs are normal stress in three directions in the plane perpendicular to the gage axis of symmetry. From these outputs, the time history of the complete state of stress in this plane can be determined. Of special interest is the plane of symmetry which is the vertical plane centered on one side of a wheeled or tracked vehicle proceeding in a straight line. The gage was placed from a berm on the side of the vehicle path, approximately 4 ft horizontally and at approximately 9 in. below the ground surface. Test vehicles were a 4 × 4 wheeled vehicle and a M113A2 armored personnel carrier. The measured stress results are largely consistent with expectations.     

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.     

Strain gage method for determining stress intensities of sharp-notched strips

An efficient and simple strain gage method for determining the stress intensities of sharp-notched strips is proposed. The bisector of the notch angle is inclined to the edge so that the mixed-mode loading is created simultaneously at the notch tip. A theory of determining the stress intensities using strain gages is described on the basis of the two-dimensional theory of elasticity. Experiments on specimens with various notch shapes are carried out to verify the theoretical results. Experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical results.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Reversible strain gage

A reversible strain gage was developed for accurately measuring thermal strains, especially for use on large structures where strain gages cannot be welded. These strain gages can be peeled after taking required apparentstrain measurements in a furnace and can be attached reverse-side-up at the points of interest on a test structure. After many trials, a polyimide strain gage was developed that is the same on both the base side and the cover side. The thermal characteristics of the reversible strain gage—repeatability of apparent strain, gage-factor change, creep, drift and the output for a given mechanical strain—were investigated. The repeatability of apparent strains for 100 reversible gages was within 60 microstrain of difference at 250°C. The output of reversible gages for mechanical strain, after 2 to 3 heat cycles which were peeled and cemented in the reverse-side-up position, almost coincided with those of virgin reversible gages.Paper was presented at Fourth SESA International Congress on Experimental Mechanics held in Boston, MA on May 25–30, 1980