Measurement on rotating mechanical component by thermoelasticity

Thermoelasticity is a well-established non contact measurement techniques for stress analysis of mechanical components dynamically loaded. In many technical problems the mechanical component of our interest is rotating and it is not easy to estimate the loading forces in operating conditions through theoretical or numerical models. Well known examples are turbine blades, car wheels and tires, disk brakes, etc. For these components it should be very useful to perform measurements of stresses in operating conditions, i.e. while they rotate in operating conditions. This is actually performed by using strain gauges and slip rings or by measuring displacements by different non contact optical techniques. In this paper a new methodology, based on the thermoelasticity, has been proposed for the stress measurement on the revolving objects. The first experimental analysis has been conducted and analyzed.