Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

STRUCTURES LABORATORY
EXPERIMENT 2

BENDING OF A CANTELEVER BEAM

Done by
Thuniki Shrenith Suhas
(23AE60R01)

Under the guidance of

Prof. Mira Mitra
 BENDING OF A CANTILEVER BEAM

I. Aim:

1) To measure the deflection of a cantilever beam subjected to Bending, using

Strain Gauges and plotting the load vs deflection curve.
2) To verify experimental and theoretical values of Young’s modulus.

II. Apparatus:

1) Cantilever beam with markings of load points.

2) Strain Gauges
3) Weights.

III. Theory:

Due to point load applied on a cantilever beam, it is subjected to transverse

deformation at the free end and a bending moment is generated about the fixed
end. At the fixed end, a counteractive moment is generated to negate this
moment. The bending moment acting on the beam causes tension in the fibers or
planes near to the top surface and compression near the bottom surface. No
deformation occurs at the neutral axis of the beam, which, in most cross-sections,
coincides with the central axis. We assume symmetric bending in this case,
which means that cross-sections that are plane, remain plane after bending as
well. The stress acting on the beam due to Bending moment is given by the
following formula: 𝝈 = (𝐌 ×y)/I - (1) Here M=My and I=Ixx. The moments and
MOIs in the other directions are all zero.
Working Principle of strain gauges:

The electrical resistivity of a material or conductor is completely necessary for a strain

gauge to function. High electrical resistance is produced when an object is stretched up to
the point of its elasticity without breaking or permanently buckling. Electrical resistance is
reduced when an object is compressed and does not deform but instead broadens and
shortens. Understanding the degree of stress created is made easier using the values
discovered after measuring an instrument's electrical resistance. Variation of resistance can
be found by the connecting the gauge to a Wheatstone bridge. A gauge network's input
terminals are used to apply the excitation voltage, while its output terminals are used to
read the output. They typically have a load attached and are expected to hold steady for
longer periods of time, sometimes decades. Two or more gauges positioned closely in a
rosette-like structure to measure the number of components to evaluate precise strain on
the surface are known as strain gauge rosettes. The illustration is shown in the figure below.


IV. Procedure:

1) Measure the dimensions of the beam and the position of the strain gauge.
2) Measure the strain gauges on the beam and connect them to strain indicator in half
bridge mode.
3) Balance the bridge to make the strain indicator ready for strain reading.
4) Apply vertical load in steps and measure the bending strain. Bending stress is the
product of young’s modulus and bending strain or determine stresses theoretically and
plot stress-strain curve to find Young’s modulus.
5) Discuss the discrepancy in the result.

V. Calculation:

Total Length of beam = 50 cm = 0.5 m

Length at loading point, 1 = 0.48m
Length at loading point, 2 = 0.44m
Length at loading point, 3 = 0.4m
Average Width, w = 25.42 mm = 0.02542 m
Thickness, t = 0.00476 m
I = (bxd3)/12 = (0.02542 x 0.004763)/12 = 2.285 x 10-10 m4
y = (t/2) = 0.00238 m

Formula:
M = Load x distance
𝝈 = (𝐌 ×y)/I
Table for Point 1:

Load (gm) Moment (Nm) Stress(MPa) Strain C1 (μƐ) Strain C2 (μƐ) Poisson’s Ratio
0 0.00000 0 0 0 0
50 0.23500 2.412215046 11 30 0.366666667
100 0.47000 4.824430093 20 60 0.333333333
150 0.70500 7.236645139 30 92 0.326086957
200 0.94000 9.648860186 41 122 0.336065574
250 1.17500 12.06107523 51 152 0.335526316
300 1.41000 14.47329028 62 184 0.336956522
350 1.64500 16.88550532 72 214 0.336448598
400 1.88000 19.29772037 82 245 0.334693878
450 2.11500 21.70993542 93 275 0.338181818
500 2.35000 24.12215046 103 306 0.336601307
Unload (gm) Moment (Nm) Stress (MPa) Strain C1 (μƐ) Strain C2 (μƐ) Poisson’s Ratio
500 2.35000 24.12215046 103 306 0.336601307
450 2.11500 21.70993542 92 275 0.334545455
400 1.88000 19.29772037 82 243 0.33744856
350 1.64500 16.88550532 72 212 0.339622642
300 1.41000 14.47329028 62 182 0.340659341
250 1.17500 12.06107523 51 151 0.337748344
200 0.94000 9.648860186 41 120 0.341666667
150 0.70500 7.236645139 31 90 0.344444444
100 0.47000 4.824430093 22 59 0.372881356
50 0.23500 2.412215046 12 29 0.413793103
0 0.00000 0 0 0 0

Eavg= 83 GPa (longitudinal)

Eavg= 73.12 GPa (lateral)
PRavg= 0.3276
Table for Point 2:

