Fringe Analysis around an Inclined Crack Tip of Finite-Width Plate under Tensile Load by Photoelastic Phase-Shifting Method

Photoelasticity is a technique of experimental methods and has been widely used in various domains of engineering to determine the stress distribution of structures. Without complicated mathematical formulation, this technique can conveniently provide a fairly accurate whole-field stress analysis for a mechanical structure. Here, stress distribution around an inclined crack tip of finite-width plate is studied by 8-step phase-shifting method. This method is a kind of photoelastic phase-shifting techniques and can be used for the determination of the phase values of isochromatics and isoclinics. According to stress-optic law, the stress distribution could be obtained from fringe patterns. The results obtained by polariscope arrangement combined with 8-step method and ABAQUS FEM simulations are compared with each other. Good agreement between them shows that 8-step phase-shifting method is reliable and can be used for determination of stress by experiment