ME2113-1

DEFLECTION AND BENDING STRESSES IN BEAMS

(EA-02-21)

SEMESTER 3
2011/2012

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

ME21131 Deflection and Bending Stresses in Beams

2011

Contents
Objective ................................................................................................................................................................ 2
Sample Calculations .............................................................................................................................................. 2
Calculation of Young's Modulus ........................................................................................................................ 2
Calculation of Poisson's Ratio ............................................................................................................................ 2
Slope of the Graph .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Bend Moment Magnitude at Strain gauge location ............................................................................................ 3
Theoretical Magnitude of Longitudinal Stresses ................................................................................................ 3
Experimental Magnitude of Longitudinal Stresses ............................................................................................. 3
Results.................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Table 1 ................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Table 2 ................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Graph 1 ............................................................................................................................................................... 5
Graph 2 ............................................................................................................................................................... 6
Graph 3 ............................................................................................................................................................... 7
Graph 4 ............................................................................................................................................................... 8
Handgrip Force ................................................................................................................................................... 9
Discussion .............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................... 10

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ME21131 Deflection and Bending Stresses in Beams

2011

Objective
The objective of this experiment to correlate beam theory with an actual demonstration of loading a beam
differently and examining the resulting stress and final deflection of the beam as a result of the loads. From the
measurement of stresses and deflection values, students are supposed to calculate the resulting Young's Modulus
and Poisson's ratio of the beam material. Both the magnitude and signs of the strains and stress in the beam are
investigated about their correlation with one another with the use of beam theory.

Sample Calculations
Calculation of Young's Modulus
LinearLeastSquaresFitsofLoadPagainstverticaldeflection
5.856467896
0.028426

0.03309476

0.053828

0.999872282

0.057973

P(g)

()VL(mm)

P(N)

250

2.4525

L(whereloadP
isapplied)
b
h

L
0.37

U
0.45

A
0.41

250 mm
25.6 mm
6.06 mm
474.7627008 mm4

Izz

Young' s Modulus, E

P
L3

VL 3I zz

250 3
2.4525

0.41
3474.7627

65621.67912 MPa
65.62167912 GPa

Calculation of Poisson's Ratio

zz1
1.5E05

xx1

zz2

xx2

4.45E05 0.000008 2.3E05

Poisson' s Ratio,
-

zz
xx

- 1.5E - 05
0.000008
or 4.45E - 05
- 2.3E - 05

0.337079

or

0.347826

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ME21131 Deflection and Bending Stresses in Beams

2011

Slope of the Graph

P(N)
2.4525

xx1
4.45E05

9.81

0.000183

Slope of the Graph

P1 P2
( xx1 )1 ( xx1 ) 2

9.81
( 4.452E.4525
05 ) 0.000183

53315.21739N

Bend Moment Magnitude at Strain gauge location

P(N)

d1

L(mm)

2.4525

50

250

M xz P(L - x)
2.4525(250 - 50)
-0.4905 Nm

Theoretical Magnitude of Longitudinal Stresses

Mxz(Nm)atx=50mm
b
h
Izz

xx(y-h/2)

0.4905
25.6
6.06

Nm
mm
mm

474.7627 mm4

M xz h
( )
I zz
2

0.4905 6.06

1000
474
.7627 2

3.13043758 MPa

Experimental Magnitude of Longitudinal Stresses

E
xx1

65.62167912
0.0000445

xx E xx
65.62167912 0.0000445
2.920164721 MPa

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ME21131 Deflection and Bending Stresses in Beams

2011

Results
Table 1
P(g)
250
500
750
1000
1250
1500

P(N)
2.4525
4.905
7.3575
9.81
12.2625
14.715

AxialStrain

()VL(mm)
L
0.37
0.79
1.25
1.67
2.06
2.51

U
0.45
0.87
1.27
1.69
2.09
2.51

A
0.41
0.83
1.26
1.68
2.075
2.51

L
42
86
137
182
226
272

xx1()+
U
A
47
44.5
91
88.5
136
136.5
183
182.5
225
225.5
272
272

L
22
46
67
91
113
134

xx2()
U
24
48
69
91
113
134

A
23
47
68
91
113
134

L
14
29
43
59
72
88

TransverseStrain
zz1()
zz2()+
U
A
L
U
16
15
8
8
30
29.5
16
16
44
43.5
22
22
59
59
29
29
72
72
36
36
88
88
43
43

A
8
16
22
29
36
43

Table 2
P(g)

P(N)

250 2.4525
500
4.905
750 7.3575
1000
9.81
1250 12.2625
1500 14.715

Mxz(Nm)
atx=
50mm
0.4905
0.981
1.4715
1.962
2.4525
2.943

Mxz(Nm)
atx=
150mm
0.24525
0.4905
0.73575
0.981
1.22625
1.4715

Theoretical
xx1(Mpa)
atx=
50mm
3.13043758
6.26087516
9.39131274
12.5217503
15.6521879
18.7826255

xx2(Mpa)
atx=
150mm
1.56521879
3.13043758
4.69565637
6.26087516
7.82609395
9.39131274

