Experiment No: - 03

Name of Experiment: - The Torsion System.

Objectives: -
1. To show how to connect and use shear and torque (torsional) strain gauges to measure
strains in an object that twists.

2. To show how to compare displayed strains with theory for a torsion beam.

Apparatus:
1. Strain Gauge Trainer
2. Weight Hanger and Weights.
3. Strain Display

Figure: The Strain Gauge Trainer

Theory:

Strain Gauges
Strain Gauges are electrical sensors (transducers) that measure strains. Their electrical
resistance changes by a small amount when an external force stretches or compresses them. This
change in resistance is directly proportional to displacement (strain).
Mass, Weight and Force
The masses included with the equipment are labelled in grams or kilogram’s - units of mass.
For experiments with this apparatus, it is important to know the gravitational force pulling down
on a mass (true weight) and not just its labelled weight. The standard unit of this force is in
Newton (N) and shown in Equation 1.

Force (N) = Mass (kg) x Acceleration due to gravity (m.s-2) …………………………… (1)
The acceleration is due to gravity (g) is 9.81 m.s -2. So, for a mass of 100 g (0.1 kg), the force (true
weight) is:

F = 0.1 x 9.81 = 0.981 N

Direct Stress, Strain and Young’s Modulus

Stress ()

Strain ()

Young’s Modulus ()

Modulus of Rigidity or Shear Modulus (G)

Torsional Stress and Strain:

Polar Moment of Inertia

This is similar to the second moment of area for a rectangular beam, but works with circular and
solid cross-section beams.

………………………………………………. (2)

………………………………………………. (3)

Torque
The twisting force (torque) at the end of the bar is the moment of force on the torque arm:
 Figure: Torque (Twisting Force)

………………… (4)
Shear Stress
The theoretical shear stress for the solid circular bar is
……………………………...……………….. (5)

Shear Strain
The theoretical shear strain for the solid circular bar is

………………………………………………….. (6)
Direct Strain
Strain gauges measure the direct strain on the surface of the object under test, so to compare it
with theory, you must convert theoretical shear strain into direct strain. To do this, you must
understand how shear strain relates to direct strain.

Figure: Shear Strain

When a force changes the length of an object, the direct strain ( ) is:

 = C----h----a---n----g---e-----i-n------l-e---n----g---t--h---
Original length
So, a direct strain is a change in length, but a shear strain is caused by a stress in two dimensions
(a change in shape).

To relate the two, Figure shows a force that changes the shape of a rectangle. The force causes
strain in two dimensions to change the diagonal length of the rectangle (all other dimensions
remain the same). The shear strain is the amount that the diagonal has changed. For small
angles, the approximation is that  = .

………………………………….. (7)

Procedure: -
Procedure 1 - To Use Shear and Torque Strain Gauges

1. Study the strain gauge pattern for the Torsion System. Note that the gauges underneath
the beam are identical to the gauges above the beam. However, note that they are each a
rosette of two gauges. Each gauge in the rosette will measure the same amount of strain,
but their polarity is inverted, as one measures compressive twisting strain and the other
measures tensile twisting strain.

2. Create a blank results table, similar to Table 1.

 3. Connect the blue strain gauge to the strain display as a quarter bridge. Adjust the Strain
Display to show the correct gauge factor and ACT = 1.

4. Screw the torque arm into the threaded hole at the end of the torsion system (see Figure
30).

5. Leave the equipment to stabilize for approximately one minute, then press and hold the
‘zero’ button until the display readings become 0 (zero).

6. Add a small weight hanger to the end of the torque arm (the end of the torque arm has a
smaller diameter part to accept the weight hanger hook).

7. The small weight hanger is 10 g. Add 49 x 10 g weights to the weight hanger to give a
total weight (load) of 500 g. Note the strain reading into your table and its polarity (+
or -).

8. Remove the weights and repeat the experiment, but use the red, yellow and green
gauges.
Gauge Factor:

Type of Strain
Strain Gauge Strain Reading () Polarity (+/-) (Compressive/Tensile)

Blue

Red

Yellow

Green

Table 1: Blank Results Table

Results Analysis
Note the polarity of each gauge and look back in this guide to find whether it is measuring
compressive or tensile strain. Complete your table.

Compare the strain readings for each gauge, are they similar or different?

Can you now understand how to connect these gauges as a half or full bridge? If you not sure, the
next procedure will show you.

Procedure 2 - Compare Strains

1. Create a blank results table, similar to Table 5.

2. Use the Vernier instrument (supplied) to accurately measure the dimensions of the
specimen beam. Record your measurements into your results table.

3. Connect the torsion system red and green gauges ‘tensile twist’ as opposites.
 Connect the blue and yellow gauges ‘compressive twist’ as opposites to complete
a full bridge.
4. Leave the equipment to stabilize for approximately one minute, then press and
hold the ‘zero’ button until the display readings become 0 (zero).

5. Note the strain reading into your table.

6. Add a small weight hanger to the end of the torque arm. The end of the torque arm
has a smaller diameter part to accept the weight hanger hook at a known length
and torque radius - see Technical Details and Theory for Structures.

7. The small weight hanger is 10 g. Add 24 x 10 g weights to the weight hanger to

give a total weight (load) of 250 g. Note the strain reading into your table.

8. Add more weights to the weight hanger until you reach 500 g. Note the strain
reading into your table.

9. Remove the weights and unscrew the moment arm.

Results Analysis

Calculate the force for each load*.

Use Equation 4 to find the torque for each load*.

Use Equation 2 to calculate the polar moment of inertia for the beam*.
Use equation 5 to find the shear stress of the beam, then use Equation 6 and the shear modulus
to find the shear strain of the beam*.

Divide this by 2 to find the direct strain (see Equation 7)*.

* VDAS will automatically do these calculations for you.

How do the displayed and theoretical direct strains compare?

Typical Result:

Gauge Factor: 2.04

Type of Strain
Strain Gauge Strain Reading () Polarity (+/-) (Compressive/Tensile)
Blue -25 - Compressive
Red 24 + Tensile
Yellow -25 - Compressive
Green 24 + Tensile

Table 1: Results for Experiment 3 procedure 1

 Shear Modulus for the beam: 79.6 GPa
Gauge Factor:2.04 Bridge Connection: Full
Beam diameter: 9.97 mm (0.00997 m) Torque Arm Length: 0.15 m
Beam Radius: 4.985 mm (0.0004985 m) Polar Moment of Inertia: 9.7 x 10 -10

Calculated Calculated
Output Strain (shear) (direct)
Force (N) Torque Voltage Reading Stress Strain
Load (kg) (Load x 9.81 m.s-2) (Nm) (V) () (MN.m-2) ()

0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0.25 2.4525 0.367875 130 12 1.89 12

0.5 4.9050 0.73575 260 25 3.78 24

Figure: Results for Experiment 3 procedure 2

Both sets of strain gauges measure equal and opposite strains. The calculated strains are similar
to the displayed strain readings (within 5%). This proves the theory.