September 19, 2014

CRACK DETECTION IN CANTILEVER BEAMS

CRACK DETECTION IN UNIFORM CANTILEVER BEAM

OBJECTIVE
1. Determination of modulus of elasticity of material
2. Verification of rotational spring stiffness due to a crack
3. Determination of location and size of a crack
THEORY
The displacement equation of a cantilever with rectangular cross section is given by,

Figure 1

Where,
W =load at free end
x=distance of section from free end
L =length of cantilever beam
E=Youngs Modulus of cantilever beam material
I= moment of inertia of rectangular cross section of cantilever beam= bh3/12

b
Figure: 2
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CRACK DETECTION IN CANTILEVER BEAMS

Figure 3
Deflection of beam without crack
When a crack is introduced to the cantilever as shown in figure 4, the beam acquires a local flexibility
that produces a sudden increase of slope at the point of crack. The flexibility can be conveniently
represented by introducing a mass-less torsion spring at the point of crack, figure 5.

Figure 4 and 5:
beam with crack and representation of stiffness of crack location by a torsion spring
Using the principles of linear elastic fracture mechanics, its possible to show that stiffness is depend on
the crack size a, cross section dimension b and h of the beam and Youngs Modulus E of material given.

( )

Where,
F(a/h)=F(r)=0.6384 - 1.035 r+ 3.7201 r2- 5.1773 r3+7.553 r4-7.3324 r5+2.4909 r6
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September 19, 2014

CRACK DETECTION IN CANTILEVER BEAMS

A cantilever beam without crack when subjected to a load W at the free end, it will lead to a smooth
deflection curve with deflection at the free end as shown in Fig 3. If the same beam has a crack
at a distance x from the free end, the deflection curve of the segment x of the beam will have an
extra slope as shown in Fig 6

Figure 6
Comparison of deflection of cantilever beams with and without crack

The extra slope that is introduced by crack (explained by assuming a torsion spring at the crack point)
= (M / Kt)

Where M = P x.(at any section at a distance x from free end)

Therefore extra deflections at locations x1, x2 and free end are given respectively by

1c = (x x1)

2c = (x x2)

0 = (x)

By measuring any two increase in deflections and noting their positions from the free end, crack
location x can be determined.
=

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September 19, 2014

CRACK DETECTION IN CANTILEVER BEAMS

APPARATUS REQUIRED
I.

Test Specimen of Material X

Uniform rectangular beam without crack
Uniform rectangular beam with crack

II.

Vernier calliper

III.

Measuring tape (15 m) with spirit level

IV.

6 x100 gm dead weight

V.

2 x C clamp

VI.

2 x Dial gauges with magnetic stand (Least Count 0.01 mm)

VII.

Frame

PROCEDURE
I.

Measure the length, breadth, height of the given test specimen a uniform rectangular beam
without crack.

II.

Find the distances X1, X2 from the free end, these are the points at which we note deflection
using Dial gauge.

III.

Fix one end of beam to frame using C-clamps.(boundary condition of cantilever beam).

IV.

Check horizontality of cantilever using spirit level.

V.

Fix the dial gauge at position X1 ,X2 to measure the deflection.

VI.

Load the cantilever beam in 6 steps (increment of 100gm each)

VII.

Note reading of dial gauge in each step.

VIII.

Calculate Youngs Modulus of beam material using the deflection noted.

IX.

Now repeat the procedure (I-VII) for beam with crack.

X.

Find the value of Kt and distance of crack location from free end using provided equation.

XI.

Find the crack length using equation given by the principles of linear elastic fracture mechanics.

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September 19, 2014

CRACK DETECTION IN CANTILEVER BEAMS

CALCULATIONS:

L=length of beam= 968 mm.

b=width of beam= 10mm
h=height of beam= 25+8*0.02=25.16mm
x1=70mm
x2=220mm
I=area moment of inertia of beam=13272.43mm4
Table-1
S.No
Grams

01
02
03
04

Load
Newtons

200
300
400
500

1.962
2.943
3.924
4.905

Beam without crack

Deflection Deflection
at
at
x1=70mm x2=220mm
44
34
98
79
145
116
207
170

Beam with Crack

Deflection
Deflection
at
at
x1=70mm
x2=220mm
65
48
122
95
177
137
226
183

A) To Find Youngs modulus (E) of beam- Use the relation of deflection of beam
Taking P=0.5*9.81=4.905N
x1=70 mm

1 =207*0.01=2.07 mm

x2=220 mm

2 =170*0.01=1.70 mm

E x1 = (P/(I* 1))*(((x1^3)/6)-0.5*(L^2* x1)+(L^3)/3)=48.13GPa

E x2=(P/(I* 2))*(((x2^3)/6)-0.5*(L ^2* x2)+(L^3)/3)=43.70GPa
E= (E x1+ E x2)/2=45.91GPa
B) Calculation for x
P=0.4*9.81
1c / 2c = ( x x1) /( x x2) = (x-70)/(x-220)=32/21
x =506.37 mm
C) Calculation for
1c = (x x1)
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CRACK DETECTION IN CANTILEVER BEAMS

