Uncertainty Associated with the Gage Factor in

Three-Eiement Strain-Gage-Rosette Measurements

by Paolo Cappa

2
ABSTRACT-The uncertainty associated with the gage factor E2 = Vz ( EaR + EcR) - Y2 [( EaR- EcR) +
in the evaluation of principal strains is examined. Principal
strains are measured with electrical-resistance strain-gage (l)
rectangular and delta rosettes. The theoretical examination
points out that, in the worst case, the effect of gage-factor
where the first subscripts- a, b and c-represent the
uncertainty is not negligible and, in some conditions, is
significant. These results have been confirmed by experimental gages placed at the O, 45 and 90-deg positions relative to
analysis. the x axis. The second subscript R indicates a rectangular
rosette.
The three-element delta rosette employs gages located
lntroduction at the O, 120 and 240-deg positions relative to the x axis.
The technique of strain measurements based on The values of Et and E, are given by
electrical-resistance strain gages has been widely examined
in order to identify and to evaluate ali possible causes of
error-both systematic and random. These errors,
Et= +(Eao+Ebo+Eco) + f [(Eao-Ebo)' +

systematically studied by Dally and Riley,' Klokow,' ( EbD- Eco) 2 + (E cD- Eao) 2 ]tll
Pople, 3 and Perry,< are due to (l) the main characteristics
of the transducer and the calibration mode, (2) the strain
field and the measurement system chosen and, finally,
E,= +(Eao+Ebo+Eco)- f [(Eao-Ebo)' +
(2)

(3) environmental effects.

Among the errors attributed to the strain gage and to
the calibration mode used by the manufacturer, in addition
to the systematic error caused by transverse sensitivity
which has been widely examined,l-1° there is a random
error due to the uncertainty of the strain-gage factor. The
percentage of this uncertainty, obviously, produces the
same percentage of uncertainty that must be attributed to
the measured strains. However, if it is necessary to use
rectangular or delta rosettes, the uncertainties of three
strain-gage measurements produce an interval of un-
certainty in the calculated principal strains and stress
values not immediately estimable.
This paper presents a theoretical and experimental
evaluation of the uncertainty associated with the principal
strains calculated with rectangular or delta rosettes.
Theoretical Evaluation
The principal strains E, and E, for a three-element
rectangular rosette are calculated by the following equations.
where the second subscript D indicates a delta rosette.
However the gage factors F of the three transdùcers
have uncertainty oF that is generally not negligible and
equa! to ±l percent of F. This value is typical for the
strain gages made in Europe. Next it is necessary to
associate the same percentage value to the values measured
by the gage.
In order to calculate the uncertainties OEt and bE, that
must be assigned to the principal strains, it is necessary to
develop eqs (l) and (2) by the propagation of uncertainty."
It was chosen to evaluate OEt and bE, in the worst case.
For a rectangular rosette the uncertainties OEt and bE, are
determined by employing the following equation.
OEaR = oF. EaR
OEcR = oF • EcR

Paolo Cappa (SEM Member) is Associate Researcher, Dipartimento di

Meccanica ed Aeronautica, Universita di Roma "La Sapienza", Via
Eudossiana, 18- 00184- Rome, Italy. (2EbR- EaR- EcR) 2 ] - 112 } (3)
Originai manuscript submitted: December 23, 1985. Fina/ manuscript
received: March 2, 1987. where OEaR• OEbR and OEcR are the uncertainties associated

Experimental Mechanics • 429

 10 ~------~----~-------r------~----~------~-------r----~

Fig. 1-Variation of c
oE2iE2 with principal angle
4)
o 6
<1> for different values of
E2iE,. Rectangular rosette:
~
AR ) E2i E, = 25 percent; .
BR ) E2i E, = 50 percent;
CR ) E2i E, = 75 percent.
Delta rosette: Av) E2iE, =
--
..,"'..
'O
4

