TITLE OF THE EXPERIMENT: STRAIN GAGE

Author: Pranay Patil Roll No: EE09B027

Batch Mates
Piyush Arora (EE09B026) Ravi Chandra Reddy (EE09B028)

Place: Measurement lab, IITH

Date of performing the experiment: 3/02/2012

Date of submission: 10/01/2012

Abstract:
In this experiment, we observe change in the properties of the materials with respect to change in physical properties such as temperature, strain etc. One such property of variation of resistance with strain on the material. With the stretching of the material, the end to end resistance will increase and vice-versa. Wheatstone Bridge can be used to measure such changes. In this experiment we use Wheatstone Bridge to get gain factor of the strain gauge with measuring the resistance change on the variation of strain on it.

Introduction:
The electrical resistance (R) of a metal wire is given by R=r (where r is the resistivity), so the

resistance is proportional to the length (L) and inversely proportional to the area (A). As the wire stretches it becomes longer and thinner (because the volume of the wire stays approximately the same). Hence the resistance of the wire is increased by stretching. When a wire is compressed it becomes shorter and fatter, this reduces the resistance. The material structure changes slightly during stretching and compression, this produce small resistivity changes. Strain Gauges are thin wires that can be glued to a metal structure. When the structure flexes under a load the resistance of the strain gauges changes and this can be used to measure the strain in the structure. In this way, the strain in a structure (e.g. an oil rig or an aircraft wing) can be measured to verify the design calculations. Voltage can be used as quality as to measure the change in resistance by the application of force. So we use a Wheatstone bridge by which we measure the change in voltage of a balanced bridge in order to measure the change in resistance in a gage.

Objective:
To measure the fractional change in the resistance of the strain gage and hence calculate the strain applied (using gage factor, G = 2.1).

Equipment:
Strain gauge mounted on steel ruler Weights (50-250gms) Power supply OP-amp Resistances

Multi-meter Rheostat Breadboard Pin diagram of IC-741

Theory and Procedure:

Normal strain in any given direction on the surface of a material can be determined by scribing a line in the direction of interest and measuring the length of that line before and after loading. The normal strain in this setup will equal the change in the length of the line divided by the original length. This method is fine for rough calculations, but for more accurate and continuous results throughout static loading, an electric strain gage should be used to measure surface strain. Using the Wheatstone bridge we could easily monitor the voltage output while changing the resistance of the strain gauge

In this experiment, a half bridge strain gage circuit is made in which two resistances of the Wheatstone bridge are replaced by two strain gages. Each strain gage is mounted on one side of the steel scale. When force is applied the above strain gage is subjected to tension and the below one is subjected to compression as shown below.

The output of the Wheatstone bridge is connected to the differential amplifier (gain around 100) to increase the sensitivity. The circuit is as shown below

Another configuration is also used which is shown below.

Weights are added 50gm each time up to 250gm and the voltage from opamp output is observed. Then weights are unloaded and the voltages are again observed.

Analysis:
Experimental results:
Configuration A:
Observation table:

S.No

Weights (gm.)

Vout (mV) (loading)

Vout (mV) (unloading)

Vout (mV) (avg.)

Vr = (x10-3)

= -Vr/2 (x10-3)
0 -6.6 -12.335 -17.165 -22.905 -26.47

Strain* (amplifier gain) (x10-3)

0 3.14286 5.87381 8.17381 10.9071 12.6048

1 2 3 4 5 6

0 50 100 150 200 250

-2.3 60 122.8 178.6 230.8 264.3

1.5 71.2 123.1 163.9 226.5 264.3

-0.4 65.6 122.95 171.25 228.65 264.3

0 13.2 24.67 34.33 45.81 52.94

Strain vs. weights

15

strain*Gamp

10

0 0 100 200 300

Weights (gm.)

Configuration B:
Observation table:

R7 = 10k ohms, R8 = 100 ohms. S.No Weights (gm.) Vout (mV) (loading) Vout (mV) (unloading) Vout (mV) (avg.) Vr = (x10-3) = -Vr/2 (x10-3)
0 -7.595 -19.235 -27.495 -37.345 -46.495

Strain* (amplifier gain) (x10-3)

0 3.6167 9.1595 13.093 17.783 22.14

1 2 3 4 5 6

0 50 100 150 200 250

0.1 70 190.8 280 385 474

18 100 212 288 380 474

9.05 85 201.4 284 382.5 474

0 15.19 38.47 54.99 74.69 92.99

Strain vs. weights

25 20

strain*Gamp

15 10 5 0 0 100 200 300

Weights (gm.)
The strain is varying linearly with increment in weights.

Conclusion:
The voltage found while loading and unloading are in accordance with each other and the voltages vary linearly with increment in weights. That implies that the resistance change is directly proportional to the weight applied. But there are slight differences, which might be caused due the movement of the weights.