Determination of strain distribution in elastically bent materials by X-ray intensity measurement

A method for quantitative determination of local curvature in elastically bent perfect crystals is described. The method is based on X-ray intensity measurements, and a comparison of experimentally determined values with those derived from diffraction theory gives satisfactory agreement. The method was applied to determine the strain gradient and strain concentration in the vicinity of the notch of an elastically bent crystal. The experimental results were compared with those derived from a similar model based on continuum mechanics. Possible applications of the X-ray method are discussed to obtain experimental solutions to strain analyses which, when approached by continuum mechanics, pose formidable mathematical obstacles.