Analyzing the Impact of Diametral Compressive Loads on Stress Distribution in Circular Discs Through Advanced Photoelastic Techniques

Stress analysis, a fundamental aspect of engineering and design, is critically dependent on experimental methods, with photoelasticity being a key technique. Despite its effectiveness, photoelasticity is often limited by subjective human interpretation, leading to variable stress measurement results. To address this, we have concentrated on the practical applications of this method, employing a circular disc analyzed under various compressive loads. Our research introduces a novel algorithm specifically developed for processing photoelastic images. This algorithm enhances the clarity of thinned fringes, enabling more precise measurement of the principal stress differences. Our findings indicate that the digitally processed photoelastic images align closely with analytical solutions, suggesting a more reliable and consistent approach to stress analysis. This advancement mitigates the subjectivity inherent in traditional photoelastic methods, thus improving the accuracy of stress measurement. The implications of this study are significant for the broader field of engineering. The developed methodology can be applied to diverse scales of instruments and facilities, offering a versatile tool for identifying stress patterns. Overall, our work also improves the accuracy of such a tool and technique, making it more useful for failure analysis scenarios understanding.