AM 2540 - APPLIED MECHANICS LAB

Solid Mechanics
Lab Report

EXPERIMENT (CODE G) :
Spring Test & Measurement of Bending Stress using Strain
Gauge.

GROUP 18
ME16B053
ME16B054
ME16B055
 EXPERIMENT-1
Spring Stiffness Test

AIM To calculate the stiffness constants of various springs and comparing the experimental
values with the theoretical values.

THEORY If the force applied on the spring is such that there occurs no permanent deformation
in the spring, the system actually regains its original shape. There exists a linear relationship
between the force applied and the deformation produced in the spring i.e.,

Where Experimental Setup

F is the Force applied,

x is the deformation,

K is the linear stiffness constant.

In order to estimate the linear stiffness constant

theoretically, we have the following formula :
KL = Gr3/4nR3

Where
G = shear modulus of the spring material,
r = radius of the spring wire,
n = number of active coils in the helical spring,
R = mean radius of the helical spring.
Values -
g = 9.8 m/s 2
Shear modulus of Mild steel (G) = 80Gpa
 Sample 1: Conical Spring

Load Load Loading Loading Unloading Unloading Mean

Deflection
S. No In kg In N Scale Deflection Scale Deflection ( in cm)
Reading (in cm) Reading (in cm)
(in cm) (in cm)

1 0 0 12 0 12 0 0

2 0.5 4.9 11.9 0.1 11.9 0.1 0.1

3 1 9.8 11.8 0.2 11.8 0.2 0.2

4 1.5 14.7 11.6 0.4 11.6 0.4 0.4

5 2 19.6 11.4 0.6 11.3 0.7 0.65

6 2.5 24.5 11.2 0.8 11.2 0.8 0.8

spring mean reading

R 26.26
Conical (in mm)
n = 33
R 1.56
(in mm)

KL 196
(in Nm)
Slope of the above graph = 28.546.

There is a large difference between Spring Constant value calculated experimentally and
theoretically. It is because we considered the conical spring as l inear, but it is actually
a nonlinear spring.

%error in KL value = (((KL)experimental -(KL)theoretical )/(KL)theoretical) x 100 which is very huge in

Case of this spring.
 Sample 2: Compression Spring

Load Load Loading Loading Unloading Unloading Mean

S. No deflection
In kg In N Scale deflection Scale deflection
Reading Reading

1 0 0 13 0 13 0 0

2 0.5 4.9 12.7 0.3 12.7 0.3 0.3

3 1 9.8 12.4 0.6 12.4 0.6 0.6

4 1.5 14.7 12.1 0.9 12 1 0.95

5 2 19.6 11.7 1.3 11.7 1.3 1.3

6 2.5 24.5 11.4 1.6 11.4 1.6 1.6

spring mean reading

R 38.64
Compression (in mm)
n = 11
r 2.8
(in mm)

KL 1920
(in Nm)
Slope of the graph = 15.096
i.e., The value of the spring constant calculated experimentally = 15.096 N/cm = 1 509.6 N/m
The value of the spring constant calculated theoretically using the formula
KL = (Gr3)/(4nR3) = 1920 N/m
% error in KL value = ((1509.6 - 1920)/1920) X 100 =-21.375%
 Sample 3:Tensile Spring

Load Load Loading Loading Unloading Unloading Mean

S. No deflection
In kgs In N Scale deflection Scale deflection
Reading Reading

1 0 0 41.5 0 41.5 0 0

2 0.5 4.9 41.7 0.2 41.7 0.2 0.2

3 1.0 9.8 42.2 0.7 42.2 0.7 0.7

4 1.5 14.7 43.2 1.7 43.1 1.6 1.65

5 2.0 19.6 44.1 2.6 44.1 2.6 2.6

6 2.4 23.52 44.9 3.4 44.9 3.4 3.4

spring mean reading

R
20.82
Tensile (in mm)
n = 28
r 1.55
(in mm)

