Modifications to the hole-drilling technique of measuring residual stresses for improved accuracy and reproducibility

The hole-drilling technique is a relatively well established and straightforward semidestructive method for measuring residual stresses in fabricated components. However, a number of factors can have a marked influence on the accuracy of this technique. Some of the factors evaluated in the present work were the method of drilling the hole, the size and shape of the hole, and the equations used to calculate the principal residual stresses from the relaxed-strain measurements. In this investigation, air-abrasive hole drilling using a 0.062-in.-ID stationary nozzle gave the most reproducible and accurate results. Of the three approaches used to calculate the residual stresses, one method proved to be superior, especially in a biaxial-stress field.