PORTAL FRAME (2)

Objective
To prove the theorem of superposition

Apparatus
The apparatus comprise of:
1. Support Frame
2. Portal frame
3. Dial Ggauge
4. Venier caliper
5. Ruler / tape measure
6. 1 set of load

Procedure
Please refer to appendix for experimental setup
Load Case 1
1. Fixed a hanger clip on the vertical member of the portal frame at a predetermine
location.
2. Attach a pulley to the vertical member of the support frame at the same level as
the hanger clip.
3. Tie a cord to the clip hanger and pass it over the pulley.
4. Hang a load hanger at the end of the cord to allow horizontal load to be applied
to the portal frame.
5. Set the dial gauge reading to zero.
6. Place a load on the load hanger.
7. Record the dial gauge reading. This represents the horizontal displacement of
the roller support.
8. Increase the load on the load hanger and record the dial gauge reading.
9. Repeat step 8 for another 4 load increments
10. Remove all load from the load hanger.

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 Load Case 2
1. Fixed a load hanger on the horizontal member at the location where the load is
to be applied
2. Repeat step 5 to 9 above.

Load Case 3
1. Fixed a load hanger at location as in load case 1 and another load hanger at
location as in load case 2.
2. Repeat step 5 to 9 above. Apply loads similar to load case 1 and 2
simultaneously to both hangers

Results
Width of member =25 mm
Thickness of member =0.9 mm
Second moment of area, I =1518.75 mm^4
Dial gauge reading, 1 div = 0.01 mm

Table 1 : Load Case 1

Horizontal Displacement Of Roller
Load
W1 Experimental Theoretical
N div mm mm
2 84 0.84 1
4 162 1.62 2
6 262 2.62 3
8 363 3.63 4
10 451 4.51 5
12 553 5.53 6

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Table 2 – Load Case 2
Load Horizontal Displacement Of Roller
W2 Experimental Theoretical
N div mm mm
2 5 0.05 0.15
4 21 0.21 0.3
6 34 0.34 0.45
8 59 0.59 0.6
10 76 0.76 0.75
12 82 0.82 0.9

Table3 –Load Case3

Load Horizontal Displacement Of Roller
W1 + W 2 Experimental Theoretical
N div mm mm
4 94 0.94 1.15
8 211 2.11 2.3
12 322 3.22 3.45
16 436 4.36 4.6
20 547.5 5.475 5.75
24 655.5 6.555 6.9

Table 4
Load Horizontal Displacement Of Roller
W 1 + W2
Experimental Theoretical
Case 1 + Case 2 Case 3 Case 3
N mm mm mm
4 0.89 0.94 1.15
8 1.83 2.11 2.3
12 2.96 3.22 3.45
16 4.22 4.36 4.6
20 5.27 5.475 5.75
24 6.35 6.555 6.9

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SAMPLE CALCULATION

Load Case 1 Theoretical

Displacement = 0.5W1 = 0.5 x 2 = 1mm

Load Case 2 Theoretical

Displacement = 0.075W2 = 0.075 x 2 = 0.15mm

Load Case 3 Theoretical

Displacement = 0.5W1 + 0.075W2 = (0.5 X 2) + (0.075 x 2) = 1.15

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1. Draw the shape of the portal frame under test and give the important
dimensions. Indicate the positions where the frame is loaded.
2. Using the data in the Table 4, draw the graph of load verses displacement at the
roller support for load case 3 and the combined load case 1 and load case 2.
Draw the best fit curve through the plotted points

Conclusion
1. Base on the graphs, draw a conclusion on the theorem of superposition.
2. State the factors that could influence the results of this experiment.

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Load Case 1
1

Load Case 2
2

Load Case 3