NAME:-BHALALA DHRUV M. BATCH:-B3 E.

N:-200280109518

Experiment No: - 4

Aim: - To understand the working principle of strain gauge.

 Pre-Test Question:-

Simulation:-
Level-1 Measurement:-
NAME:-BHALALA DHRUV M. BATCH:-B3 E.N:-200280109518

Graph: -Weight vs output:-

Level: -2Effect of position:-

NAME:-BHALALA DHRUV M. BATCH:-B3 E.N:-200280109518

Graph: -Position vs output:-

Level: -3Effect of temperature:-

NAME:-BHALALA DHRUV M. BATCH:-B3 E.N:-200280109518

Graph: -Temperature vs Rg:-

POST TEST QUESTION: -

NAME:-BHALALA DHRUV M. BATCH:-B3 E.N:-200280109518

Review Question
Que.1) Explain the Effect of the Temperature on strain gauge and means to
reduce the same?
 Ans:
Temperature adversely impacts strain measurements in many ways, though
three are of primary concern.
The device or object studied will almost always have a non-zero
coefficient of thermal expansion. Unless compensated for, changes in
temperature will cause the item to which the strain gauge is attached to
expand or contract, which is then indicated as a change in strain.
The materials of the strain gauge itself have a non-zero coefficient of
thermal expansion. Changes in temperature will cause the strain gauge
itself to expand or contract, independent of any strain in the part to which
it is attached.
The wiring and the strain gauge itself will have a non-zero Temperature
Coefficient of Resistance. That is, as the temperature changes, the
resistance of the strain gauge and connecting wires will change
independently of any change in strain. (For example, copper wire
resistance changes at approximately 3,900 ppm per °C (.393% /°C).)

Que.2) What is the Guage Factor? What is its Significance?

 Ans:
Gauge Factor: -
GaugeFactorisdefinedastheratioofperunitchangeinresistancetotheperunitchangei
nlength.Thiscanbemathematicallywrittenas,
 Gf=(ΔR/R)/(ΔL/L)
Where
ΔR/R=Perunitchangeinresistance
ΔL/L=Perunitchangeinlength
Gf=Gauge Factor
Significance of Gauge Factor: -
 In general, the gauge factor of electrical strain gauges depends on the
material and varies around 2.0
 A high gauge factor increases the output signal on the Wheatstone bridge;
a low gauge factor reduces the signal:

 If a wrong gauge factor is set by the software, the strain measurement

won’t be precise as a consequence.
NAME:-BHALALA DHRUV M. BATCH:-B3 E.N:-200280109518

Que.3) What is different bonding material that can be used with strain
guage?

 Ans:
Bonding materials are also called Adhesives are used to secure the strain gage to
the workpiece.
 Select Cyanoacrylate cement (e.g., Eastman 910 SL), if
 Applications are needed as soon as possible, ~10 min after bonding. (A
gentle clamping pressure is needed for the first 1 to 2 minute.)
 Applications do NOT last a long period of time (months).
 One does not know what else to choose.
 Select epoxy, if
 Higher bond strength is desired.
 Higher strains at failure need to be measured.
 A clamping pressure, 350 kPa (50 psi) for thin bond lines is used. A
clamping pressure of 35-140 kPa (5-20 psi) in general, can be applied
during the curing process.
 Sufficient time is available to complete the curing process. A temperature
of 120°C/250°F is applied for several hours to complete polymerization.
 Select ceramic cement (e.g., NBS-x-142, flame-spray BLH-H rod), if
 High temperature environment, up to 980°C/1800°F is expected.
 Select cellulose nitrate cement (e.g., Duco, SR-4), if
 Paper backed strain gages are used.
 Temperature of 54°C/130°F, usually by blowing warm air, can be applied
for curing and removing solvents.
 The environment is fairly dry i.e., no water or high moisture is present.

