DEFLECTION

UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT
STRENGTH OF MATERIALS LAB
TITLE:

DEFLECTION

APPARATUS
The apparatus consists of steel base on which are mounted brackets or clamps supporting
a ring, a semi-circle and a convertible davit / quadrant. Further supports are provided to
enable die gauges to be positioned to measure horizontal and vertical deflections at the
loaded points, or the case of the ring the horizontal diameter. Special load hangers are
used to offer flat surfaces for the dial gauges.
The principle dimensions of the test specimens are follows:
Ring
: 300 mm diameter
Semicircle
: 150 mm radius
Quadrant
: 150 mm radius
Davit
: 150 mm radius on 75 mm vertical leg
All specimens are made from 25 x 3 mm steel strip with a modulus of elasticity of about
205 kN/mm2.

EXPERIMENT
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the experiment is to compare the measured deflections with theoretical
values.
PROCEDURE
Start the experiment with whichever test specimen has been left ready for use.
Part 1, Ring
The ring is suspended from a knife-edged bracket. A C hook carries a load hanger for
applying a vertical load. A permanently fixed dial gauge with a flat anvil measures the
vertical deflection. The deformation on the horizontal diameter is measured by two
removable dial gauge with must be fixed on the cross bar to perform this part.
A 5 N weight is placed on the load hanger to stabilize the system. The dial gauge
readings are then taken as the zero datum. Add load by increments of 5 N up to a
maximum of 40 N, recording the dial gauge reading in Table 1.

DEFLECTION

Table 1: Deflection of a Ring

Load (N)
Dial
Rdg.
(.01
mm)

Vertical
Defn.
(mm)

Dial
Rdg.
(.01
mm)

Horizontal
A (.01 Dial
B
mm)
Rdg.
(.01
(.01
mm)
mm)

Defn.
(mm)

Part 2, Semicircle
The Semicircle is clamed to the base. A special load hanger is suspended from pegs at the
free end of the test specimen in order to offer horizontal and vertical faces for the dial
gauges. Two transferable dial gauges have to be temporarily fixed on the bracket to
measure the vertical and horizontal deflections of the free end of the specimen.
A 2 N weight is placed on the load hanger to stabilize the system. The dial gauge
readings are then taken as the zero datum. Add load by increments of 2 N up to a
maximum of 14 N, recording the dial gauge reading in Table 2.
Table 2: Deflection of a Semicircle
Load
(N)

Dial
Rdg.
(.01
mm)

Vertical
Defn.
(mm)

Horizontal
Dial Rdg. Defn.
(.01 mm)
(mm)

Part 2, Quadrant
The quadrant is the upper part of the davit specimen and is provided by tightening a
clamp at the springing of the curve. A special load hanger is suspended form pegs at the
free end of the test specimen in order to offer horizontal and vertical faces for the dial
gauges. Two transferable dial gauges have to be temporarily fixed on the bracket to
measure the vertical and horizontal deflections of the free end of the specimen.

DEFLECTION

A 2 N weight is placed on the load hanger to stabilize the system. The dial gauge
readings are then taken as the zero datum. Add load by increments of 2 N up to a
maximum of 14 N, recording the dial gauge reading in Table 3.

Table 3: Deflection of a Quadrant

Load
(N)

Vertical
Dial
Defn.
Rdg.
(mm)
(.01
mm)

Horizontal
Dial Rdg. Defn.
(.01 mm)
(mm)

By removing the clap at the springing of the quadrant the test specimen becomes a davit.
Procedure of Part 3 is repeated using Table 4.

Table 4: Deflection of a Davit

Load
(N)

Vertical
Dial
Defn.
Rdg.
(mm)
(.01
mm)

Horizontal
Dial Rdg. Defn.
(.01 mm)
(mm)

DEFLECTION

RESULTS
In Table 1 the horizontal deflection is the sum of A
convention in case A and B should be negative)

and

B (be careful to the

For each curved member plot a graph of the deflection against the added load. Draw
the best of straight line through each set of points from gradients derive the
deflections at 10 N loads for comparison with theoretical values.
The exact theoretical expression which follow have been derived from the
deflection formula

where

Mwm
ds
EI
M w = bending moment due to applied loads
m=

ds =

bending moment due to a unit load at the point and in the direction
of the required deflection
element of length along the centre line of all members in bending
and the integral is taken along the whole test specimen.

For radiuses members the bending moments will be trigonometric expression and
ds is transform into Rd . The products to be integrated are standard forms given in
mathematics books.
Where the products to be integrated is a continuous function the integral can be
regarded as an area, and Simpsons rule or calculating this area cab be used1. The
deflections according to this approximate method are also listed below.

DEFLECTION

see Understanding Structural Mechanics by N.P. Roberts