Use of interferometric techniques for measuring the displacement field in the plane of a part-through crack existing in a plate

An experimental procedure based on holographic interferometry coupled with computer-aided image processing techniques was used to estimate the stress intensity factor (SIF) of a part-through crack in a plate. The loading cons isted of a uniform remote tensile stress, leading to an opening and edge ro tation displacement field along the crack plane. The evaluation of the crac k opening displacements and edge rotations, carried out after the numerical interpretation of the fringe pattern, made possible an estimation of the S IF along the crack line, following the theoretical basis of the Line-Spring Model developed by Rice and Levy. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All right s reserved.