KNS 1461 Civil Engineering Laboratory 2

Faculty of Engineering
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
______________________________________________________________________________

DISCUSSION
1) When the load was doubled in Part 1 of the experiment, did the shearing force
double?
Yes. The shearing forces was double in Part 1 of the experiment. This can be proof from
the calculation of (10N x 2) on the 3rd hanger (400mm from B) below:

900mm
500mm
A

RA= 4.444N

(10N x 2)

In equilibrium:
F= 0 :

MA= 0 :

(10N x 2) - RA- RB = 0

-20N(500mm)+ RB (900mm) = 0

RB = 20N - RA

RB = 11.111N
-20N(400mm)+ RA (900mm) = 0
RA = 8.889N
Vc

Ay

F= 0 : Ay Vc = 0,

RB= 5.556N

KNS 1461 Civil Engineering Laboratory 2

Faculty of Engineering
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
______________________________________________________________________________

Vc = +8.889N

2) How well did the experimental result agree with the theoretical values? Use the
average of the ratios Experiment 1/Theory 1.
From four experiments that had been conducted, the maximum ratio is 1.03 at
experiment 1 and the minimum ratio is 0.70 at experiment 2.
Experiment 1 was divided into three part which is different load position and load.
From experiment 1(a), for 10N, the ratio SE/SX is 0.95 and for 20N, the ratio SE/SX is
1.03. Then, from experiment 1(b), for 10 N, the ratio SE/SX is .92. Meanwhile from
experiment 1(c), for 10N, the ratio SE/SX is 0.99.
From experiment 2, for W1 = 5N, W2 = 0N, and W3 = 12N, the ratio SE/SX is 0.70.
For W1 = 5N, W2 = 2N, and W3 = 10N, the ratio SE/SX is 0.73. Lastly for W1 = 5N, W2
= 10N, and W3 = 10N, the ratio SE/SX is 0.91.

There were some erroneous occur during the experiment was conducted. So, to make
the result in the experiment more aptly, some precaution should be followed:

a. Make sure that the apparatus was set up exactly as S1-1 to make the result
more accurate.
b. To prevent parallax error which is error occurred during taking the reading
from the spring balance, the reading need to be taken at the proper location
so that the eyes are parallel to scale. Besides, taking reading for 3 times
will provide precise readings.

KNS 1461 Civil Engineering Laboratory 2

Faculty of Engineering
Universiti Malaysia Sarawak
______________________________________________________________________________

c. Make sure that the one, whos adjusted the spring balance, take the spring
balance reading. This is because, if anyone else takes the reading, the
reading will not accurate anymore.
d. For the first reading of the spring balance, it should recorded as the no
load datum value.