Mechanical Vibration Lab (ME-421L) 8th Semester (Spring 2022)

Experiment No. 3
Objective:
“To verify Hooke’s law and to find the combined spring rate of the two helical springs used on the
spring-mass system.”

Apparatus:
 P1906 Linear Vibration Apparatus

Introduction:
A helical spring, subject to extension by an applied load, conforms to Hooke’s law which states that the
stress is proportional to strain, i.e., the load is proportional to the extension it produces. If a graph is
drawn, after the initial loading, where some force is required to separate the turns of the spring which are
pressed against each other, a straight line is obtained of extension against load. From this portion of
graph, the stiffness of the spring ‘S’ can be obtained from the slope of the graph.

Figure 1: P1906 Linear Vibration Apparatus.

Instructor: Muhammad Tayyab Khan

Mechanical Vibration Lab (ME-421L) 8th Semester (Spring 2022)

Procedure:

 Spring Rate Test:

Set up the vibrator as shown in the diagram. (The keeper rod is fitted to
lock the vibration spindle). Adjust the height of the suspension bar until
the lower restraining spring is extended by 40 mm without load units
on the carrier. Align the rule at zero on some convenient point on the
carrier, then progressively add five (or six) load units noting the
position of the carrier at end load.

Tabulate the results and then plot the graph of change in extension ‘∆ E’
against change in load ‘∆ W’. (The springs are already in extension and
initially loaded by the carrier). The stiffness of the spring system ‘S’ is
determined from the slope of the graph, conveniently expressed in the
‘number of load units per cm’.

Observations and Calculations:

Load units ‘∆ W’ Change in Extension ‘∆ E’

(1 load unit =17.25 grams) (mm)
0
1
2
3
4
5

Graph:
Plot a graph between load and extension of combined spring and calculate the spring rate/stiffness.

Comments:

Instructor: Muhammad Tayyab Khan