Tensile test of solid propellants by the use of optical techniques

Two optical methods to measure displacements in and perpendicular to the loading direction of a test sample at the uniaxial tensile test have been worked out and tested. They are of sufficient resolution in time and accuracy. The test is not influenced by the methods. Poisson ratio and Young's modulus are obtained simultaneously in one experiment. On the base of these data and an appropriate theoretical model the influence of environmental stresses on solid rockets and other polymer constructions can be calculated by structural analyses. Thus structural analysis in this field is no more only a construction method but a method of reliability control.