Basics of Engineering Measurements

15‐Mar‐22
GP 112 – Engineering Measurements
Lecture 1: Basics of Measurements
by
Dr. S.K. Navaratnarajah
Department of Civil Engineering
University of Peradeniya
Topics Class ILO

Basics of measurements: Dimensions and
measurements, Measurement systems, Measurement errors 1 2
and uncertainty
Errors in measurements: Sources of errors, Types of errors,
2 2
Calibration
Performance indicators: Accuracy and precision, Repeatability,
3 2
Reliability and sensitivity, Resolution of measurements
Error propagation: Basic rules of error propagation and
4 2
applications
Dimensional analysis/ Use of analogy: Dimension and
5 4
measurements, Similitude, Buckingham Pi Theorem
Dimensional analysis/ Use of analogy: Applications of
6,7 4
Buckingham Pi Theorem, Scaling, Modelling and Similarity
* One Assignment – 5 marks

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What is Measurement?
Measurement is the process of comparing unknown
magnitude of certain parameter with the known
predefined standard of that parameter.
Examples:
- Measure the temperature of the body: we
measure it with a thermometer that has
predefined scale indicating different values of
the temperature.
- Measure the length of a wall: we measure it
with a measuring tape that has predefined
markings on it. 3
GP 112 Engineering Measurements Dr. S.K. Navaratnarajah
The measurement enables us obtaining magnitude

of certain parameters whose value is not known by
comparing them with the standards whose value is
predefined.
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Speedometer
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RailG auge Length
ElectricalM easurem ent

w ith M ultim eter
Various M easurem ent inside a tunnel

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Measuring
Devices
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If Not…..
Correct Measurements are
important
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Primary Standards of Measurements

SI System (Systems International):
• LENGTH (meter): One meter is the distance traveled by a ray of

electromagnetic (EM) energy through a vacuum in
1/299,792,458 (3.33564095 x 10-9) second.
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SI System:
• MASS (kg): 1 kg mass Defined as the

mass of a particular international
prototype made of platinum-iridium
and kept at the ‘International Bureau
of Weights and Measures’.
The cylinder, which weighs approximately 1 kg (2.2 pounds), is the definition of the kilogram.
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SI System:
• TIME (s): The second is the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the

radiation corresponding to the transition between the two
hyperfine levels of the ground state of the cesium 133 atom.
More details, Refer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUD2pvKbpfs
Temperature – kelvin (K); Electrical current – ampere (A);

Iuminous Intensity – candele (cd); Material quantity – mole (mol)
Fundamental SI Units
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Measurement is the process of associating numbers with physical

quantities and phenomena.
Measurement is fundamental to the sciences; to the engineering and
other technical matters; and to everyday activity.
Measurements are needed:

- to obtain data (eg. dimensions, position in space) about a
system,
- to determine a state of a system
- to determine how state varies with time or with some
external disturbance,
- to generate data for planning and designing of structures
and machines.
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This will enable one to:

- understand how a system behaves and so predict how things
happen,
- to control the behaviour of a system (i.e. change disturbance
to produce a desired output),
- check the quality of a manufactured item so that bad ones
may be rejected or improved,
- communicate a situation/item with others through
measurements.
To better understand a physical system or phenomenon can be achieved

through measuring some physical variables or properties of the system.
What you want to measure → Measurands

(e.g. temperature; pressure; speed, …)
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When one wanted measures something he/she should know:

- What to measure: - parameters
- How to measure: - measurement system (Devices)
- Accuracy needed
Then examine:
- the measurement systems available that can
provide the required accuracy
- select the best system to optimize on time,
easiness of use, and cost of measurement
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Measurement categories
1. Primary quantity
2. Derived quantity
3. Intrusive – Probe Method
4. Non-intrusive
1. Primary quantity:
Single quantity that is directly measureable.
eg. Measurement of a diameter of a cylinder
Measurement of room temperature
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Measurement categories (Cont…/)
2. Derived quantity:
- When a quantity of interest is not directly measurable by a single
measurement process.
- The quantity of interest needs to be estimated by using an
appropriate relation involving several measured primary quantities.
eg.
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3. Probe or intrusive method (intrusive - causing disruption):
- Measurement of a physical quantity uses a probe that is placed inside
the system.
- Since a probe invariably affects the measured quantity, the
measurement process is referred as an intrusive type of measurement.
eg. Pitot tube used to measure fluid velocity
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Probe or intrusive method
Current meters
for measuring flow velocities
in canals and streams
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Probe or intrusive method
Current meters
for measuring flow
velocities and quantity in
canals and streams
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4. Non-intrusive method:
- When a measurement process does not involve insertion of a probe
into the system, the method is referred to as being non-intrusive.
eg. Laser Doppler Velocimeter to measure direction and speed of
flow.
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Non-intrusive method
Velocity Measurements in rivers using Laser Doppler Velocimeter

Change in wave length of the reflected radiation is a function of the
targeted object's relative velocity (Doppler effect).
More details, refer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4OnBYrbCjY
Velocity of the flow is obtained by measuring the change in wave
length of the reflected laser light.
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Fundamental measuring process
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Measurement Systems:
A measurement system consists of three parts namely;
i) Sensing element ii) Signal converter iii) Display
Sensing element:
- the sensing element is someway ‘in contact’ with what is being
measured and produces a signal which is related to the quantity
being measured.
Signal converter:
- it converts and/or amplifies the output from a sensing element into a
form which is suitable for display.
(e.g. amplification, filtering, averaging, conversion to physical units, … )
Display element:
- It will take the information from the signal converter and presented in
a GP 112 Engineering Measurements Dr. S.K. Navaratnarajah
form easily recognized and read by an observer. 23
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Measurement Systems (Cont...../)

