Photoelastic Method for Stress Analysis

The discovery of photoelastic effect is credited to Sir David Brewster who published in 1816 an account that clear glass when stressed and examined in polarised light exhi-bited coloured patterns. The corresponding theory was deve-loped by Neuman, Maxwell, Wertheim and other noted physic-ists. In the engineering world, this science first appeared around 1900 and was developed mainly by Profe-ssors A. Mesnager, F.G. Coker and L.N.G. Filon, Prof. Coker made engineering applications of photoelasticity possible mostly through introduction of celluloid for models, repl-acing costly and difficult-to-machine glass models and the use of monochromatic light. Notable among other important workers are Professors F6ppl, Frocht and Neuber. In recent years the development of new synthetic resins possessing desirable photoelastic characteristics, has helped to enlarge applications of the method to a wider variety of problems