ME5103

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LAB: Deformation Measurement of Circular

Plate Using ESPI
1. Objective:
To use ESPI (Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry) for the
deformation measurement of fully clamped circular plate under
central loading.
To compare experimental results with the theoretical values
Literature search on the application of plate bending theory &
techniques
2. Theory of Circular Plate Bending
Deformation of fully clamped circular plate under central loading is
r2P r
P
w
ln
(a 2 r 2 )
8D a 16D

P: load in Newton;
Et 3
D
: the flexural rigidity of the plate;
12(1 2 )

E: Young's modulus;
: Poisson's ratio;
t: thickness of the plate
a: radius of the plate.
P

Fig. 1. Fully clamped circular plate under central loading.

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3. Theory of ESPI
The brightness of fringes on the monitor is given by [1,2]
B 4 K [ I r I o sin 2 ( / 2) sin 2 ( / 2)]1 / 2

where K is the proportionality constant and ( x, y ) 4 / w is the

optical phase difference between two speckle fields.
The dark fringe appears when
w

N
,
2

N 0, 1, 2 .

and bright fringe appears when

( N 1 / 2 )
w

N 0, 1, 2,

0.6328m

4. ESPI System

Mirror

Laser

Cube Beam
Splitter

Specimen with
Loading Device

CCD Camera

Fig. 2. Schematic diagram of experimental set-up

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5. Experimental Setup and Procedures

5.1 Specimen preparation

t
d

Fig. 3. The structure of the specimen

The material of the specimen is a kind of aluminum alloy. d and t will

be given on site. The Youngs Modulus E and the Poisson Ratio are
tested and will also be given.
5.2 Force Transducer

Frame

Specimen

Proving ring
Micrometer head

Fig. 4. A proving ring design

Fig. 5. A loading assembly

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5.3 Experimental procedures

Load the circular plate with micrometer head and take the reading
from the force transducer;
Capture the fringe pattern under central loading;
Calculate theoretical value of deformation with given experimental
parameters;
Calibrate the dimension in pixel values;
Take the position in pixels from left to right in the image for the
dark fringes;
Covert the position in mm and compute the deflection for dark
fringes;
Plot the theoretical and experimental values using MS Excel or
Matlab program;
Repeat the experiment by applying two different loadings and plot
the results.
6 Formal Report Writing
Introduction
Background and Theory
Experimental Procedures and Results
Error Analysis and Discussions
Conclusions
References
7. References
[1]

R. Jones and C. Wykes, Holographic and Speckle

Interferometry, 2nd Ed., Cambridge University Press, 1989.

[2]

G. L. Cloud, Optical Methods of Engineering Analysis,

Cambridge University Press, 1995.

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Appendix: Sample Experimental Results

In order to calibrate the dimensions in pixel, an image was captured before the measurement.
On specimen the distance between Point A and B is 100mm, while the pixel value difference
in image is 466 pixels, furthermore, AB is also the diameter of the circular plate, and the
loading point is at Point (254, 235).

Displacement chart of circular plate

Displacement (um)

1.6
1.4

Experimental result
(F=1.94N)

1.2

Theoretical Value

1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0
(mm)

10

20

30

40

50

60

Typical Comparison of Deflection from Theoretical Deduction and Experimental

Measurement (P=1.94N)

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ESPI Fringe Pattern (P = 1.94N)

When force P = 1.94N is applied on the specimen, the fringe pattern is observed and captured
by a CCD camera system. Measuring the coordinate of the fringe positions along line AB, we
can tabulate as follows. The experimental values of deflection are also plotted.
Experimental result in deflection measurement
Point No.
Position
(in Pixel)
Position
(in mm)
Fringe
Order
Deflection
(m)

81

129

173

223

289

339

378

426

-37.12

-26.82

-17.38

-6.65

7.51

18.24

26.61

36.91

0.3165

0.633

0.9495

1.266

1.266

0.9495

0.633

0.3165

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(a)

(b)

ESPI fringe patterns in different loadings

[Loading case: (a) P = 4.453N, (b) P = 5.596N]
Displacement chart of circular plate
4.5

Experimental result
(F=4.453N)

Theoretical Value
(F=4.453N)

3.5

Experimental result
(F=5.596N)

Displacement (um)

Theoretical Value
(F=5.596N)

2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
-60

-50

-40

-30

-20

-10

0
(mm)

10

20

30

40

50

60

Comparison of Deflection from Theoretical Deduction and Experimental Measurement

[Loading case: (a) P = 4.453N, (b) P = 5.596N]