MAE 3340 Instrumentation and Measurements

Section 4: Introduction to Electrical Bridge-Based Measurements

• Section 4.1: Introduction to the Wheatstone Bridge...(pdf) ... (Beckwith Chapter 7)
  • Resistance and Resistivity
  • The Wheatstone Bridge:
    • Single Arm (Quarter) Bridge
    • Strain Gauge Example
    • Non-linearity as a function of Strain
    • Two Arm (Half) Bridge
    • Linearty of Half Bridge Circuit
    • Four Arm (Full) Bridge
  • Criteria for "Balanced" Bridge
  • Bridge Balancing Methods

• Section 4.2: Using the Wheatstone Bridge for Strain-Based Sensor Measurements... (Beckwith Chapter 12)
  
  • Stress/Strain Basic Definitions
    • Young's Elastic Modulus
    • Poisson's Ratio
    • Shear Modulus
    • Tables of Material Properties
    • General Stress States, 2-D, 3-D
  • Strain Gauge Overview
    • Resistivity and Resistance
    • Gauge Factor
    • Example Calculations
    • Signal Conditioning
      • Wheatstone Bridge
      • Quarter Bridge Circuit
      • Half-Bridge Circuit
      • Full Bridge Circuit
      • Bridge Constant
    • Strain Gauge Designs
      • Metallic
      • Rosettes
      • Semi-Conductor
  • Compensation Methods
    • Lead-Wire Error Compensation
    • Temperature Compensation
    • "Unwanted Strain Compensation"
  • Gauge Calibration
    • True Calibration
    • Shunt Calibration
  • Hysterysis and Misalignment Effects
  • Torsional Strain Measurements
  • Bending Moment Measurements
  • "Laundry List" of Strain Measurement Methods

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