Optical low-coherence reflectometry is a non-destructive interferometric techique, that has several applications such as the characterization of optical components, stress measuring in civil structures and is the basis of optical coherence tomography (OCT), among others. This paper gives a comprehensive description of a partially coherent interferometer to characterize induced stress and strain in an optical fiber. The work is complemented with computational simulations for getting ready the interferometrer. Finally, are written a series of correct procedures to be applied to reproduce mounting and obtain reliable measurements.