4. What are the various problems associated with load measurement using
strain gauge?

Ans:
Low-Quality Manufacturing or Construction
 Small mechanical changes within the strain gauge are responsible for
changes in voltage, which creates the reading on the scale.
 Temperature Changes
 Temperature changes effects the conductivity of metals, which will change
the output of the strain gauge. Once the load cells are built, they need to
be tested at different temperatures in order to ascertain their drift with
temperature. When the traditional strain gauge is needed to measure
particularly small amounts, temperature changes can be especially
problematic. Thermistors installed prior to the final test and calibration
stage will reduce the temperature effect.
 Wrong Type of Load Cell
 There are many types of load cells using traditional, strain gauge
technology, and certain types are better suited to certain applications.
Capacitive load cells, which use changes in capacitance instead of
NAME:-BHALALA DHRUV M. BATCH:-B3 E.N:-200280109518

resistivity, can also be used in many different applications. Finding the

right load cell for your application can make significant differences in
accuracy, longevity and efficiency.
 Exceeded Sensitivity
 Smaller, more precise strain gauge load cells are much more delicate than
their larger counterparts. The nature of strain gauge technology requires
that the strain gauge be much smaller, and its components more delicate,
to be more accurate. This makes the strain gauge and the load cell much
more susceptible to disruption from physical impacts, electromagnetic
interference, dust, temperature changes, and other issues. More frequent
calibration of traditional load cells can help them to maintain their
accuracy. Capacitive load cells can also be used in lieu of strain gauges for
these applications.
 Improperly Sealed
 If your traditional load cell must operate around water, dust, or other
debris, it must be hermetically sealed. For traditional strain gauge load
cells, hermetic sealing raises the price significantly, and some scale dealers
may cut cornersin this area. If your traditional strain gauge is
significantly cheaper than other comparable models, it might not be
properly sealed.

5. Explain the different types of strain gauges based on its construction?

Ans:
Linear Strain Gauge
 A linear strain gauge is used to record strain in the direction in which its
measuring grid is aligned. It is typically mounted in the direction of the
main force, for which the direction of the force must be known. This
geometry of strain gauge is preferred when measurements are to be
performed in one direction only. For instance, in applications such as
aircraft component testing, medical device and equipment manufacturing,
linear strain gauges can be positioned to measure bending, axial and
torsion strain. The linear strain gauge pattern can also be used in S-Beam,
binocular, reverse bending and dual beam load cell and pressure
transducer designs.
 A double-linear strain gauge is an enhanced version of a linear strain
gauge with two linear measuring grids arranged parallel to each other.
This type of configuration is mainly designed for applications where
double-sided strain measurements are required, for instance, to record the
bending load of a bending beam. During such measurements, four active
strain gauges are used in the Wheatstone bridge circuit.
 Shear Strain Gauge
 A shear strain gauge consists of two measuring grids arranged at an angle
of 45° to the strain gauge axis and 90° to each other. It is mainly used to
measure torque in a rotating object that includes measurements on torsion
bars and determining shear stresses as they occur in shear beams in the
NAME:-BHALALA DHRUV M. BATCH:-B3 E.N:-200280109518

area of neutral fibres. They are used in the construction of torque

transducers or shear force transducers.
 Rosette Strain Gauge
 Rosettes with 2 and 3 measuring grids are widely used in various
applications. A T-rosette strain gauge has two measuring grids arranged
on a carrier perpendicular to each other, whereas the 3-grid geometry has
3 measuring grids spaced at different angles. These multiple strain gauge
configurations are suitable for applications where biaxial stress state is to
be determined with unknown principal directions based on magnitude and
direction. Using a rosette strain gauge allows for different directional
strain measurements which provides a more accurate evaluation of the
surface strain to be measured. It is mainly preferred for strain
measurement in tensile or compression bars.
 Chain Strain Gauge
 A strain gauge chain consists of a series of 10-15 very small evenly spaced
grids sharing the same carrier. This type of configuration is ideal for
measuring strain gradient i.e., the stress curve over a specific section or the
shift in the peak value due to the impact of load being introduced at a
moving point. The design of chain strain gauges includes measuring grid in
parallel or perpendicular direction to the longitudinal chain axis.
 Full-bridge Strain Gauge
 A full-bridge strain gauge is composed of four measurement grids that are
switched to a Wheatstone full bridge. Each measuring grid is offset to the
next grid at an angle of 90°. Its common applications include
measurements on torsion bars, tension or compression bars and shear
stresses occurring in shear beams around the neutral fibre. The full-bridge
strain gauges are also designed to manufacture precision force transducers
which employ bending beam working principle.