A VARIATIONAL METHOD FOR SOLVING DIRECT AND INVERSE PROBLEMS OF ELASTICITY FOR A SEMI-INFINITE STRIP

A variational method is suggested which permits one lo investigate both direct and inverse elaslicity problems for a semi-strip with load-free longitudinal faces using a unified algorithm. As the input data one can use the exact values of the components of the displacement or those of the vector of the self-balanced external load prescribed at the end face of the semi-strip. Another way is to use the results of measurement of the parameters of the desired stress fields obtained by various methods for the stress field at the end of the semi-strip or in its interior. The measurements can be performed by using various physical methods, for example, the optical polarization technique. Specific examples are considered to show the application of the approach developed to the investigation of the stress-stain state of the semi-strip by considering various conditions of loading its end face as well as using the results of measurement of some parameters of the desired stress field by the optical polarization method.