Application of Strain Space Plasticity Theory to Surface Strain Gage Measurements

Abstract

Taking strain as the independent variable, the strain space plasticity theory introduced by Naghdi and Trapp is applied to the problem of interpreting strain gage readings for load paths that involve inelastic deformation. Equations developed herein permit the straightforward decomposition of the total measured strain into elastic and plastic components. Further, the strain space formulation leads naturally to the prediction of stress components, both the strain decomposition and the stress calculation requiring information on uniaxial stress-strain behavior obtained from a simple tension test.