The　method　of　measuring　the　stress　level　of　waveguide　structures　by　use　of　the　acoustoelastic　effect　of　ultrasonic　guided　wave　is　of　potential　advantages.　In　order　to　select　the　optimal　surveying　mode　and　excitation　frequency　in　acoutoelastic　stress　testing,　a　finite　element　eigenfrequency　method　based　on　the　Murnaghan　hyperelastic　model　was　presented.　The　dispersion　characteristic　of　a　prestressed　bar　was　calculated　using　this　approach,　and　the　acoustoelastic　dispersion　curve　was　obtained　for　describing　the　stress　sensitivity　under　different　excitation　frequencies.　The　results　are　consistent　with　those　in　other　literatures.　On　this　basis,　selecting　the　surveying　mode　and　excitation　frequency,　the　acoustoelastic　effect　of　L(0,　1)　mode　was　inspected　for　Q235　carbon　steel　bar　on　a　homemade　tensile　test　platform.　The　results　show　that:　the　errors　are　great　in　low　stress　region　whereas,　in　high　stress　region　it　can　be　controlled　within　10%,　and　the　tendency　of　acoutoelastic　constants　is　in　agreement　with　the　theoretical　results.　The　study　proposes　a　method　that　can　provide　a　determination　method　of　surveying　mode　and　excitation　frequency　for　stress　measurement　by　using　the　acoustoelastic　effect　of　ultrasonic　guided　wave.　©,　2015,　Chinese　Vibration　Engineering　Society.　All　right　reserved.