OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this experiment is to use Wheatstone Bridge to measure strains using strain gages.
Wheatstone bridge circuit board with four resistors having specific resistances is used to calculate the
expected cross current with the measured values in order to understand the strain on the gage.
Essentially, the Wheatstone bridge measures an unknown electrical resistance by balancing the bridge.

In the beam strain gage experiment, we use a beam with strain gages attached and connected to the
strain box that changes resistance as a function of strain and temperature. By adding a weight to the
beam connected to the box we find a change in resistance that can be converted from that of a change in
voltage to strain value. Essentially we must load a cantilever beam and record the tensile and
compressive strains generated at the faces of the beam due to bending.

THEORY

Electrical devices relate changes in electrical resistance or voltage to changes in the length. However,
the data for initial and final measurements on an electrical device are only beneficial in determining the
change in value.

The Wheatstone bridge is a circuit system based on the idea of balancing the current. Once the bridge is
balanced the resistance change measured over a certain length can be converted to strain. Essentially, to
balance the bridge or the flow of current through the galvanometer, the ratio of resistance in the
branches of the bridge must be equal.

Further, a strain gage is a wire whose resistance is known (at zero and different strains) and it is
connected to an electrical circuit and source voltage is provided with battery and electrical circuit is
governed by Ohm’s law (I= V/R). Strain gage is glued to the member and same strain occurs within
strain gage and hence the change in resistance. The Wheatstone Bridge is a particular type of electrical
circuit, current flows on the Wheatstone Bridge where readings are to be taken. We use Shear and
moment diagrams to determine shear force and bending moment values like a beam. Strain recorder box
are used to make measurements of loads on the beam.
EXPERIMENTAL SETUP:

For the Wheatstone bridge, our instructor will have a set-up already in place in the lab area. It includes an
electrical circuit bridge with a galvanometer that measures electrical current placed between the first and last
two resistors. It is connected to a 6 volt battery as a power source.

For the cantilever beam experimental setup, you will need a strain box indicator. Attach a dummy gage with a
gage factor of 2.08 to the strain indicator as a means of eliminating error from temperature changes. Using the
cantilever been attach by means of wire to the strain gages and the strain box. A strain gage is a wire with a
known resistance connected to an electrical circuit. It but have power in the form of a battery to provide
voltage. A caliper will be essential to finding the required measurements precisely.

Figure 1: B.L.H. Strain Indicator Figure2: Cantilever Beam

.PROCEDURE

Steps:
1. Assemble the breadboard using jumpers.
2. Turn on the B.L.H Strain indicator
3. Bridge selector to two arms
4. Plug in the 120ohms,gage factor 2.08 dummy gage on branch 4 of the Wheatstone bridge
5. On branch 3 plug in the tension strain gage
6. Strain measurement wheel to center of the needle
7. Record readings from the strain indicator window(DATUM reading)
8. Place loading on the beam, centering the needle of balancing meter
9. Record readings (WITH LOAD) and repeat steps for compression gage
DATA Collected:

Case 1:
Theoretical Strain: 182.07 µ in/in

Tension:
Datum=3205µ in/in
With Load=3455 µ in/in
Strain=-250µ in/in
Compression:
Datum=3545 µ in/in
With Load=3305 µ in/in
Strain=160 µ in/in
Case 2:
Theoretical Strain: 39.415 µ in/in

Tension:
Datum= 3045 µ in/in
With Load=3090 µ in/in
Strain=-45 µ in/in
Compression:
Datum= 3545 µ in/in
With Load=3510 µ in/in
Strain=35 µ in/in
Case 3:
Theoretical Strain: 221.48 µ in/in

Tension:
Datum=3045 µ in/in
With Load=3320 µ in/in
Strain=-275 µ in/in
Compression:
Datum=3520 µ in/in
With Load=3265 µ in/in
Strain=255 µ in/in
Calculations:

𝜺𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 (µ 𝜺𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑻𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝜺𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏

in/in) (µ in/in) (µ in/in)
Case 1 182.07 250 160
Case 2 39.415 45 35
Case 3 221.48 275 255
Table 1 – Summary of Experimental and Theoretical Strains for the three load cases

Tension Percent Error Compression Gage

(%) Percent Error (%)
Case 1 37.3 12.1
Case 2 14.2 11.2
Case 3 24.2 15.1

Table 2 – Summary of the percent errors of the top and bottom gages for each load case.

Discussion:

When we apply stresses to the materials very small deformations occur and these small
deformations are very important for making comments on the material properties. Wheatstone
Bridge and Strain recorder can measure these small changes very precisely and accurately. Also
the relationship between current and resistance is inverse as the resistance increases the current
decreases.

Comparing theoretical and experimental results we see that there are percentage errors in the
values of strain for both tension and compression regions. As you can see in Table 2 above, some
of the percent errors were high and some were very low. The highest was the top gage percent
error for case 1 and the lowest was the bottom gage percent error for case 2.
Highest variations were for load case 1 having percentage difference between theoretical and
experimental of around 37.3 %. This might have occurred due to non-uniform weight
distribution of the load on the beam. And % errors were lowest for load case having 14.2% for
tension and 11.2% for compression. Also we see that % errors for tension are higher than that of
compression and we may conclude that this experimental setup is good for compression region
as opposed to tension region.

Difference between the half and full bridge is the number of strain gages. Full bridge has 4 gages
whereas half bridge has 2 strain gages. Full bridge is more efficient as it has more strain gages as
compared to half bridge.
References:

Dowell, R.K. and Johnson, T. 2013. CIV E 302 Lab Manual.

San Diego: San Diego State University