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APPLIED MECHANICS

Strain Measurement of
Cantilever Beam
FACULTY OF ENGINEERING & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(Sep-Dec 2015)

Introduction:
Strain gauges are used in many systems as sensors to measure
forces, moments, and the deformations of structures and materials. This
experiment deals with measuring the strain in a cantilever beam through
the use of four resistance strain gages; two mounted on top of the beam
and two mounted below. A static load will be incremented at different
locations along the beam to produce measurable strains.

Beam Data:
L= 21 cm
l = 23 cm
b = 2.484 cm
t = 0.312 cm

We are going to use the following equations in order to find:


Bending stress,

, at distance y from the neutral axis of the beam is

given by
=

My
I

(Equation 1)

Where;

M = bending moment, N.mm

Y = distance from the neutral axis, mm


I

= second moment of area m4

Since the Elastic modulus, E =

, so

=E x

(Equation 2)

Where,

= strain

Substitute Equation (2) into equation (1), therefore


M = x

EI
y

Results and Discussion:


M=Fd
M-Fd=0
When force is 5N, the formula
M + 11505 x=0

M =5 x1150
When a force of 10N is used the formula is
M =10 x2300

When a force of 15N is used the formula is:


M =153450

(Equation 3)

Apply the same concept to the other forces.


M =(5 x 22)1150=1040

M =(10 x 22)2300=2080
M =(15 x 22)3450=3120

M =(20 x 22)4600=4160
M =(25 x 22)5750=5200

When a force of 5N is used the strain is found using the method below:
I= second moment of inertia of area

I=

bh 3
12

1
x 24.84 x 3.123 =62.87
12

My 1040 x 1.56
=
I
62.87

mm4

= 25.81

stress

25.81
= =
=1.291 E10
elastic modulus E 200 x 109

When a force 10N is used the strain is found using the method below:

I=

bh 3
12

1
3
x 24.84 x 3.12 =62.87
12

My 2080 x 1.56
=
I
62.87

mm4

= 51.62

stress

51.62
= =
=2.581 E10
elastic modulus E 200 x 109

Repeat the same steps for the remaining results.


For a force of 15N = 3.87x10-10
For a force of 20N = 5.162 x10-10

For a force of 25N= 6.453 x10-10


Data for tension and compression
Note: AVTI = average tension for initial value (load 0N)
AVT = average tension value during loading

Initial (0N)
0:16:3
3
0:16:3
4
0:16:3
6
0:16:3
8
0:16:4
0
0:16:4
2
0:16:4
4
0:16:4
6
0:16:4
8
0:16:5
0
0:16:5
2
0:16:5
4
0:16:5
6
0:16:5
8
0:17:0
0
0:17:0
2
Avg :

-5.44
-5.44
-5.44
-5.44
-5.45
-5.44
-5.44
-5.44
-5.44
-5.44
-5.44
-5.44
-5.44
-5.44
-5.45
-5.44
5.4412
5

14.4
4
14.4
4
14.4
4
14.4
4
14.4
4
14.4
4
14.4
4
14.4
4
14.4
4
14.4
5
14.4
4
14.4
4
14.4
5
14.4
4
14.4
4
14.4
4

Force 5N
0:18:0
6
0:18:0
8
0:18:1
0
0:18:1
2
0:18:1
4
0:18:1
6
0:18:1
8
0:18:2
0
0:18:2
2
0:18:2
4
0:18:2
6
0:18:2
8
0:18:3
0
0:18:3
2
0:18:3
4
Avg :

Force 10N

-5.22
-5.22
-5.22
-5.22
-5.22
-5.21
-5.22
-5.22
-5.22
-5.22
-5.22
-5.22
-5.22
-5.22
-5.22
5.2193
3

14.6
5
14.6
6
14.6
6
14.6
6
14.6
6
14.6
6
14.6
6
14.6
6
14.6
5
14.6
6
14.6
6
14.6
6
14.6
6
14.6
6
14.6
6

0:19:2
1
0:19:2
3
0:19:2
5
0:19:2
7
0:19:2
9
0:19:3
1
0:19:3
3
0:19:3
5
0:19:3
7
0:19:3
9
0:19:4
1
0:19:4
3
0:19:4
5
0:19:4
7
Avg :

