A new method of birefringence measurement to obtain stress field using photoelasticity

This paper reports on a new method for measuring of birefringence to obtain stress fields using laser photoelasticity. This method provides for the measurements of magnitude and the angular orientation of the fast axis of the birefringence without the necessity of specimen rotation. In order to check the validity of the method, birefringence of two crystal wave plates with nominal retardation magnitudes of 79.1 and 10.0 nanometers were examined. Good agreement was obtained between measured values and the nominal values. The cause of the difference between experimental results and nominal values is also discussed.