KL 452.83
(in Nm)
Slope of the above graph is 5.081.
i.e., The value of the spring constant calculated experimentally = 5.081 N/cm = 508.1 N/m
whereas theoretically calculated spring constant value = 452.83 N/m
% error in spring constant value = ((508.1 - 452.83)/508.1)x100 = 10.87%

Inference:
Spring constant actually depends on the geometry of the spring. i.e., R,r and n (number of
active turns) For linear springs, the load ( which itself is the force exerted by spring) is
proportional to its deflection. Here sample 1 is non linear spring. So theoretical (from geometry)
and practical (calculated by considering it as linear) spring constants for sample 1 spring did not
match .
Where as other two samples are linear springs. But still some errors 21.375% for sample 2
and 10% for sample 3. These errors are due to
1) Friction at the contact points of spring with the apparatus.
2) Parallax errors.
3) Non axial loading.
4) Large loads.
 Measurement of Bending Stress using
a Strain Gauge

AIM:
To measure the tensile bending stress at the root of a cantilever beam subjected to tip
transverse loading using a strain gauge.
APPARATUS:
Strain gauge,
A strain gauge indicator (model P 3500),
An aluminium specimen bar,
A bar holder with a provision for loading
A multimeter.

Theory:
Experimentally, the tensile bending stress can be calculated from the Hookes Law , which states stress
is proportional to strain and the proportionality constant is the youngs modulus of the material.
=
Analytically , tensile bending stress is calculated from Flexure Formula which is
Mb = -I
Mb = Bending moment developed at the location of the strain gauge.

I = Moment of inertia of the beam cross section.

= Normal bending stress

= Distance of Fibre from centroidal axis.

= Youngs modulus of material of the bar

 Observations :
E (aluminium) =70
GPa

Strain Strain Stress Stress difference

S.no Deflection Display (Experimental) (Theoretical) (Experimental) (
(mm) (in 10-6 ) (in 10-6 ) (Pa) Theoretical) (in 106 )
(in 106 ) (Pa)
(in 106 )
1. 0.5 55 55 53.8 3.795 3.712 -2.23599

2. 1.0 114 114 107.65 7.866 7.428 -5.89660

3. 1.5 169 169 161.45 11.661 11.140 -4.67684

4. 2.0 228 228 215.26 15.732 14.853 -5.91799

5. 2.5 287 287 269.11 19.803 18.569 -6.64548

6. 3.0 348 348 322.91 24.012 22.281 -7.76895

7. 3.5 412 412 376.76 28.428 25.997 -9.35107

8. 4.0 475 475 430.57 32.775 29.710 -10.3163

9. 4.5 531 531 484.52 36.639 33.425 -9.61555

10. 5.0 601 601 538.23 41.469 37.138 -11.6619

Calculations
Flexure Formula - Mb = -I
Deflection and applied transverse load are related as - = PLo3 / 3EIzz

Bending Moment - Mb = - PL1

3
Moment of inertia - Izz = bh /12
From experiment, we have
Lo = 25 cm = 0.25 cm
L1 = 24.4 cm
b = 2.5 cm h = 0.5 cm
Izz = bh3 /12 = 260.41 (mm) 4 = 2.6041 10 -10
m4.

S.no Deflectio P
Mb
n (transvers
(mm) e (Nm)
Load) (N)
1. 0.5 1.625 -0.386750
2. 1.0 3.251 -0.773738
3. 1.5 4.876 -1.160488
4. 2.0 6.501 -1.547238
5. 2.5 8.127 -1.934226
6. 3.0 9.752 -2.320976
7. 3.5 11.378 -2.707964
8. 4.0 13.003 -3.094714
9. 4.5 14.629 -3.481702
10. 5.0 16.254 -3.868452

Table - Values of P and Mb for different deflections.

OBSERVATION:

- On application of the transverse load on the cantilever beam there exists bending
moment throughout the surface and this gives rise to bending stress in the beam.
- The bending stress can be calculated from the stress strain relation by measuring the
strain at the clamped point using a strain gauge.
- Theoretically, stress can be calculated from the flexure relation and we observe that the
experimental and theoretical stresses are nearly in close agreement.