Simple system- consists of a sensing element and a display.
Quantity being Sensing Output
measured Element
eg. Mercury-in-glass thermometer; Spring balance
Small signal Signal Large signal

Converter
eg. An amplifier
Resistance Signal Current

Converter change
change
eg. An electrical circuit
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Simple system- consists of a sensing element and a display.
Quantity being Sensing Output
measured Element
eg. Mercury-in-glass thermometer
Sensing element
(Mercury)
Sensor Main
senses the Bulb scale
variable being
measured.
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Simple system- eg. Spring Balance
Main
scale
Sensing element (Spring)
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Simple system- eg. Balance with a Lever arm system
Main
scale
Sensing element
(Lever arm system)
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Signal Converters
It converts and/or amplifies the output from a sensing element
into a form which is suitable for display.
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Signal Converters (Cont…./)

Bourdon Pressure Gauge
Bourdon tube
Scale
Pressure
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Pivot
Piston rod
Pressure Gauge
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Strain gauge with ‘Wheatstone Bridge’
Rx is the unknown resistance to be
measured; R1, R2, and R3 are resistors
of known resistance and the resistance
of R2 is adjustable.
At the point of balance (no current flow

between B and D;
Alternatively, if R1, R2 and R3 are known, but R2 is not adjustable, the voltage
difference across or current flow through the meter can be used to calculate the
value of Rx using Kirchhoff's circuit laws. 31
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Display element:
- It will take the information from the signal converter and presented in
a form easily recognized and read by an observer.
Display
element
Direct-Reading chart
recorder
(Temperature and Humidity)
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General Measurement Systems
Quantity being Detector and

measured Transducer
Output signal
Modified
Display signal Signal
Element Conditioner
Detector responds to the measured quantity by producing a measurable

change in some property of the detector.
The change in the property of the detector is converted to a measurable

output using a transducer.
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General Measurement Systems (Cont…../)
Quantity being Detector and

measured Transducer
Output signal
Modified
Display signal Signal
Element Conditioner
Usually a transducer converts a signal in one form of energy to a signal in

another (detectable signal).
Transducers are often employed at the boundary of measurement system

where physical quantity to be measured (energy, force, torque, light, motion,
position, etc.) is converted to electrical signal.
Signal conditioner = Converts transducer signal to a desired magnitude

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General Measurement Systems

• The sensor is a physical element that employs some
natural phenomenon by which it senses the variable being
measured.
• The Transducer converts this sensed information into a
detectable signal (e.g., electrical, mechanical or optical)
• Signal conditioning equipment takes the transducer
signal and modifies it to a desired magnitude.
• Output stage indicates or records the value measured.
• Control stage, contains a controller that interprets the
measured signal and makes a decision regarding the
control of the process.
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Fundamental Methods of Measurements

There are two basic methods of measurement:
• Direct measurement: Value of the quantity to be
measured is obtained directly without any
calculations.
e.g., Length measured by ruler, Mass on scale
• Indirect measurement: Value of the quantity to be

measured is obtained by measuring other
ρ
quantities which are functionally related to the
required value.
e.g., Weight of an substance is by length, width,
height and density
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Units of Physical Quantities
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END
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15‐Mar‐22

GP 112 – Engineering Measurements

Lecture 1: Basics of Measurements

Topics Class ILO

* One Assignment – 5 marks

The measurement enables us obtaining magnitude

RailG auge Length

ElectricalM easurem ent

Various M easurem ent inside a tunnel

Primary Standards of Measurements

• LENGTH (meter): One meter is the distance traveled by a ray of

Primary Standards of Measurements

• MASS (kg): 1 kg mass Defined as the

Primary Standards of Measurements

• TIME (s): The second is the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the

Temperature – kelvin (K); Electrical current – ampere (A);

Measurement is the process of associating numbers with physical

Measurements are needed:

This will enable one to:

To better understand a physical system or phenomenon can be achieved

What you want to measure → Measurands

When one wanted measures something he/she should know:

Measurement of room temperature

Measurement categories (Cont…/)

Measurement categories (Cont…/)

eg. Pitot tube used to measure fluid velocity

Measurement categories (Cont…/)

Measurement categories (Cont…/)

Measurement categories (Cont…/)

Measurement categories (Cont…/)

Velocity Measurements in rivers using Laser Doppler Velocimeter

Fundamental measuring process

Measurement Systems (Cont...../)

eg. Mercury-in-glass thermometer; Spring balance

Small signal Signal Large signal

Resistance Signal Current

Measurement Systems (Cont...../)

eg. Mercury-in-glass thermometer

Measurement Systems (Cont...../)

Sensing element (Spring)

Measurement Systems (Cont...../)

Signal Converters (Cont…./)

Signal Converters (Cont…./)

Signal Converters (Cont…./)

At the point of balance (no current flow

General Measurement Systems

Quantity being Detector and

Detector responds to the measured quantity by producing a measurable

The change in the property of the detector is converted to a measurable

General Measurement Systems (Cont…../)

Quantity being Detector and

Usually a transducer converts a signal in one form of energy to a signal in

Transducers are often employed at the boundary of measurement system

Signal conditioner = Converts transducer signal to a desired magnitude

General Measurement Systems

Fundamental Methods of Measurements

• Indirect measurement: Value of the quantity to be

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