Scattered-light determination of mode I stress-intensity factors by a fringe gradient independent technique

Integration of the scattered-light stress-optic law and established bending and singular crack-tip relationships yielded new experimental equations for calibration and for the determination of mode I stress-intensity factors which are independent of a stress-fringe gradient. Scattered-light stressoptic coefficients determined from four-point bending tests and an integrated scattered-light bending equation show good agreement with values based on stress-fringe gradients computed with polynomials. Excellent agreement was also shown between mode I stress-intensity factors predicted by the integrated stress-optic equation and analytical solutions available in the literature. Favorable comparisons were also made with predictions based on a polynomial-finite-difference method of determining a stress-fringe gradient. Analyses were limited to flaw geometries and locations where there was minimal rotation of the refraction tensor.