The role of strain measurement technology in structural evaluation

This paper describes the importance of structural evaluation to the process of design assessment and outlines the significant role played by strain measurement technology in extending the scope of strain history data collection and facilitating strain monitoring of full-scale structures in the laboratory. After some general discussion of the various models of structural behaviour, it then proceeds to give a brief historical account and outlines the principles of thermoelastic stress analysis (TSA). A general desciption is provided of a specific TSA technique namely Stress Pattern Analysis by Thermal Emission (SPATE).
Despite the level of innovation and development in strain measurement technology, the use of bonded strain gauge elements is still by far the most commonly used strain measurement and monitoring technique in structural evaluation work at NEL. The paper highlights several recent test programmes carried out at NEL in the form of case studies which demonstrate different aspects of measuring, monitoring and validation of this and other strain measurement techniques; and verification of analytical models.