Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 May 2011
A technique for inverting residual stress based on a theory of acoustoelasticity is presented. A general incremental constitutive relation is first derived for a pre-stressed material subjected to an additional infinitesimal elastic deformation. The theory is then employed on using ultrasonic means to evaluate residual stresses of residually stressed materials. The residual stresses are assumed to be homogeneous in materials as usual. The only major assumption in this formulation is that the additional deformations caused by ultrasonic evaluating process are infinitesimal and elastic. No assumption on the origin of residual stresses is needed, nor the assumption on the possible existence of “natural state” of the materials. Successful inversion of residual stresses are demonstrated through a preliminary numerical experiment.