Photoelastic investigation of filleted corners in square apertures in flat plates subjected to tension

During recent years many advances have been made in solving engineering problems by mathematical means. While this method of solving problems is invaluable to the engineer, there are times when a rigorous mathematical solution cannot be readily obtained, and the engineer must resort to other methods, some of which are approximate. This paper attempts to show the application of photoelastic investigation to such a problem. The results of this problem are quantitative, but they show without any doubt that this method of investigation has considerably influenced the modern design of machine parts and helped in many cases to improve construction by eliminating weak spots from which cracks may start. Photoelastic experiments have proved especially useful in studying various cases of stress concentration at points of sharp variation of cross-sectional dimensions and at sharp fillets of reentrant corners --Preface, page iii