3

MEASUREMENT AND CALIBRATION

OF LOAD CELL AND STRAIN GAUGES
Aim: To measure the force using strain gauge and calibration of strain gauge.

Theory-

Force- Force measures the mechanical quantity which changes or tends to change the
relative motion or shape of the body on which acts. Force is a vector quantity specified
completely by its magnitude, point of application, line of action and direction.

The relationship between motion and force is provided by the laws of dynamics. Newtons
second law states that the force is directly proportional to rate of change of momentum
and its acts in the direction of change of momentum.

Force is the rate of change of momentum. Momentum is the product of mass and
acceleration of the body.

Force =m*a

Strain gauge theory

Strain gauge is passive resistance transducer which transform mechanical elongation and
compression into the resistance change. The change in resistance due to variation in the
length and cross-section area of gauge wire.

If elastic body is subjected to the tension it’s length increase while its area of cross-
section decrease. If there is inc in length of body and Dec in cross-section area, then the
gauge is said to have a positive strain. There is change in value of resistivity of
conductor, when it is strained and this effect is called piezoresistive effect. The resistance
of a conductor is proportional to its length and inversely proportional to its area of cross-
section.

If D is the diameter and L is the length of material and if is the resistivity of the wire
then,
 Resistance R=

Where, Rresistivity

L= Length

A= cross-sectional area

The characteristics of the gauge are described in the term of its sensitivity which is called
the gauge factor of the strain gauge. Gauge factor is defined as the change in resistance
per unit original resistance to its change in length per unit original length of the strain
gauge wire.

G.F. = (1)

Where,

R=Resistance of gauge wire ( )

=change in resistance of wire (Ω)

L= length of gauge wire in unstrained condition (m)

=change in length of wire when stressed (m)

= (2)

Now change in resistivity is because of piezoresistive effect and is negligible as

compared to other changes, hence can be neglected.

From 1& 2

= (1+2µ)

G.F. = (1+2µ) (3)

From (1) & (3)
 = (G.F.)
The assumption made while getting above expression is,

1. Temperature effect on resistance is negligible.

2. Piezoresistive effect is negligible.

Now, let us discuss about application of strain gauge in force management we have the
relationship between stress and strain by hooks law.

Stress α strain.

Thus stress is applied to strain gauge its dimensions changes and accordingly its
resistance also changes. This change in resistance is calibrated in terms of force otherwise
by connecting strain gauge in Whetstone Bridge; the voltage output can be obtained
which can be calibrated in terms of force.

Types of strain gauge-

Depending upon the technique used for the measurement of strain,

1. Mechanical strain gauge

2. Optical strain gauge.
3. Electrical strain gauge.-
a. Capacitance gauge.
b. Inductive gauge.
c. Piezoelectric gauge.
d. Resistance gauge

Electrical resistance strain gauge-

1. Wire gauge.
a. Unbounded
b. Banded
c. Foil type
2. Semiconductor gauge
Out of these resistive strain gauge as most commonly used.

Unbounded strain gauge –

The gauge wire is stretched between two posts and fixed on a stationary frame has an
armature which is supported in its centre.
 The movement of armature in one direction stretches the gauge wire, resulting in
resistance change. Unbounded metal gauge are not very common in use due to the
problem of fixing at the place of measurement. Usually four such gauges are used in four
legs of Wheatstone bridge for measurement of resistance change.

Bonded strain gauge-

These gauges are bonded with cement to the measured surface and find wide application
in biomedical, structural, mechanical and industrial field. The boned strain gauge in
consist of wire grid which is fixed on a base. The shape of wire grid may be square,
rectangle, circular or of any other type like rosette. The leads are insulated from each
other using sleeves. These gauges may be as small as 0.25mm×0.25mm to as large as
2.5cm×1.5cm. The gauge is fixed on measuring spot with the help of adhesive. These
gauges are robust, simple in use, cheap and firm contact with the surface.

Foil gauge-
These gauges are the extension of bonded strain gauge. These are formed from sheet
having thickness 0.002 – 0.005mm then by rolling out these sheet and cutting away part
of foil by photo-etching process to create the required grid pattern. The local Inc in area
reduced the transverse sensitivity, which in a spurious input strain since the gauge is
designated to measure the strain component along the length of grid elements.

OBSERVATION TABLE:
APPLIED LOAD strain APPLIED LOAD strain
WEIGHT ‘gm’ WEIGHT ‘gm’
LOADING LOADING
100 9 800 75
200 17 600 57
300 27 500 46
500 47 300 26
600 56 200 15
800 74 100 8
Graphical Representation:

CONCLUSION:
Strain is directly proportional to applied load.