32*0.01 = (506.37-70)
=0.000733 radians
We know,
Kt =P x/
=2710772.01 N mm/radians
Crack length using equation given by the principles of linear elastic fracture mechanics
K =(

2 )/72( /)2 ( /)

( /)2 ( /) == 0.47
Now, F(a/h) = F (r) = 0.6384 -1.035 r + 3.7201r2 - 5.1773 r3 + 7.553 r4 - 7.3324 r5 + 2.4909 r6,
r = a/h
Selecting real roots from obtained results (r=a/h) = 0.7426
a = 0.7426h =0.7426*25.16 = 18.68 mm
Error in crack size
=(18.68-15)*100/15 =14.64%
Error in crack position
=(506.36-520)*100/520=2.62%
MATLAB PROGRAM FOR FINDING CRACK SIZE:
clc
clearall
cleardata
x1=70;
x2=220;
a_measured=15;
l=968;
b=10;
h=25.16;
I=b*h^3/12 ;
I
a=15;
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CRACK DETECTION IN CANTILEVER BEAMS

for i=1:1:4
P=input('\n Load applied at the end :');
y1=input('\n deflection of point 1 without crack:');
y2=input('\n deflection of point 2 without crack :');
y1c=input('\n deflection of point 1 with crack :');
y2c=input('\n deflection of point 2 with crack :');
delta1=y1c-y1;
delta2=y2c-y2;
x=(delta2*x1-delta1*x2)/(delta2-delta1);
x
theta = delta1/(x-x1);
Kt= (P*x)/theta;
Kt
% Young's modulus calculation %
E1=(P/(I*y1))*(((x1^3)/6)-0.5*(l^2*x1)+(l^3)/3);
E2=(P/(I*y2))*(((x2^3)/6)-0.5*(l^2*x2)+(l^3)/3);
E=(E1+E2)/2
C=(E*b*h^2)/(72*3.142*Kt);
p=[2.4909 -7.3324 7.553 -5.1773 3.7201 -1.035 0.6384 0 -C];
r=roots(p)
r=input('\n enter r=')
a=r*h;
a
errorpercentage =(a-a_measured)*100/h
errorpercentageinlocationofcrack=(520-x)*100/520
end

OUTPUT

I=
1.3272e+004
Load applied at the end :3.924
deflection of point 1 without crack:1.45
deflection of point 2 without crack :1.16
deflection of point 1 with crack :1.77
deflection of point 2 with crack :1.37
x=
506.3636
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CRACK DETECTION IN CANTILEVER BEAMS

Kt =
2.7095e+006
E=
45910

r=
1.3657 + 0.1909i
1.3657 - 0.1909i
0.7426
0.2174 + 0.7804i
0.2174 - 0.7804i
-0.2675 + 0.6373i
-0.2675 - 0.6373i
-0.4300
enter r=.7426
r=
0.7426
a=
18.6838
errorpercentage =
14.6416
errorpercentageinlocationofcrack =
2.6224
Table 2- Calculated Values for loads and crack lengths by Matlab Program
Sr. No.

Load
(gram)

Crack
size(mm)

%Error in
Crack size

Location of
crack (mm)

%Error in
location of
crack

1
2
3
4

200
300
400
500

20.46
18.25
18.68
19.5

21
12.93
14.64
17.8

520
520
506.36
477.14

0
0
2.62
8.24

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Rotational
spring
stiffness (Nm/rad)
2186.2
2869.4
2709.5
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September 19, 2014

CRACK DETECTION IN CANTILEVER BEAMS

Load vs Crack size

21
20.5
20

Crack Size (mm)

19.5
19

18.5
18

17.5
17
1.962

2.943

LOAD (N)

3.924

4.905

Conclusion1. Deflection in cantilever beam is maximum at the free end.

2. Due to Crack the value of deflection at the point is found to be greater than the crack free beam.
3. Value of slope remains constant in the both beams till the crack position from the fixed end. However
this slope increases in the cracked beam after the position of the crack till the free end.
4. The Mode of crack propagation is Mode I that is opening of crack due to tensile load.
5. The region of crack can be replaced by a torsional spring of the stiffness Kt.
6. Crack size should increase with increase in the bending load as there is increase in the value of tensile
stress on crack. However we got the variation a bit different from ideal due to following sources of
errorsi) Error in clamping of the cantilever beam.
ii) Error in mounting of dial gauges.
iii) Presence of residual stresses in beam.
REFERENCES
1. S.P. Timoshenko/ D.H.Young, Elements of Strength of Materials, 5th Edition 2012
2. W.M. Ostachowicz and M. Krawczuk, Analysis of the effect of a crack on the natural frequencies of a
cantilever beam, Journal of Sound and Vibration, Vol.150(2), 191-201, 1991.
3. B.P. Nandwana and S.K. Maiti, Detection of location and size of a crack in stepped cantilever beam
based on natural frequencies, Journal of Sound and Vibration, Vol.203(3), 435-446. 1997.
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CRACK DETECTION IN CANTILEVER BEAMS

EXPERIMENT CONDUCTED BY GROUP 1

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