Faculty of Engineering

Mechatronics Systems Engineering Program

MSE 355 – Sensors, Measurements, and Data Acquisition System
Fall 2023

Tutorial 5
1. A strain gauge is made in the form of a simple round platinum-iridium wire of length 1 m and
diameter 0.1 mm, used to sense strain on an antenna mast due to wind loading. Calculate the change
in resistance of the sensor for 0.1% strain.

2. A strain gauge and bridge circuit are used to measure the tension force in a bar of steel that has a
cross-sectional area of 13 cm2 . The strain gauge has a nominal resistance of 120 Ω and a gauge factor
of 2. The bridge is supplied with 10 V. When the bar is unloaded, the bridge is balanced so the output
is 0 V. Then force is applied to the bar, and the bridge voltage goes to 0.0005 V. Find the force on
the bar.

3. A wire–bonded strain gauge is made with platinum. It has a temperature coefficient of resistance α
= 0.00385 Ω◦ C and a gauge factor 10. Also, it has a nominal resistance 350 Ω at 20◦ C. The sensor is
exposed to temperature variation between −100 and 400◦ C.

(a) Calculate the maximum resistance expected for a maximum strain of 1%.
(b) Calculate the change in resistance due to temperature and the maximum error due to temperature
changes.
(c) Design a bridge circuit to compensate the temperature effect.
(d) Find the output of the bridge with a reference voltage of 10 V for the range (0 to 1% strain).