Simultaneous application of scanning laser vibrometry and thermoelasticity for measurement of stress-strain fields on mechanical components

The application of both scanning laser vibrometry and thermoelasticity for measurement of stress and strain fields on mechanical components is proposed. A theoretical approach on both the measurement principles is illustrated and an application to a practical case, as an automotive fan blade, is described. The problem of the fan blade failure is tightly due to the force amplitude and frequency, that are applied in working condition; it is, therefore, important, to know the blade resonance frequencies and the mode shapes. For this reason, the measurement techniques, based on scanning laser Doppler vibrometer, give the chance to quickly perform an experimental modal analysis with high accuracy and spatial resolution and to obtain the structure's mode shapes. In the same time, it is important to assess the stress distribution level on the blade associated to every mode shape. Measurement techniques, that apply thermoelastic principle, allow to quickly determine the blade stress pattern at each load frequency. It is, therefore, possible to establish the stress pattern corresponding to the mode shape and predict the fatigue life of the component.