Beam Bending Lab

Background
beams are a very common structural element
the beam idealization works for many situations
beam theory has been presented in several structures classes

Objectives of the lab

Spring 2000

review and reiterate the essential features of simple beam theory

study a simple beam configuration in the laboratory
acquire strain, load and displacement data in the lab
compare the measured behavior with the predicted

AE3145 Beam Bending Lab

Simple Beam Theory

Experiment:
aluminum beam with simple rectangular cross section
cantilever support conditions
loading at the tip using either
applied tip load
applied tip deflection

Measurements:
applied tip load or displacement
strains in all elements of rosette gage
strains in any other strain gages

Analysis
determine strain state at rosette gage as function of applied load or
applied tip displacements
estimate the flexural stiffness for loads applied at beam tip
determine if uniaxial stress state is a reasonable assumption
estimate values for E and from strain data
assess validity of Euler-Bernoulli assumptions
Spring 2000

AE3145 Beam Bending Lab

The Experiment
Rosette
Rosette Gage
Gage
Applied
Applied Tip
Tip
Load
Load or
or
Displacement
Displacement

Strain Indicator

Spring 2000

Switching &
Balancing Unit

Setup: measure beam dimensions and distance from tip load point to
center of rosette gage (and any other strain gages)
Test A: apply tip loads and measure rosette strain and any other strain
gage readings
Test B: apply tip deflection and repeat above measurements
AE3145 Beam Bending Lab

Analysis of the Beam

y

Load, P
or
Displacement, d

Xg

h=depth
b=width

Stresses:

Mz y
x =
Iz

where

bh3
Iz =
12
y = h 2

The result is:

x =

Pxg h
2I z

M z = Pxg

P xg
P xg L
= 6
= 6
A h
A L h

Note: we assume that y = z = yz = xz=0 and that only xy is nonzero (but G= so xy=0 also).
Spring 2000

AE3145 Beam Bending Lab

Strain State in Beam

Assumed uniaxial stress state but this does not imply similar
strain state
Shear, xz, is zero and so xz=0.
Rosette gage is located on top surface of beam and will see a
2D strain state: x, z, xz
1
[ x v z ]
E
1
z = [ z v x ]
E
1
2(1 + )
xz = xz =
xz
G
E

E
( x + z )
2
1
E
z =
( z + x )
1 2
E
xz
xz = G xz =
2(1 + )

x =

x =

Can use these to compute either:

expected strains at rosette from beam theory, or
2D stress state from measured strain state at rosette
Spring 2000

AE3145 Beam Bending Lab

Analysis of Beam - contd

y

Load, P
or
Displacement, d

Xg

h=depth
b=width

Lateral Deflection:

1 PL3
v( x) =
3 EI

1 x 3 3 x
2 + 2 1
L
L

Tip Deflection

d=

Spring 2000

1 PL
PL
PL L
=4
=
4

Ebh3
EA h
3 EI y
3

AE3145 Beam Bending Lab

Notes on Rosette Gage Data Analysis

You will have multiple readings from each gage in a rosette
corresponding to different load values.
How can you get a single result for each gage in the rosette?
Load

Gage A
0
2
4
6
8
4

6
206
403
605
808
406

Gage B
5
605
1207
1803
2401
1204

Gage C
9
-391
-799
-1194
-1594
-794

1
8
1164
2333
3486
4646
2326

2
8
1164
2333
3486
4646
2326

-0.515
-0.583
-0.583
-0.583
-0.582
-0.583

Which
Which princ.
princ. strain
strain
or
or angle
angle do
do you
you
use
to
compare
use to compare to
to
theory?
theory?

Any
Any row
row contains
contains
consistent
consistent results
results
for
a
given
for a given load.
load.
Or
Or do
do regression
regression
analysis
analysis of
of each
each
column
column and
and use
use
these
these results...
results...

3000
2500

Gage A
Gage B

2000

Gage C

1500
Strain

1000
500
0
-500 0

10

Could
Could add
add aa row
row and
and
compute
compute averages
averages of
of
data
for
Load
and
data for Load and
Gages
Gages A-C...
A-C...

-1000
-1500
-2000
Load

Spring 2000

AE3145 Beam Bending Lab

Notes on Rosette Gage Data Analysis - contd

Best approach:
do regression analysis for gage A-C data; intercept is the zero error for
each gage so subract it out (new column)
now compute 1, 2, for each load
do regression analysis on 1, 2, columns; slopes provide the final answer
(output per unit load) to compare with theory
Load
0
2
4
6
8

Gage A Gage B Gage C

-99
104
7
106
702
-395
307
1303
-793
502
1903
-1195
705
2507
-1598

Use
Use regression
regression
analysis
any
analysis to
to get
get
any
3000
3000
offsets
2500
offsets in
in data
data
2500
2000
(intercepts).
(intercepts). 2000

New A

New B

1
206
407
602
805

4
602
1203
1803
2407

New C
7
-395
-793
-1195
-1598

162
1287
2446
3607
4776

2
-157
-479
-836
-1202
-1564

4000
4000

Gage
GageCC

3000
3000

00
44

66

-1000
-1000
-1500
-1500
-2000
-2000
Load
Load

Spring 2000

Remove
Remove offsets
offsets in
in
data
to
produce
data to produce
88
10
10
New
corrected
New
corrected
data...
data...

Strain
Strain

Strain
Strain

500
500
22

e1
e1
e2
e2
q
q

5000
5000

Gage
GageAA
Gage
GageBB

1000
1000

00

-0.615
-0.605
-0.600
6000
6000

1500
1500

-500
-500

Compute
Compute principal
principal
strains
strains and
and directions
directions
0.616
for
each
load.
-0.642 for each load.

NOW
2000
NOW run
run final
final 2000
1000
regression
for
regression for 1000
each
each column;
column; 0 00
0
slopes
final
slopes are
are the
the -1000
final
-1000
answer
-2000
answer for
for relation
relation
-2000
between
between load
load and
and
principal
principal strains.
strains.

AE3145 Beam Bending Lab

10
10

Load
Load