Extensiometry

Lucas Assis
 Introduction
Extensiometry is a science for the measurement
of strains and stresses of materials.
An extensometer is an instrument that measures
test specimen elongation to characterize strain.
 Eletrical Extensiometers (Strain-
gauges)
Deflection of the tested surface makes changes
in the lenght and cross-section area of the
extensiometer. Those changes reflect in changes
in the electrical properties of the strain-gauges.
 The Electrical resistance of the strain-gauges is given by the
formula below:

Where =Material resistivity ; l is the length of the extensiometer

and A is the cross section area of it.
The increase of resistance can be found derivating both
sides of the equations. In order to make the derivation
simpler, we can just take the ln of both sides:

Derivating:

Eq.1
 knowing
that l/l= and

Where b is the width of the strain gauge and t is the

thickness of it.
the last formula can be written as:

The electrical resistivity changes the values with

volume change of the conductor with the
following values:
=m. where m. is a constant . Knowing that
the volume variation can be written as:

So, eq. 1 can be written as: K

=K.

K is called sensibility of deformation and it depends

on the strain gauge material. For the most common
strain gauges, this number is a constant with a
value near 2.

Knowing that =E. the stress can be found with the

change of electrical resistence of the strain gauge.
 Strain gauges can measure only normal
strain in one direction

How to determine all the planar

strain/stresses inclunding shear?
 Finding shear stresses with Strain
gauges
Consider the assembly of two Strain gauges with
arbitrary angles as shown in the image below:
Solving for the shear strain:
If the strain gauges were
positioned 45 from
The X axis, the planar shear
stress can be
Calculated as:

xy= -
A B
 Finding Principal Stresses
When principal stresses are searched
in a surface, three strain gauges with
45 can be used. In this situation:
1st step: Calculate the shear strain at direction A

A=

2st step: Calculate the shear strain at direction B

B=
 Insertinging the shear strains found
in the last steps into the Mohrs
Circle, we can find the maximum
-
shear strain (radius of the circle).
r.sin2=-(1-2)/sin45
-B r.cos2=-(2-3)/sin45

-A

 Final considerations
1) Thermal effects normally are not considered for the
strain gauge calculations, but for components with a
high temperature gradient this factor can inflict a
significant amount of error in the results.
2) For components with known null strains such as bars
under only axial load or pure bending, just one strain
gauge is enough. For members under pure shear or bi-
axial stresses, two perpendicular extensometers are
normally applied in order to find the strains. For
components under combinations of normal and shear
loads, 3 strain gages should be applied.
 References
DIXON, M.J., Materials Metrology and Standards for Structural
Performance, Ed; DYSON, B.F., LOVEDAY, M.S. and GEE, M.G.,
Chapman and Hall, London (1995)
http://www.vishaypg.com/docs/11062/tn5121tn.pdf
http://
soliton.ae.gatech.edu/people/jcraig/classes/ae3145/Lab2/strain
-gage-rosette-theory.pdf

Andolfato,Rodrigo, Apostila de Extensiometria Bsica.