SENSORS & SIGNAL CONDITIONING

PhD. HOANG SY TUAN

Department of Mechatronics – School of Mechanical Engineering

HANOI, 2023
Chapter 4 – Meassuring Stress and Strain

4.1. Strain Sensor (Strain Gauge)

4.2. Wheatstone Bridge Circuit
4.3. Force Sensor (Loadcell)
 4.1. Strain sensor (Strain Gauge)

 Strain gauge is a common type of sensor for measuring strain (deformation), thereby
determining quantities such as stress, force, moment, acceleration,...
 The sensor operates based on the change in resistance of a metal/semiconductor
wire during the wire is deformed (within the linear elastic range).
Consider a resistance wire of length L, cross-sectional area A, and resistivity .
Suppose the wire is deformed and the length is changed to (L+ΔL).

G is sensitive coefficient of sensor

 4.1. Strain sensor (Strain Gauge)

 Strain gauges are usually made as resistance wires arranged in a zig-zag

pattern on a thin film of insulating material.

Orient of low
sensitivity

Principal measuring orient

 4.1. Strain sensor (Strain Gauge)

 Calculation of sensor resistance

 The resistance depends on the elastic strain:

In which, R0 is the resistance of the sensor when there is no elastic

deformation (ε=0). Common values of R0 are 120 Ω, 350 Ω, 700 Ω, 1000 Ω.

 Resistance depends on elastic deformation and temperature:

where α is the thermal resistance coefficient, depending on the material used

to make the resistance wire.
 4.1. Strain sensor (Strain Gauge)

 Stress – Strain
Tensive/Compressive Force F
Cross Section A
(in allowed the Hook law).

Stress:

The Hook law:

with E – Young modulus or elasticity.

 4.1. Strain sensor (Strain Gauge)

Exercise: A strain gauge has dimensions as the below figure, made in constantan material with
resistivity at 200C as ρ=0.5 (Ω.mm2/m) and thermistor coefficient as α=10-5 K-1. Thickness of
constantan layer equals to 5 μm. Ignore thermal expansion of the material. Consider that the
volume does not change when the resistance wire is deformed.
a) Calculate the sensor resistance at 25 ºC without elastic deformation.
b) Calculate the sensor resistance at strain ε=0.001.
c) From the above results, estimate the sensitivity G.
Hint: We consider the resistance as a function of strain and temperature, R(ε,T).
 4.1. Strain sensor (Strain Gauge)

 Some of Strain Gauge Forms

 4.2. Wheatstone Bridge Circuit

 Expressions
 4.2. Wheatstone Bridge Circuit

 Some of Wheatstones
 4.2. Wheatstone Bridge Circuit

 Application of strain gauge

4.3. Force Sensor (Loadcell)

HX711 ADC
Module SPI Interface
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