STRENGTH OF MATERIALS LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 4

STRAIN MEASUREMENTS USING STRAIN ROSETTES IN

ALUMINUM BEAMS

Submitted by Antonio Sampedro and Sebastian Vieira

Date Performed April 2, 2007

Date Submitted April 23, 2007

Instructor Sun Punurai

SPECIMEN

Material Aluminum Beam

Section 6 in x 2 in

Clear Span 36 in

Abstract
This experiment used six strain gages Rosettes placed at different locations to

experimentally measure the strains on a simply supported aluminum beam when a 25,000

lb load was applied. Three of the Rosettes were oriented at 45 degrees and the other three

were oriented at 60 degree. Two of the Rosettes were on the neutral axis of the test

specimen. The other four strain gages were half the distance from the neutral axis to the

top and bottom of the specimen. The dimensions of the beam used in the experiment were

6in high by 2in wide. A computer on the testing machine recorded the measured strains in

each Rosette under the loaded condition and also calculated an experimental value for the

strain at that point under the load.

Introduction
1 – To study the strain measurement of a simply supported aluminum beam in a general

case of plane stress by means of the Mohr’s Circle analysis.

2 – To verify theoretical computations of the combined stresses at several point on a

beam with the experimental results.

3 – To experimentally determine the combined stresses (the actual state of stress) at

several points on a beam using the Strain Rosettes.

Theory
1 – Plane Stresses

Consider an element in plane stress as shown below; this element is infinitesimal in size

and can be sketched as a parallelepiped. σx and σy are designated as normal stresses

acting on the x-axis and t-face of the element, respectively. The shear stress τxy acts on

the x-face in the direction of the y-axis, and τyx on the y-face in the direction of the x-

axis. They are equal. The positive sign conventions of these plane stresses are depicted in

the figures below

(a) – Two-dimensional view in x-y axis

 (b) – Two-dimensional view in x-y and x’-y’ axis

The transformation of stresses with respect to the {x,y,z} coordinates to the stresses with

respect to {x',y',z'} is performed via the equations,

Where θ is the rotation angle between the two coordinate sets (positive in the

counterclockwise direction).
– Strain gage Rosettes

Since each strain gage measures the normal strain in only one direction, at least three

strain gages are needed to determine the strains in a plane stress elelment, as indicated as

A,B, C in figure below

Three strain gages, A,B, and C arranged in an element

Applying this equation to each of the three strain gages results in the following

system of equations,

These equations are then used to solve for the three unknowns, ε x, ε y, and γxy
Special Cases of Strain Rosette Layouts

Case 1: 45º strain rosette aligned with the x-y axes, i.e., θa = 0º, θb = θc = 45º.

Case 2: 60º strain rosette, the middle of which is aligned with the y-axis, i.e., θa = 30º, θb

= θc = 60º.
In the case of biaxial stress, Hooke’s law of plane stress-strain relation or the constitutive

law for a linearly elastic material is given by:

E
σx = (ε x + vε y )
1− v2

E
σy = (εy + vε x )
1− v2

τ xy = Gγ xy

Where E = Young’s modulus or modulus of elasticity

v = Poisson’s ratio

G = Shear modulus of elasticity

When the Hooke’s law holds, or the beam behaves in a linearly elastic manner, the

following normal and shear stresses from the flexural and shear formulas as seen in most

standard Strength of Materials text books, can be used:

 My
Flexure formula: σx = −
I

VQ
And Shear formula: τ xy =
bI

Where M = bending moment about the z-axis

I = moment of inertia about the z-axis

y = distance from the z-axis

V = Shear force in y-axis

b = width of the cross-section

Q = first moment of the cross-sectional area outside of the point in the cross

section where the stress is being found.

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Experiment Procedure

This test is conducted using a Vishay Micro Measurement System 5000 data acquisition

system. This equipment is capable of conditioning and reading signals from strain gage,

thermocouples, L VDTs, high range signals like those coming from DCDTs and

tiltmeters or any device providing scaled voltage signals. In this experiment the System

5000 is used to measure and reduce the data from 5 rosettes, comprising 15 strain gages,

and the applied load.

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1 – Start the computer and load the Strain Smart program

2 – Open, arm, and start the Lab4 program

3 – Apply a 25,000 lb load the beam

4 – Click on the Read button.

5 – Release the load and turn off the testing machine.

6 – Identify the data file, and using the Strain Smart program reduce the data into Excel

comma delimited format.

7 – Copy the data.

Analysis of Data

Rosette #1

P
P = 25,000 lbs  = 12,500 lbs
2

M = 12,500 * 9 = 112,500 lbs-in

y = 1.5 in

I = 1/12 * bh3 = 1/12 * 2 *63 = 36 in4

σx = My / I = 112,500 * 1.5 / 36 = 4687.5 = 4.69 ksi

σy = 0

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Q = Ay = 2*1.5*2.25 = 6.75 in3 b = 2in

τxy = VQ/bI = 12,500*6.75 / (2*36) = 1171.875 = 1.17 ksi

Rosette #2

P
P = 25,000 lbs  = 12,500 lbs
2

M = 12,500 * 9 = 112,500 lbs-in

y = 1.5 in

I = 1/12 * bh3 = 1/12 * 2 *63 = 36 in4

σx = 0

σy = 0

Q = Ay = 2*3*1.5 = 9 in3 b = 2in

τxy = VQ/bI = 12,500*9 / (2*36) = 1562.5 = 1.56 ksi

Rosette #3

P
P = 25,000 lbs  = 12,500 lbs
2

M = 12,500 * 9 = 112,500 lbs-in

y = -1.5 in

I = 1/12 * bh3 = 1/12 * 2 *63 = 36 in4

σx = My / I = 112,500 * (-1.5) / 36 = - 4687.5 = - 4.69 ksi

σy = 0

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Q = Ay = 2*4.5*0.75 = 6.75 in3 b = 2in

τxy = VQ/bI = 12,500*6.75 / (2*36) = 1171.875 = 1.17 ksi

Rosette #4

P
P = 25,000 lbs  = 12,500 lbs
2

M = 12,500 * 18 = 225,000 lbs-in

y = 1.5 in

I = 1/12 * bh3 = 1/12 * 2 *63 = 36 in4

σx = My / I = 225,000 * 1.5 / 36 = 9375 = 9.375 ksi

σy = 0

Q = Ay = 2*1.5*2.25 = 6.75 in3 b = 2in

τxy = VQ/bI = 12,500*6.75 / (2*36) = 1171.875 = 1.17 ksi

Rosette #5

P
P = 25,000 lbs  = 12,500 lbs
2

M = 12,500 * 18 = 225,000 lbs-in

y = 1.5 in

I = 1/12 * bh3 = 1/12 * 2 *63 = 36 in4

σx = 0

σy = 0

Q = Ay = 2*3*1.5 = 9 in3 b = 2in

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τxy = VQ/bI = 12,500*9 / (2*36) = 1562.5 = 1.56 ksi

Rosette #6

P
P = 25,000 lbs  = 12,500 lbs
2

M = 12,500 * 18 = 225,500 lbs-in

y = - 1.5 in

I = 1/12 * bh3 = 1/12 * 2 *63 = 36 in4

σx = My / I = 225,000 * (- 1.5) / 36 = -9.375 ksi

σy = 0

Q = Ay = 2*1.5*2.25 = 6.75 in3 b = 2in

τxy = VQ/bI = 12,500*6.75 / (2*36) = 1171.875 = 1.17 ksi

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