-5
-5
-5
-5
-4.99
-4.99
-4.99
-5
-5
-5
-5
-5
-5
-4.99

14.8
7
14.8
7
14.8
7
14.8
7
14.8
7
14.8
7
14.8
7
14.8
7
14.8
7
14.8
8
14.8
7
14.8
7
14.8
7
14.8
7

4.997
14

Force 15N
0:20:3
7
0:20:3
9
0:20:4
1
0:20:4

-4.77
-4.77
-4.77
-4.77

15.0
8
15.0
8
15.0
8
15.0

3
0:20:4
5
0:20:4
7
0:20:4
9
0:20:5
1
0:20:5
3
0:20:5
5
0:20:5
7
0:20:5
9
Avg:

-4.77
-4.77
-4.77
-4.77
-4.78
-4.77
-4.77
-4.77

8
15.0
8
15.0
8
15.0
8
15.0
8
15.0
8
15.0
8
15.0
8
15.0
8

4.770
83

Force 20N
0:21:3
2
0:21:3
3
0:21:3
5
0:21:3
7
0:21:3
9
0:21:4
1
0:21:4
3
0:21:4
5
0:21:4
7
0:21:4
9
0:21:5
1
0:21:5

-4.54 15.3
-4.54 15.3
-4.54 15.3
-4.55 15.3
-4.54

15.2
9

-4.54 15.3
-4.54 15.3
-4.54 15.3
-4.54 15.3
-4.54 15.3
-4.55 15.3
-4.54 15.2

3
0:21:5
5
Avg :

9
15.2
-4.54
9
4.5415
4

Force 25N
0:22:1
9
0:22:2
1
0:22:2
3
0:22:2
5
0:22:2
7
0:22:2
9
0:22:3
1
0:22:3
3
0:22:3
5
0:22:3
7
0:22:3
9
0:22:4
1

-4.31
-4.31
-4.31
-4.31
-4.32
-4.31
-4.32
-4.31
-4.32
-4.31
-4.32
-4.32

4.3141
Avg : 7

15.5
1
15.5
1
15.5
1
15.5
1
15.5
1
15.5
1
15.5
1
15.5
1
15.5
1
15.5
1
15.5
1
15.5
2

Loading
Number
0
1
2
3
4
5

Load(N)

Distance from
support L(mm)

Bending
moment at XX(N-mm)

0
5
10
15
20
25

230
230
230
230
230
230

0
1150
2300
3450
4600
5750

Bending Moment(Nmm)

Theoretical
Strain(micro
strain)

Experimental
Strain
(micro strain)

1150

129

76

Percent
age
Error
(%)
41.1

2300

258

156

39.5

3450

387

234

39.5

4600

516

309

40.1

5750

645

386

40.1

7000
6000
5000
4000
Bending moment (N-mm)

3000

Y-Values
Linear (Y-Values)

2000
1000
0
0

200 400

600

experimental strain (microstrain)

7000
6000
5000
4000
Bending moment (N-mm)

Y-Values

3000

Linear (Y-Values)
2000
1000
0
0

200 400 600 800

Theoretical strain (microstrain)

Calculations:
Second moment of area of the steel beam I is;

I=

bh 3
12

1
x 24.84 x 3.123 =62.87
12

mm4

Then from the experimental graph, the young modulus of the steel is
determined by;
m=

So,

y 2 y 1 57501150
=
=14.84
x 2x 1
38676
M EI
=

14.84=

E x 62.87 mm4
1.56

E=

23.15
=0.3682
62.87
The relation between stress and the bending moment is directly
proportional because we had a linear graph. It is shown that the
position of the load affects the magnitude of the strain. This is
because difference in distance between the load and the strain
gauge, the longer the distance, the bigger the strain. The increase in
distance leads to an increase in the bending moment.
Based on the calculated result of experimental and theoretical value,
there is a 39-41% percentage of error, this quite a huge mistake.
This might be as a result of the change in the temperature of the
wire. Changes in temperature lead to the thermal expansion of the
wire as the strain gauge is left on for some time. It will make the
thermal sensitivity error. The errors could be minimized using a halfbridge or a full bridge configuration. With all stain gauges in the
bridge at the same temperature, any change in temperature affects
the gauges at the same ratio. Because of the temperature changes
is similar for all of the gauges, both the ratio of their change in
resistance and their output voltage didnt change.

In conclusion:

We get greater strain when we apply greater force. But there was an
error due to the temperature difference. It tells us that temperature
plays an important part in affecting the result which can be avoided
next time.

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