Abstract
Thermoelasticity is actually a measurement technique of stress of increasingly interest because of new possibility of application given by the metrological characteristic of infrared CCD array of high performances, new data processing techniques available, new loading possibilities of the structure under study. In this paper the basis of the measurement principle and a review of the main applications are illustrated, particularly in the automotive field. Two test cases are analysed: a plastic fan for car refrigerators and a bicycle frame.