APPLICATIONS AND POTENTIAL OF THERMOELASTIC STRESS-ANALYSIS

Stress changes in an elastic solid are accompanied by small temperatur e changes which are directly related to the stress change, This phenom enon (referred to as the ''thermoelastic effect'') is the basis of the thermoelastic stress analysis technique which is now in use in many i ndustrial organisations and research centres in Europe, Australia, Jap an, the United States and elsewhere. In this paper, the relevant theor y is summarised and the equipment used is described and illustrated, A number of typical applications involving metallic components and non- metallic composites are described and some possible future development s are mentioned.