Experiment No.

6:
To determine principal stresses in a loaded beam installed with strain rosettes by using analytical
method.

THEORY:
When performing a tension test on a specimen, the normal strain is measured using an electrical resistance
strain gauge, which consists of a wire grid or piece of metal foil bonded to the specimen. For a general
loading on a body, however, the strains at a point on its free surface are determined using a cluster of three
electrical-resistance strain gauges, arranged in a specified pattern. This pattern is referred to as strain
rosette. Once the normal strains on these three gauges are measured, the data can then be transformed to
specify the state of strain at the point.

In general, the axes of three gauges are arranged at the angles 𝜃 , 𝜃 , 𝜃 as shown. Strain rosettes are of
two types depending upon the arrangement of strain gauges. 45 o strain rosette is known as rectangular
strain rosette (Fig 6.1-b) and 60o strain rosette is known as delta strain rosette (Fig 6.1-c).

Fig 6.1: Types of strain rosettes

Fig 6.2: Three electrical-resistance strain gages arranged as a 45o strain rosette (magnified view).

If the readings 𝜖 , 𝜖 , 𝜖 are taken, we can determine the strain components 𝜖 , 𝜖 , 𝛾 at the point by
applying the strain-transformation equation.

Apparatus: Universal Testing Machine, Measuring tape, Strain measuring devices, Vernier Caliper,
Screw Gauge

Specimen: Steel I-Section Beam

Procedure: Following procedure is adopted while performing experiment:
1. Measure the cross-section dimension of the beam.
2. Place the beam on Universal testing machine.
3. Mark the clear span of the beam.
4. Apply the load at required point.
5. Install rectangular and delta strain gauges on steel
section.
6. Connect these gauges with the display unit
7. Start applying load in defined increment and for each
increment note the value of strain at three gauges.
8. Calculate 𝜖 , 𝜖 , 𝛾 for both arrangements of strain
gauges.

Fig. 6.3: Simply supported I-section beam

subjected to one point load

Readings & Observations:

𝜖 = 𝜖 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 + 𝜖 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 + 𝛾 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 N.A
𝜖 = 𝜖 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 + 𝜖 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 + 𝛾 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃

𝜖 = 𝜖 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜃 + 𝜖 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 + 𝛾 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃

The values 𝜖 , 𝜖 , 𝛾 of are determined by solving these three equations Fig. 6.4: Cross-Section of I-Beam
simultaneously. And

𝜖 +𝜖 𝜖 −𝜖
𝜖 , = ± +𝛾
2 2

And calculate principal stresses using

(ϵ + μϵ )E
σ =
1−μ

(ϵ + μϵ )E
σ =
1−μ

σ = My/I

𝑉𝑄
𝜏 =
𝐼𝑡
For 45o rosette;
a = 0o, b = 45o, c = 90o 𝜖 =𝜖 , 𝜖 =𝜖 , 𝛾 = 2𝜖 − (𝜖 + 𝜖 )

For 60o rosette;

a = 0o, b = 60o, c = 120o 𝜖 =𝜖 , 𝜖 = (2𝜖 + 2𝜖 − 𝜖 ), 𝛾 = (𝜖 − 𝜖 )

√

Table No. 01: Values of Principal strains and stresses from experimentally measured strain values
using 45o strain rosette.

Obs. Load 𝛜𝐚 𝛜𝐛 𝛜𝐜 𝛜𝐱 𝛜𝐲 𝛄𝐱𝐲 𝛜𝟏 𝛜𝟐 𝛔𝟏 𝛔𝟐

No. (kN) µ µ µ µ µ rad µ µ MPa MPa

1 10

2 20

3 30

4 40

5 50

Table No. 2: Values of Principal Strains and stresses from the theoretically measured strains values
using 45o strain rosette.

Obs. Load Shear Moment t Static Shear Y (distance Moment 𝝈𝐱 𝝈𝟏 𝝈𝟐

No. Force of inertia moment Stress from =PL/4
V = P/2 of area τxy Neutral
(N) (N) (m4) (m) Q (m3) (MPa) axis) (N.m) MPa MPa MPa

1 10

2 20

3 30

4 40

5 50
Table No.3: Values of Principal stresses from the theoretical relations and their comparison with
experimental measure stresses.

Theoretical Values Experimental Values %age Difference

Obs. Load
No. (N) 𝝈𝟏 𝝈𝟐 𝝈𝟏 𝝈𝟐 𝝈𝟏 𝝈𝟐
MPa MPa MPa MPa MPa MPa

1 10

2 20

3 30

4 40

5 50

Significance of testing:
Experiment No. 7:
Finding out principal strains and stresses in an instrumented (with strain rosette) steel beam using
graphical solution.

THEORY
Strain rosette circle: Graphical solution is possible for any configuration of strain rosette. There are six
possibilities of strain rosette depending upon the components of magnitude of component gauges.

large > intermediate > small

Possibilities:
i. ɛa > ɛ b > ɛ c
ii. ɛa > ɛ c > ɛ b
iii. ɛb > ɛ a > ɛ c
iv. ɛb > ɛ c > ɛ a
v. ɛc > ɛ a > ɛ b
vi. ɛc > ɛ b > ɛ a
Procedure
Following procedure is adopted in lab for the experiment:
1. Set up a vertical axis to represent /2 axis.
2. Decide scale of both  and  axis, keeping in mind the magnitude of strain gauges.
3. Draw three lines parallel to /2 axis at the appropriate distance representing the values a, b, c.
4. Assume intermediate gauge line is vertical.
5. On intermediate gauge line take any point P.
6. Draw angles α and β from point P towards a, c lines separately.
7. Both these lines will cut a, c lines at point Q and R.
8. Lines a, b, c was drawn parallel to /2 axis, depending upon their given values.
9. From the intermediate strain gauge line, select a point P and draw two lines to greater and smaller ɛ
lines at the given angles which was 45o and 90o respectively.
10. Then right bisectors of these two lines were drawn and the intersecting point of these two right
bisectors give us the center of circle.
11. Circle was drawn by opening the compass from center of circle to any point P, Q, and R.
12. All the end, ɛ axis was drawn, passing through the center of circle.
13. ɛ1 and ɛ2 were calculated from the graph
14. Stresses were calculated using
 + 𝜈
𝜎 =E
1−𝜈
 + 𝜈
𝜎 =E
1−𝜈
Graphical Method

Table No. 01 Values of Principal strains from Graph and Analytical solution and their difference.

Obs. Load Experimentally Analytically Graphically %age

No. (kN) measured Strains found principal found principal difference
strains strains
ɛa ɛb ɛc ɛ1 ɛ2 ɛ1 ɛ2 ɛ1 ɛ2
(μ) (μ) (μ) (μ) (μ) (μ) (μ) (μ) (μ)

1 10

2 20

3 30

4 40

5 50
Table No. 2 Values of Principal stresses from Graphical and Analytical solution and their difference.

Obs. No. Load Analytically found Graphically found %age Difference

(kN) Principal Stress Principal Stress
σ1 σ2 σ1 σ2 σ1 σ2
(MPa) (MPa) (MPa) (MPa)

1 10

2 20

3 30

4 40

5 50
Graphs:
Paste Mohr’s circle against each load.

Significance: