Blind-hole residual stress determination using optical interferometry

The in-plane method and the out-of-plane method are used to analyze blind-hole residual stress as measured by optical interferometry. The in-plane method, which constructs a relation between the in-plane displacement field and the residual stress released from blind-hole drilling, is applicable when the sensitivity vector of the interferometer used in the measuring system is parallel to the object surface. Three in-plane displacements obtained from one interference pattern are sufficient to determine the residual stress. The out-of-plane method, which establishes a new relation between the out-of-plane displacement field and the released residual stress, is suggested when the sensitivity vector is perpendicular to the object surface. Two relative out-of-plane displacements extracted from one interference pattern are sufficient to determine the residual stress. With the adoption of these two methods, interpolating calculation is not needed to determine the fringe order of each data point, since the selections of the required data points are flexible using these two methods. Two experiments, one for the in-plane method and the other for the out-of-plane method, were carried out to illustrate the applicability and usefulness of these two methods.