DETERMINATION OF ARBITRARY, NON-SHEARING END-LOADINGS FROM THE BULK STRESS ON THE LATERAL SURFACE OF A RECTANGULAR PRISM

This paper deals with the determination of arbitrary end-loadings by d irect stresses on two opposite ends of a rectangular prism from the bu lk stress, or temperature field on one lateral surface. It is part of a generic program of work on the use of thermal emission techniques to characterize the stress fields in a body with a view to understanding the mechanics of crack initiation and growth. The work is applicable to the determination of the transfer of loads by direct stresses into the ends of a rectangular prism. Potential applications cover quite a range of engineering problems since the surface bulk stress field can presently be readily obtained using thermal emission techniques.