Mechanics of Materials Lab

Lab Report # 3
Bending Experiment
Objective
To calculate the mechanical deformations at bending and recognition of the relationship between
mechanical deformation and electrical reaction in a strain gauge.

Apparatus:

Introduction:
Bending Stress
The stress at the surface of the bending beam can be calculated from the bending moment Mb
and the section modulus Wy:
σ = Mb /Wy (4.5)

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Air University A&AC Kamra

Mechanics of Materials Lab

According to Hooke’s law, the stress being sought is obtained with the modulus of
elasticity E
σ=E⋅ε (4.9)

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Air University A&AC Kamra

Mechanics of Materials Lab

Procedure:

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Air University A&AC Kamra

Mechanics of Materials Lab

Observation and Calculations:

Measured Values

The lever arm is 250mm

Load in N 0 1 2 3 4 5 6

Unbalance 0 -0.033 -0.068 -0.102 -0.137 -0.172 -0.207

UG in mV/V

Tab. 5.3 Measured values bending experiment.

1. The stress is now to be determined for a load of 6N. First finding the strain. (where
Proportional factor k = 2.05)

2. The modulus of elasticity for steel of 210.000N/mm2 gives the following stress:

3. The measured stress is to be compared to the theoretical result in the following. The section
modulus for the rectangular cross section is: Wy = 83.33 mm3.
4. The calculation produces the following stress:

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Air University A&AC Kamra

Mechanics of Materials Lab

Wy = 83.33 mm3 , L = 250mm

Load in N Moment Mb Calculated Measured Measured Error calculated

Stress Strain Stress ( in % )

0 0 0 0 0 0

1 -250 -3.001 -1.6098 x 10-5 -3.3804 12.64

2 -500 -6.0002 -3.317 x 10-5 -6.966 16.096

3 -750 -9.0003 -4.976 x 10-5 -10.4488 16.093

4 -1000 -12.0004 -6.683 x 10-5 -14.0341 16.947

5 -1250 -15.0006 -8.390 x 10-5 -17.6195 17.459

6 -1500 -18.0007 -1.0097 x 10-4 -21.2049 17.8

Graph:
Plot a graph between Load in N (x-axis) and Unbalance UG in mV/V (y-axis).

Result Analysis:

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Air University A&AC Kamra