Moment
Load(gm) (Nm) Stress(Pa) Strain C1(μƐ) Strain C2(μƐ) Poission's Ratio
0 0 0 0 0 0
50 0.0215 0.220692015 9 28 0.321428571
100 0.043 0.44138403 19 56 0.339285714
150 0.0645 0.662076045 28 83 0.337349398
200 0.086 0.88276806 38 110 0.345454545
250 0.1075 1.103460074 47 138 0.34057971
300 0.129 1.324152089 56 165 0.339393939
350 0.1505 1.544844104 66 193 0.341968912
400 0.172 1.765536119 75 222 0.337837838
450 0.1935 1.986228134 84 249 0.337349398
500 0.215 2.206920149 93 277 0.335740072
Moment
Unload(gm) (Nm) Stress(MPa) Strain C1(μƐ) Strain C2(μƐ) Poission's Ratio
500 0.215 2.206920149 93 277 0.335740072
450 0.1935 1.986228134 83 250 0.332
400 0.172 1.765536119 74 231 0.32034632
350 0.1505 1.544844104 64 195 0.328205128
300 0.129 1.324152089 55 165 0.333333333
250 0.1075 1.103460074 46 138 0.333333333
200 0.086 0.88276806 36 110 0.327272727
150 0.0645 0.662076045 27 83 0.325301205
100 0.043 0.44138403 17 55 0.309090909
50 0.0215 0.220692015 8 27 0.296296296
0 0 0 0 0 0

Eavg= 80.37 GPa (longitudinal)

Eavg= 73.12 GPa (lateral)
PRavg=0.3007
Table for Point 3 :
Moment Strain Strain
Load(gm) (Nm) Stress(MPa) C1(μƐ) C2(μƐ) Poission's Ratio
0 0 0 0 0 0
50 0.0195 0.200162525 9 25 0.36
100 0.039 0.40032505 16 50 0.32
150 0.0585 0.600487575 25 74 0.337837838
200 0.078 0.800650101 33 99 0.333333333
250 0.0975 1.000812626 41 123 0.333333333
300 0.117 1.200975151 50 148 0.337837838
350 0.1365 1.401137676 58 173 0.335260116
400 0.156 1.601300201 66 196 0.336734694
450 0.1755 1.801462726 74 221 0.334841629
500 0.195 2.001625251 83 246 0.337398374
Moment Strain Strain
Unload(gm) (Nm) Stress(MPa) C1(μƐ) C2(μƐ) Poission's Ratio
500 0.195 2.001625251 83 246 0.337398374
450 0.1755 1.801462726 74 221 0.334841629
400 0.156 1.601300201 66 197 0.335025381
350 0.1365 1.401137676 58 172 0.337209302
300 0.117 1.200975151 50 147 0.340136054
250 0.0975 1.000812626 40 122 0.327868852
200 0.078 0.800650101 32 98 0.326530612
150 0.0585 0.600487575 24 73 0.328767123
100 0.039 0.40032505 16 49 0.326530612
50 0.0195 0.200162525 7 24 0.291666667
0 0 0 0 0 0

Eavg= 80.37GPa (longitudinal)

Eavg= 73.12 GPa (lateral)
PRavg=0.3023

Considering all the values of E:

Eavg = 82.03GPa (Longitudinal) Error = 17.18%
Eavg = 73.83GPa (Lateral) Error = 5.47%
PRavg = 0.310 Error = 0.3%
Graphs:

Loading at Point 1
25

20

15
Stress (MPa)

Longitudinal Stress-Strain
Curve
10 Lateral Stress-Strain Curve

0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300 325
Strain (µε)

Unloading at Point 1
25

20
Stress (MPa)

15
Longitudinal Stress-Strain
Curve
10
Lateral Stress-Strain Curve

0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300 325
Strain (µε)
 Loading at Point 2
25

20

15
Stress (MPa)

Longitudinal Stress-
Strain Curve

10
Lateral Stress-Strain
Curve
5

0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300
Strain (µε)

Unloading at Point 2
25

20
Stress (MPa)

15

10 Longitufdinal
Stress-strain
curve
5 Lateral Stress-
Strain Curve

0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300
Strain (µε)
 Loading at Point 3
25

20

15
Stress (MPa)

Longitudinal Stress-Strain
Curve

10 Lateral Stress-Strain Curve

0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275
Strain (µε)

Unloading at Point 3
25

20
Stress (MPa)

15

10 Longitudinal
Stress-Strain
Curve
5 LateralStress-
Strain Curve

0
0 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275
Strain (µε)

VI. RESULT:
Successfully measured the deflection of a cantilever beam subjected to bending, using
strain gauges. Plotted the Load vs Deflection curves. Experimental and theoretical values
of Young’s modulus are verified.