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Fundamentals of Photoelasticity
Fundamentals of Photoelasticity
• Residual Stress
• Polarized Light
• Index of Refraction
• Photoelasticity
• Birefringence
• Stress-Optical Constant
• Retardation
Residual Stress
Light
Source
Polarized Light
Omnidirectional
Vectors of Light
Light
Source
Polarized Light
Omnidirectional
Vectors of Light
Plane
Polarized
Light
Light
Source
Polarized Light
Privileged
Axis of
Omnidirectional Polarizer 2
Vectors of Light rotated 90
Plane
degrees to the
Polarized
polarizing axis
Light
of the first
Light filter.
Source
Polarized Light
Plane
Polarized
Light
Light
Source
Index of Refraction
Point of
Interest
Light Plane
Source Polarized
Light
Birefringence
tn
Retardation of Polarized Light
Through a Stressed Material
Reference
Direction
Retardation
Point of
Interest
Light Plane
Source Polarized
Light
How Stress Is Calculated
The Stress Equation
Retardation
Stress =
Thickness * Stress-Optical Constant
The Stress Equation
tCB
WHERE
= Stress (in MPa*)
= Retardation (in nanometers)
t = Thickness
CB = Stress-optical constant
(in Brewsters)
Retardation
Analyzer
Point of
Interest
Plane
Polarized
Light
Principles of Photoelasticity
Yellow
Red
Blue-Green
Yellow First Order
Red
Green
Yellow
Third Order
Red
Principles of Photoelasticity
Plane Polarization
and
Circular Polarization
Principles of Photoelasticity
Axis of First
Polarization 1/4-Wave
(Plane Plate
Added Axis of
Polarizer)
Retardation Polarization
(Analyzer)
()
Point of Second
Added Interest 1/4-Wave
Retardation Plate
()
Principles of Photoelasticity
WHERE
=Retardation (in nanometers)
CB = Brewster Constant
t = Material Thickness
x,y = Principal Stresses
Measuring Techniques
Strain Viewer/
Polariscope
Observation of Color Pattern Method
Compensator
Compensator Method
• Simplest method of measuring
retardation
• Compensator (wedge) is a
calibrated, handheld device
that optically adds a retardation
Analyzer
Axis of First
Polarization 1/4-Wave
(Plane Plate
Added Axis of
Polarizer)
Retardation Polarization
(Analyzer)
()
Point of Second
Added 1/4-Wave
Retardation Interest
Plate
()
Analyzer Rotation Method
• The analyzer rotation method is generally used
to measure fractional levels of retardation (<570 nm).
• The sample is first positioned parallel to the reference
reference axis.
Analyzer Rotation Method
Retardation is calculated from the fractional fringe
order that is read directly from the dial.
509 nm =
0.9 x 565
Analyzer Rotation Method
This measurement (509 nm of retardation) is then
converted to stress using the equation below or
referring to a conversion chart.
tCB
WHERE
=Stress (in MPa)
= Retardation (in nanometers)
t = Thickness
CB = Brewster Constant