Poisson's Ratio Determined with Strain Rosettes

To enable precise calculation of Poisson's ratio, three-element

rosettes (instead of two-element gages) are used, allowing the determination
of gage-alignment installation error and principal strains

by H. W. Smith and R. E. Chapel

ABSTRACT--Poisson's ratio appears in general stress- p r o c e d u r e for d e t e r m i n a t i o n of P o i s s o n ' s ratio. S t r a i n

strain equations and is essential to experimental stress rosettes i n s t a l l e d b a c k - t o - b a c k allow c a l c u l a t i o n of
analysis. A n experimental method using bonded electri-
cal-resistance strain rosettes is described in this paper. g a g e - a l i g n m e n t error, precise v a l u e s of l o n g i t u d i n a l
The standard use of two strain sensing elements at 90 a n d t r a n s v e r s e s t r a i n , a n d P o i s s o n ' s ratio. Experi-
deg was replaced with "rectangular rosettes" installed m e n t a l a n d a n a l y t i c a l details are s h o w n for 2024-
back-to-back. The third strain-sensing element was used T351 sheet m a t e r i a l .
to calculate the gage alignment error and "true" longi-
tudinal and transverse strains. For 2024-T351 sheet
material, an average measured value of 0.312 for Poisson's Theory
ratio was obtained.
F o r a sheet specimen, P o i s s o n ' s r a t i o is defined as
t h e r a t i o of t r a n s v e r s e a n d l o n g i t u d i n a l s t r a i n
List of Symbols slopes, 3
d = derivative symbol det
E = Young's modulus, psi dP
P = load, lb = (i)
e = strain, lb/in. det
0 = angle between principal direction and rosette dP
leg "a"
or concisely, 4
= Poisson's ratio
= stress, psi Et
= -- -- (2)
= electrical resistance, ohm El

Subscripts T h e error of s t r a i n - e l e m e n t a l i g n m e n t i n the p r e s e n t

x, y = Cartesian coordinates m e t h o d (Fig. 1) c a n b e c o m p e n s a t e d w i t h the use of
t, l = transverse, longitudinal a s t r a i n r o s e t t e (Fig. 2).
a, b, c = rosette legs T h e m i s a l i g n m e n t a n g l e b e t w e e n t h e x-axis a n d
1, 2 = principal directions t h e s t r a i n e l e m e n t ~ a " (Fig. 2) m a y be calculated
by the equation 6
Introduction 2eb -- ea - - ec
t a n 20 (3)
W h e n t h e elastic c o n s t a n t s of a m a t e r i a l are k n o w n , ea - - 6c
t h e m e a s u r e d s t r a i n s c a n be used to calculate stresses T h e p r i n c i p a l s t r a i n s are f u r n i s h e d s i m u l t a n e o u s l y
b y a p p l y i n g H o o k e ' s law. 1 T h e n e e d for precise d a t a with the equations,
o n P o i s s o n ' s r a t i o was described b y H i n e s 2 a n d is
confirmed b y t h e existence of a n A S T M specifi- eo + eo + / ( c o - eb) 2 + (eb - - e~) ~
(4)
El,2 ~--- T -- ~ 2
cation. 3
T h e e x p e r i m e n t described i n this p a p e r is a n e w
P o i s s o n ' s r a t i o m a y t h e n be f o u n d f r o m these ""true"
H. W. Smith is Structures Research Manager, The Boeing Company,
v a l u e s of strain,
Wichita Division, Wichita, Kan. R. E. Chapel is Professor, School of E2
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Oklahoma State University, = - - (5)
StiUwater, Okla. El

140 I March 1969

 ttlltt lttttt
i,
tx
STRAIN GAGES a
MISALIGNED I

Z '

I "1
t

Fig. 1--Present method for determining Poisson's ratio Fig. 2--Proposed method for d e t e r m i n i n g Poisson's ratio

Experiment
The tension specimens, described in Fig. 6 of the
A S T M specification on tensile testing, 6 were stan-
dard rectangular 88 gage length. Each specimen
was fitted with a pair of Budd Company* C12-121-
ttttttttttt
R3V rectangular rosettes as shown in Fig. 3.
Strain data were read for six channels of rosette o C12-121-R3V
data on each of three specimens loaded to 2,000-1b 18,0" j G.F. 2.03
load at 250-1b increments. The load was monitored R 120.0 .g
A9-FEJ-20
with a Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton Model U-361 load ~ '. / (TWO PLACES)
cell, a B L H T y p e 225 switch and balance unit, and
a B L H Model N strain indicator. A straight-line
~least-squares" best fit was applied to each rosette
leg. The average correlation coefficient was 0.99994
and did not fall below 0.99982. Typical values of the

I IIFIEFE.E.c
GURE6E
strain slope for each leg were ~a" = 0.62986, '~b" = DETAIL I
0.24346, and "c" = -0.19519. These data were then
used to calculate the gage-alignment error angle, the J INASTME8-65T
principal strains, and Poisson's ratio. Average value
of ~ for 6 gages was 0.312.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Results show t h a t the proposed method for deter-
mining Poisson's ratio will reduce the error due to
gage-installation misalignment. Determination of
Poisson's ratio b y the new method is recommended
for other materials. Larger numbers of specimens
should be used whenever possible to obtain statisti-
cally significant data.
Acknowledgments
This research work was part of a program spon-
sored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research
(Grant No. A F - A F O S R 1153-66).
* Now, Automation Industries, InC.
2024-T351 MATERIAL~ J.--- o.Ioo"
Fig. :I--Tensile-test specimen
Bibliography
1. Timoshenko, S. P., ~Fundamentals of the Theory of Elasticity,"
Appendix I, Handbook for Experimental Stress Analysis, M . Hetdnyi, ed.,
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1013-1034 (1950).
2. Hines, Frank F., "~The Stress-Strain Gage," Proc. First Internat.
Cong. Exper. Mech., B. E. Rossi, ed., Pergamon Press, 248-253 (1963).
3. ~Standard Method for Determination of Poisson's Ratio at Room
Temperature," A S T M , 30, 426-429 (1966).
4. "Determination of Poisson's Ratio," Technical Data Sheet, D-01-23,
Budd Company, Phoenixville, Pa., 1-3 (July 22, 1966).
5. Meier, J . H., ~Strain Rosettes," Handbook for Experimental Stress
Analysis, M . Hetenyi, ed., Ch. 9, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 391-437 (1950).
6. ~Tentatioe Method of Tension Testing of Metallic Materials," A S T M
30, 186-155 (1966).

Experimental Mechanics I 141