Combining photoelasticity and finite-element methods for stress analysis using least squares

Photoelastic data are combined with the finite-element method for stress solutions over regions partially bounded by free surfaces and axes of symmetry. Least-squares solutions are obtained without presumed values of applied forces at element nodes and without isoclinic data. Varied example problems are used to compare the results to independent photoelastic and finite-element solutions and to theoretical stress values.Paper was presented at the 1989 SEM Spring Conference on Experimental Mechanics held in Cambridge, MA on May 28–June 1.