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Photoelasticity: Birefringence - Polarization - Stress Analysis

This document discusses the technique of photoelasticity, which uses the principle of birefringence to analyze stresses in materials. When materials experience stress, they can become birefringent by splitting light rays into ordinary and extraordinary rays. By placing the sample between polarized filters, stressed areas will appear as different colors. The level of birefringence and resulting color depends on the amount of stress and thickness of the material. Several sample materials are described that demonstrate stress patterns for analysis using this technique.

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149 views4 pages

Photoelasticity: Birefringence - Polarization - Stress Analysis

This document discusses the technique of photoelasticity, which uses the principle of birefringence to analyze stresses in materials. When materials experience stress, they can become birefringent by splitting light rays into ordinary and extraordinary rays. By placing the sample between polarized filters, stressed areas will appear as different colors. The level of birefringence and resulting color depends on the amount of stress and thickness of the material. Several sample materials are described that demonstrate stress patterns for analysis using this technique.

Uploaded by

anandshankar05
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Photoelasticity

birefringence - polarization - stress analysis

What it shows:
Normally isotropic substances can become birefringent when under stress. This property can be used
in stress analysis.
How it works:
To use birefringence in stress analysis, the sample is placed between two crossed Polaroids. The first
Polaroid produces a linearly polarized light source for the sample. This source has components split
into ordinary and extraordinary rays; the differing velocities of these rays in the sample creates a
phase difference which is color dependant.. The second Polaroid takes components of the ordinary
and extraordinary rays; if the components are in phase, constructive interference occurs, and the
color is seen. If out of phase, the color is not seen. As the level of birefringence is proportional to the
stress, differently stressed areas will appear different colors.

1. A V-shaped piece of thin Plexiglass that can be squeezed to show stress at the elbow.
2. A block of urethane, 10x7x2cm, cast on mercury, that can be squeezed and twisted.
3. Plexiglass block whose holes have been plugged with tightly fitting metal pins. The stress caused
the plastic by the insertion of the pins is a model for riveting metal plates in aircraft or ships.
4. C-clamp tightened on a Plexiglass block shows the compressive stress pattern.

The thickness of the material will also dictate which color emerges in phase. Cellophane is drawn in
the manufacture of sticky tape, so is birefringent. Because the stress is uniform along its length, it is a
single color. We have a sheet of glass with several strips of the tape crisscrossing; here a double layer
of tape is a different color because a new color is in phase. Rotate the strips 90° to obtain the
complementary colors. Old cellophane bags do the same thing.
Setting it up:
We've found the best way to display is to use two Polaroidstot, one circular (diameter 22cm) that sits
on an OHP and the other square (28x20cm) which is on 12cm legs so that it straddles the other. There
is space between them so that the sample can be placed and played with. All the above samples are
available.
Comments:
Really beautiful colors abound (better when viewed directly so invite your audience up at the end).
Clear audio cassette boxes are another good source of stressed plastic. Rating ***

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