SPRING STIFFNESS CONSTANT

Me16b014 Hari Haran

Me16b015 Jakka Yeshwanth

Me16b016 Vishnu Selvam

Theory
When a force is applied, if the deformation of the spring is very small,
it can be taken that the deformation of the spring is under the yield stress. This
usually implies linear behaviour. In such situation, the force deformation
relationship is linear.

F = kL

Even in the absence of experimental data, force constant of the spring

constant can be calculated from the dimensions and material properties of the
spring.

kL = Gr4/ 4nR3

G is the shear modulus of the spring material,

n is the number of active coils in the helical linear spring,

r is the spring wire radius, and

R is the mean radius of the helical spring

G, shear modulus of mild steel =80Gpa

Compression spring
S.No. Load(kg) Load(N) Loading Loading Unloading Unloading Mean
Vernier Deflection Vernier Deflection (cm)
Reading(cm) (cm) reading(cm) (cm)
1 0 0 11.3 0 11.25 0 0
2 0.5 4.905 11 0.3 10.95 0.3 0.3
3 1.0 9.81 10.7 0.6 10.6 0.65 0.625
4 1.5 14.715 10.3 1.0 10.3 0.95 0.975
5 2.0 19.62 10 1.3 10 1.25 1.275
6 2.5 24.525 9.7 1.6 9.7 1.55 1.575

Spring Mean reading (m)

Sample 1 R 0.03864
n=11 r 0.0014
kL 121.07 N/m

Length vs force graph

X-axis=Force (N) Y-axis=Length (cm)

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

0.8

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 4.905 9.81 14.715 19.62 24.525

Slope=1/kL=0.0649483
kL =15.39686181 N/cm =1539.686181 N/m
Tensile spring (uniform cross-section)
S.No. Load(kg) Load(N) Loading Loading Unloading Unloading Mean
Vernier Deflection Vernier Deflection (m)
Reading(m) (m) Reading(m) (m)
1 0 0 0.413 0 0.413 0 0
2 0.5 4.905 0.415 0.002 0.4145 0.0015 0.00175
3 1.0 9.81 0.4165 0.0035 0.416 0.003 0.00325
4 1.5 14.715 0.4175 0.0045 0.4175 0.0045 0.0045
5 2.0 19.62 0.4195 0.0065 0.419 0.006 0.00625
6 2.4 23.544 0.4205 0.0075 0.4205 0.0075 0.0075

Spring Mean reading(m)

Sample 2 R 0.03158
n=33 r 0.00181
kL 206.535 N/m

Length vs force graph

X-axis= Force (N) Y-axis= length (m)

0.008

0.007

0.006

0.005

0.004

0.003

0.002

0.001

0
0 4.905 9.81 14.715 19.62 23.544

1/kL=0.0003132

KL=3192.84802 N/m
Tensile spring (non-uniform cross-section)
S.No. Load (kg) Load (N) Loading Loading Unloading Unloading Mean
Vernier Deflection Vernier Deflection (m)
Reading(m) (m) Reading(m) (m)
1 0 0 0.0116 0 0.0116 0 0
2 0.5 4.905 0.01155 0.00005 0.01155 0.00005 0.00005
3 1.0 9.81 0.0114 0.0002 0.01135 0.00025 0.000225
4 1.5 14.715 0.0112 0.0004 0.01115 0.00045 0.000425
5 2.0 19.62 0.011 0.0006 0.011 0.0006 0.0006
6 2.5 24.525 0.0108 0.0008 0.0108 0.0008 0.0008

Spring Mean reading

Sample 3 R 0.0131
N=33 r 0.0015
kL 1364.7943 N/m

Length vs force graph

X-axis= Force (N) Y-axis= length (m)

0.0009

0.0008

0.0007

0.0006

0.0005

0.0004

0.0003

0.0002

0.0001

0
0 4.905 9.81 14.715 19.62 24.525

kL=28766.16541 N/m
 Measurement of Bending stress using
Strain Gauge
Theory:
Strain Gauge is a device used to measure the strain in any
component. Strain Gauge takes advantage of the dependence of electrical
conductance of a material in geometrical properties of the material. When an
electric conductor is stretched such that it doesnt reach its elastic limit or
deform permanently, it will become narrower and longer. This causes a change
in electrical resistance. Conversely, when the material is compressed the
resistance changes.

The resistance change is related to strain by a factor called gauge factor

SG= deltaR/(R*strainxx)
R is the resistance of the gauge in the undeformed state,

R is the change in the resistance in the gauge due to deformation,

SG is the strain gauge factor, and

Strainxx is the strain.

Stressxx= E*Strainxx

An analytical estimate of the bending stress developed can be determined

from the well known flexure relations, given by

Mb/ Izz = xx / y = E/

Mb is the bending moment developed at the location of the strain gauge due
to the induced deformation,

Izz is the moment of inertia of the beam cross-section due to flexure,

xx is the normal bending stress acting on the plane x and in the direction x,

y is the distance of the fibre from the centroidal axis, and

 is the radius of curvature of the beam under flexure.

By measuring the deflection at the free end of the cantilever beam, an

estimate of the tip load can be obtained from the well known load-deflection
relation of a cantilever beam given by

= P LO 3 /3 E Izz
and the bending moment at the gauge is given by

Mb= -PL1

Ealuminium=69 GPa

S.N0. Deflection Display Strain Stress Stress %

(mm) value (experimental) (experimental) (beam difference
10-6m 103 Pa theory)
103
1 0.5 51 51 3519 3713.956 5.54
2 1 107.5 107.5 7417.5 7427.912 0.14
3 1.5 162 162 11178 11141.868 0.32
4 2 218.5 218.5 15076.5 14855.824 1.46
5 2.5 276 276 19044 18569.78 2.49
6 3 336 336 23184 22283.737 3.88
7 3.5 397 397 27393 25997.693 5.09
8 4 460 460 31740 29711.649 6.39
9 4.5 524 524 36156 33425.605 7.55
10 5 589 589 40641 37139.561 8.61