Use of an automatic device for the determination of mechanical properties on photoelastic samples of small dimensions

Abstract Photoelastic materials and Photoelasticity have been very effective in the study of the effects of stress and strain in materials such as iron, steel, concrete, etc. However, mainly because of human interaction, systematic errors are introduced during the measurement process, which directly affects the final result. When using small photoelastic samples, these types of errors can escalate due to the increased difficulty of handling. Intending to minimize systematic errors in the process of data collection, this work presents the use of an automatic loading device, developed by us, to apply mechanical stresses in small photoelastic samples. The device created has shown great effectiveness in photoelastic applications that uses a transmission polariscope, but it can also be used in other photoelastic techniques, such as reflection photoelasticity, as well as in other areas of optics such as Holography and Speckle. An important benefit is the ease and speed of handling that can improve the organization and quality of the activities in labs of optics.

摘要 光弹性材料（Photoelastic materials）与光弹性法（Photoelasticity）已被广泛证实可高效应用于铁、钢、混凝土等材料的应力与应变效应研究。然而，测量过程中因人为操作引入系统误差，直接影响了最终实验结果。当使用小型光弹性样品时，由于样品操控难度提升，这类误差会进一步加剧。为最大限度降低数据采集过程中的系统误差，本研究采用自研的自动加载装置对小型光弹性样品施加机械应力。该装置在透射式偏振光镜（transmission polariscope）类光弹性实验中已展现出优异性能，同时也可应用于反射光弹性法（reflection photoelasticity）等其他光弹性技术，以及全息术（Holography）、散斑（Speckle）等其他光学研究领域。其重要优势在于操控便捷高效，可优化光学实验室的实验组织流程并提升实验活动质量。