Mean-stress dependence of the thermoelastic parameter for three high-strength alloys. Aircraft structures report

Experimental verification for the theoretical basis of the mean stress dependence of the thermoelastic parameter is presented here for 4340 steel and collated with previous results for 2024 aluminum and 6 Al-4V titanium alloys. Various experimental techniques are described and their relationship with the theory is discussed in detail. Finally, the means by which the thermoelastic effect may be used to determine residual stresses in practice is discussed.