Abstract
In a former Graduates' Lecture delivered in 1913* the Lecturer described the general principles of Photo-Elasticity, and some applications to Engineering. The present Lecture was therefore devoted to a consideration of some developments of the subject which have taken place since, and attention was mainly directed to improvements in apparatus for photo-elastic investigation and to the results obtained by this method of research when applied to elucidate the action of cutting tools.
A prime necessity in all such work is a beam of polarized light of large cross-section and considerable purity, and the scarcity of Iceland spar for Nicol's prisms of sufficiently large size has led to the use of other forms of polarizers, of which a very convenient one was described, consisting of a thin slice of Iceland spar suitably mounted between glass wedges, and provided with converging and diverging lens systems, whereby a beam of large cross-section and of great purity is obtained.
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