25 percent; Bv ) E2i E,
75 percent
2

with EaR, EbR, EcR· Fora delta rosette, OE, and OE2 can be
expressed by
OEaD = oF • EaD
OEcD = oF. EcD
2 112
( EcD- Eav) )- } (4)
where OEav, OEbD and OEcv indicate the uncertainties
concerning Eav, Ebv, EcD·
The dependence of oE on the principal strains and
principal angle c/>, have been calculated by attributing a
value of ±l percent to the three gage-factor uncertainties.
In Fig. l the OE2/ E2 is given as a function of c/> for various
and positive values of E2/ E, for both a rectangular and a
delta rosette reading. In Fig. 2 OE2/ E2 are plotted as a
function of c/> for different and negative values of E2/ E,
for both a rectangular and a delta rosette reading. From
the results of these figures it is evident that the effect of
oF is remarkable. The function oE = f( c/>) is periodic.
The period is equa! to 180 deg for the rectangular rosette
and 60 deg for the delta rosette. The increase of the value
of E2/ E, determines a decrease of the uncertainties
associated with the principal strains for both types of
examined rosettes. Finally, inspection of the curves
plotting the ratio oE2 l E2 versus c/>, un der the same value
of oF and E2/ E,, shows that the difference in value
between the lowest and highest value of ~ is greater for
E2
a rectangular than for a delta rosette.
Experimental Verification
To verify the theoretical results experimentally, two
three-element rectangular rosettes and a two-element
rectangular rosette were applied on a cylindrical specimen
with circular section, 40-mm diameter. This specimen was
subjected to a uniaxial state of stress along the axis of
symmetry. The testing machine was calibrated with a load
celi (maximum error :5':0.1 percent).
One of the two rectangular rosettes was applied with
c/> = 45 deg. The other was applied with c/> = 135 deg
relative to the longitudinal axis. The two-element rectan-
gular rosette was applied with the axis parallel to the
principal axis. Then for this rosette, it was possible to deter-
mine the principal strains with OE = oF percent. The
chain of measurement was made by a manual measuring
point selector and a digitai strain meter. These instru-
ments have a maximum error of :5': 0.1 percent.
The residua! stresses in the cement were relieved by
applying strains to the gages in cyclic form (Stein 12). Ten
determinations were made. Small changes in temperature
of the temperature-compensated gages occur in the
neighborhood of 24 o c during the tests. Then the apparent
strains were negligible. It was not necessary to correct the
curvature effect. 13 - 15 In fact this effect is negligible for
surfaces with a radius of curvature greater than approxi-
mately 13 mm. ' 6 On the contrary the errors introduced by
the transverse-sensitivity factors were taken into account.
The hysteresis and zero shift is not remarkable; in fact,
the value is less than 0.2 percent of the maximum strains. 17
Then the measurements were subjected to many small
sources of random errar and negligible systematic errors.
It follows that it is a reasonable assumption that the
measurements are distributed according to the Gauss
distribution. The values of the standard deviation of the
mean are on the order of tenths of JLIDim.
The mean values are given in Table l. This table shows
significant differences among the values, either E, or E2,
obtained with the three rosettes. These differences seem
due to the uncertainties associated with the gage factors.

430 • December 1987

 10~------.------,-------.------.-------.------,-------,------,

8
A"
Fig. 2-Variation of
OE2iE2 with principal
c
G) 6 angle </> for different
C)
values of E2i E, .
... Rectangular rosette:
! AR) E2iE, = -25
~
.. percent; BR) E2iE, =
-50 percent; GR ) E2i E,
"' 4
"'
-Q = - 75 percent. Delta
Rosette: A o ) E2i E, =
-25 percent; Bo) E2i E,
= -50 percent; Co )
2 E2i E, = - 75 percent

o +------4------~------~-----+------+------+------~----~
225°

In fact these uncertainties cause the values of oE, and OE2 angle. The latter dependence is greater in the rectangular
shown in Table 2; oE, and OE2 determine overlapping than in the delta rosette.
ranges for E, and E2 obtained with the three rosettes.
References
Conclusions l. Dal/y, J. W. and Riley, W.F., "Experimental Stress Analysis,"
McGraw-Hi/1 (1978).
The main conclusions which may be derived from this 2. Klokow, N.P., "Metrological Characteristics of Resistance Strain
work are as follows. (l) The uncertainty in the gage factor Gauges and Evaluation of Deformation Measurements Errors, " Measure-
produces a non-negligible interval of uncertainty in the ment Techniques, 23, 640-649 (1978).
principal strains calculated from the values measured 3. Pople, J., "Errors and Uncertainties in Strain Measurement,"
Strain Gauge Techno/ogy, App/ied Science Publishers, 209-264 (1983).
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Experimental Mechanics • 431