Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F

R. Verrinder (2008)
Strain Gauge
Tutorial
Typical Questions
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Example 1: Strain Gauges
A uniaxial strain gauge with an unstrained
resistance of 50O and a gauge factor of 3 is
glued onto a steel rod 1m long. The steel rod is
placed under tension and it stretches by 1.3mm.
What will the new resistance of the strain gauge
be?
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Answers: Example 1
( )( )
O A
O
A
A
A A
A
O
195 50 10 50
10
1
10 3 1
3 50
10 3 1
1
3
50
3
3
3
3
. R R R
.
L
L
S R R
L
L
S
R
R
m . L
m L
S
R
S
= + = + =
=
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
=
=
=
=
=
=

195
195

Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Example 2: Strain Gauges
A uniaxial strain gauge is placed on a steel reinforcing
bar. The bar has a cross-sectional area of 1cm
2
(1 x
10
-4
m
2
) and the steel has a Youngs Modulus of 200 x
10
3
MPa. The bar is then pulled by a force of 1000N.

a) How much will the strain will be placed on the bar if
we know that


b) If the strain gauge has a sensitivity of 2 and a basic
resistance of 75O, what will its resistance be after
the bar is stretched?

A
F
= o
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Answers: Example 2a
N F
Pa E
m A
1000
10 200
10 1
9
2 4
=
=
=

c
o
c
c c c c
o
50
10 200
10 1
10 1
10 1
1000
9
7
7
4
=

= =

=
|
.
|

\
|

= = =

E
E
A
F
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Answers: Example 2b
O A
O A
c
A
O
0075 75
0075 0 10 50 75 2
75
2
6
. R R R
. R
S
R
R
R
S
S
= + =
= =
=
=
=

Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F

R. Verrinder (2008)
Example 3: Strain Gauges
The picture shows a badly-designed link holding two
cables together. We can see that when the cables are
placed under tension, the bar will bend. Show where
you would place strain gauges to measure:

a) How much the bar is bending

b) How much tension the bar is under
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Answers: Example 3a and 3b
a) Place one strain
gauge on the top
and bottom of the
beam


b) Place the strain
gauge on the side of
the beam
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Example 4: Strain Gauges
A factory decides to make a quick and simple
scale by welding a hook on the end of a steel
bar, and then putting a strain gauge on the
bar. The bar has a rectangular cross-section of
10mm x 25mm and a Youngs Modulus of 210
MPa

a) What is the relationship between the mass
hung on a hook and the strain on the bar.
Assume that the mass of the hook and bar is
negligible

b) If a uniaxial strain gauge, with a gauge factor
of 2 and a basic resistance of 100O, was
attached to the bar what would the relationship
between mass and resistance be?

Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Example 4 Cont.: Strain Gauges
c) Design a simple circuit which would give an output of
1V/kg when our input voltage is 10V

d) If the bar had a coefficient of expansion of 3x10
-6
m/C,
what would the error on the mass reading be if the bar
heated up by 10C

e) Show how you would arrange the strain gauges to
prevent errors from temperature changes

f) Design a new circuit using the arrangement in e)
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Answers: Example 4a
( ) ( )
c
c
c c c
o
14 5357
8 9
10 210 10 250
8 9
10 210
00025 0 025 0 01 0
6 6
2
6
2
.
.
g
AE
M
E
m/s . g
Pa E
m . . . A
A
Mg
A
F
~
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
= = =
=
=
= =

Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Answers: Example 4b
( )
( )( )( )
M .
M .
M .
M . R S R
S
R
R
M .
R
S
04 0
10 3333 37
10 666 18 100 2
10 666 18
10 666 18
100
2
3
3
3
3
~
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

A
c
A
c
O
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Answers: Example 4c
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Answers: Example 4c cont.
5
04 0 200
04 0 100
10
10
04 0
100
2 2
2
2
2 2 1
1
|
.
|

\
|
+
+
=
=
=
=
|
.
|

\
|
+
+
=
= =
|
.
|

\
|
+
+
=
M
M
V
V V
M R
R
V
R R
R R
V V
V
V if V V V
R R
R R
V V
o
i
i
i o
i
o
i
.
.
.
. A
O
A
A
A
A
( )
M .A R R
R
R
A
.
V
.

V
.
.
V
A
V kg; V if M
V
V V
A
AV V
i
i
i
o
i o
1 10 1 1000 10 1
1000
10
0004 10002 0004 10002
2 04 200
04 100
1
1 1
6 3
1 2
1
2
2 1
= = = =
=
~ = =

|
.
|

\
|
=
= =

=
=
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Answers: Example 4d
M .
M .
L
L
SR
R
S
R
R
M . R and
L
L
C T
C /
R
S
0002 0
100 2
04 0
04 0
10
10 3
100
2
6
=

=
=
=
= =
=
=
=
=

A
A
c
c
A
A
A
c
o
O

( )
( )( ) | |
| |
| |
( )M ML .
L M .
L M .
L M . L
T L M . L
ML . L
-9
6
6
6
10 6 0002 0
10 30 0002 0
10 30 0002 0
10 10 3 0002 0
0002 0
0002 0
+ =
+ =
+ =
+ =
+ =
=

c
c
A
o A
A
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Answers: Example 4e
Process Control & Instrumentation EEE4093F
R. Verrinder (2008)
Answers: Example 4f