Photoelastic tomography as hybrid mechanics

Abstract

Photoelastic tomography is a non-destructive method of 3D stress analysis. It permits determination of normal stress distribution in an arbitrary section of a 3D test object. In case of axial symmetry also the shear stress distribution can be determined directly from the measurement data. To determine also the other stress components one can use equations of the theory of elasticity. Such a combined application of experimental measurements and numerical handling of the equations of the theory of elasticity is named hybrid mechanics. It is shown that if stresses are due to external loads, the hybrid mechanics algorithm is based on the equations of equilibrium and compatibility. In the case of the measurement of the residual stress in glass the compatibility equation can not be applied. In this case a new relationship of axisymmetric thermoelasticity, the generalized sum rule can be applied.