Experimental
xx1(Mpa)
atx=
50mm
2.92016472
5.8075186
8.9573592
11.9759564
14.7976886
17.8490967

xx2(Mpa)
atx=
150mm
1.50929862
3.08421892
4.46227418
5.9715728
7.41524974
8.793305

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ME21131 Deflection and Bending Stresses in Beams

2011

Graph 1

GraphofLoadPagainstverticaldeflection
16
y=5.8565x+0.0284

14
12

LoadP(N)

10
8

Series1
Linear(Series1)

6
4
2
0
0

0.5

1.5

2.5

VerticalDeflection, (mm)

LinearLeastSquaresFitsofLoadPagainstverticaldeflection
5.856467896
0.028426

0.03309476

0.053828

0.999872282

0.057973

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ME21131 Deflection and Bending Stresses in Beams

2011

Graph 2

Graphofzz1 againstxx1 &zz2 againstxx2

0.00006
0.00004
0.00002
y=0.3119x+9E07
0
0.00015

0.0001

0.00005

zz

0.0002

0.00005

0.0001

0.00015

0.0002

0.00025

0.0003

zz1againstxx1
zz2againstxx2

0.00002

Linear(zz1againstxx1)
0.00004

Linear(zz2againstxx2)

0.00006
0.00008
y=0.3186x 8E07
0.0001

xx

LinearLeastSquaresFitsofzz1againstxx1
m
0.318573
7.5254E07
c

LinearLeastSquaresFitsofzz2againstxx2
m
0.311861
9.25705E07
c

0.003288

5.79899E07

0.003421

3.00697E07

r2

0.999574

6.26763E07

r2

0.999519

3.17307E07

1=

0.318573

2=

0.311861
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ME21131 Deflection and Bending Stresses in Beams

2011

Graph 3

GraphofPagainstxx1
16
y=53824x+0.0661
14
12

LoadP(N)

10
8

Series1
Linear(Series1)

6
4
2
0
0

0.00005

0.0001

0.00015

0.0002

0.00025

0.0003

xx1

LinearLeastSquaresFitsofPagainstxx1
m
53823.94
0.066111
c
m

358.434

0.063208

r2

0.999823

0.068316

y
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ME21131 Deflection and Bending Stresses in Beams

2011

Graph 4

GraphofMaximumLongitudinalStressxxagainstlocationalongabeamx
25
MaximumLongitudinalStressxx(MPa)

Theoretical1
20

Theoretical2

15

Theoretical3

10

Theoretical4
Theoretical5

Theoretical6

0
5

50

100

150

200

300

350

Experimental1
Experimental2
Experimental3

10

Experimental4

15
20

250

Experimental5
Locationalongthebeam(mm)

Experimental6

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ME21131 Deflection and Bending Stresses in Beams

2011

Handgrip Force
xx1hand=
m=
c=

1.18E03
53823.9
0.06611

P m xx1hand c
( 53823.9 1.18E - 03) 0.06611
6.35 E 1 N

Discussion
1.

Comment on the signs of the strains (xx1, zz1, xx2 and zz2) with respect to the location
and orientation of the strain gauges and how the beam is loaded.

Sign Conventions
+ve - Tensile Stress
-ve - Compressive Stress
+ve Stresses xx1 & zz2
- ve Stresses xx2 & zz1
xx1 & zz1 Top part of the beam
xx2 & zz2 Bottom part of the beam

Hence, xx1 & zz2experiences tensile stress as a result of loading while xx2 & zz1
experiences compressive stress due to loading. As strains on the longitudinal axis can
be visually observed experiencing the tensile stresses on the top and compressive
stresses at the bottom, strains in zz directions could be characterized by formulas zz1=
-vxx1 & zz2=- vxx2 as the resultant stresses due to loading. (This is due to relative
small magnitude of experienced stresses (about 1/3 strain) as compared to strains in
the xx direction.)
2.

With reference to Graph 4, comment on the slopes of the six theoretical lines and also
on how stress varies with beam location.
As applied force P/longitudinal stress xx1 gradient
As x increases, xx1tendsto 0 independent of Load P at x=250mm. On the other hand,
as x increases xx1increases.Thismeans the fixed end of the beam experience the
highest longitudinal stress while the free end experience no stresses theoretically.

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ME21131 Deflection and Bending Stresses in Beams

3.

2011

Comment on the accuracy of your handgrip force.

The gripper force is assumed by calculations to be exactly perpendicular to the bottom
surface of the beam May not be true
Handgrip Force is postulated from data derive experimentally experimental errors
However, as the error is not significant which can be shown by comparing the
theoretical and experimental results, we can conclude that the handgrip force
evaluated is accurate.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the application of beam theory has been studied and examined in this
experiment.
Youngs Modulus and Poissons Ratio of the material used in this experiment are 65.6GPa
and 0.34 respectively. Lastly, the magnitudes and signs of the strains and stresses at two
locations along the cantilever beam has been investigated.

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