ERROR IN MEASUREMENTS

P M V Subbarao
Professor
Mechanical Engineering Department

How Truthful are Our Observations?

 Paradox of Measurements
• The Merits:
• Measurements are essential for development of
science and technology.
• It helps innovation and production of new
utilities.
• The (self) Contradiction:
• It is impossible to obtain true value of a parameter
using measurement.
• A reliable measurement can generate reliable
information.
 The First Law of Measurements

A good measuring strategy is reliable

and, because it is reliable,
it has a small amount of error in its observations.
 Error of Measurement

• Error of measurement refers to the difference between the

measurement we obtain and the "true" value of the
variable.
• Question: How do you get the "true" measure if all
measuring methods produce errors?
• Answer: "True" measures cannot be obtained, but they can
be estimated.
 Estimation of the True Value

• What are we trying to measure?

• The true value of an object being measured is rarely ever
known.
• Identifying the true value needed by an end user is critical.
• The true value is often a concept that is very hard (or
impossible) to measure.
• Moffat uses the example of average surface temperature
as a true value that is needed for control of a chip.
 Geometrical & Thermal Design Constraints

True measurement of an average surface temperature is

impossible because of the huge number of sensors that would be
needed.
A large number of sensors would cause a large disturbance to the
system.
True surface temperature must be area-weighted
 Role of Physical Phenomenon on Estimation

For convection the appropriate area-weighting is

1
A  TdA

For radiation the appropriate area-weighting is

1

4
T dA
A
So even the same apparatus could require two (or more)
true values to define the same concept.
 Start with the Truth
• Goal is to experimentally measure a physical quantity.
• The true value of the quantity is a concept.
• In almost all cases, the true value cannot be measured.
• The error in a measurement is the difference between the true
value and the value reported as a result of a measurement.
• If x is the quantity of interest

Error  xmeasured  xtrue

• A claim of numerical Accuracy establishes an upper bound on
the error.
 Study of Errors

1. Classify errors.
2. Identify sources of errors.
3. Remove errors we can correct.
4. Develop a procedure for computing the estimate of
errors (uncertainty).
5. Demonstrate how to apply these methods to a
measurement.
 Measurement Chain

System
Disturbance System/sensor
Interaction
Measurement Chain

Calibration
Error
Measurement Chain
 Verification of Diesel Theorem

Fuel injected
A at TC
I
R

Air Combustion
Products

Actual
Cycle
Intake Compression Power Exhaust
Stroke Stroke Stroke Stroke