Standard Test for the Evaluation of Optical Strain Measurement Systems

The paper describes the work towards a set of standardised tests for the evaluation of the performance of optical systems for measuring strain. In particular, the standardised tests are designed to allow the components of a system to be evaluated both in terms of hardware and software. The intention is to allow designers of optical systems to assess the efficacy of their innovations in instrumentation and algorithms, to assist manufacturers of systems in the quality assurance process, to permit end-users to evaluate system capabilities prior to purchase, and to support both manufacturers and end-users in setting up and fault diagnosis. Two standardised tests are proposed and described of which one is physical, a disc in contact with a half-space, and the other is virtual, a pair of shrinkage-fit thick rings or cylinders.