EMM3108 Strength Of Materials

Experiment: REACTION OF BEAM TEST

Lecturer: Dr.Suraya binti Mohd Tahir

Demonstrator: Munira Zainal Abidin

Group Members:
1. Chan Miao Luan 161104
2. Hee Nyia Ling 161455
3. Ng Yong Sheng 161518
4. Dhania Hafizah binti Badrulzaman 162011
5. Amirruddin bin Mat Johari 164681
OBJECTIVE:
The objectives of this experiment are:
 To identify the supports reaction in simply-supported and overhanging beams
 To develop an understanding of beam apparatus, and to determine its sensitivity and
accuracy.

Specimen and Equipments:

Beam apparatus – SM104

Vernier calliper
Load cells
Dial gauges
Weight hangers
Weights: 5N, 10N
Beams: Steel / Brass / Aluminium

Procedures:
1) The thickness and the width of the beam are measured.
2) The length of the beam is measured and its mid-span and ¼-span points are marked.
3) The load cells are set up ¼-span to the left and right of the mid-span reading, and the knife
edge is locked.
4) The beam is placed in position with ¼-span overhang at either end.
5) Two weight hangers are positioned equidistant from the midpoint of the beam.
6) A dial gauge is placed in position on the upper cross-member so that the ball end rests on the
centre-line of the beam immediately above the left-hand support.
7) The stem is checked that it is vertical and the bottom O-ring has been moved down the stem.
8) The dial gauge is adjusted to zero read and then the bezel is locked in position.
9) The dial gauge is moved to a position above the right-hand support, the beam is checked to be
parallel to the cross-member, then the height of the knife edge is adjusted so that the dial gauge
reads zero.
10) The dial gauge is removed and both knife edges are unlocked. The load cell indicators are
adjusted to read zero.
11) Loads are applied to the weight hangers in a systematic manner, the beam is tapped very
gently and readings are taken from the load cells.
12) The results are process and graphs are plotted from the experimental results.

Results:
1. Show all the measurement of beam.
i. Beam Length L [mm] : 1100
ii. Beam Width w [mm] : 25.6
iii. Beam Thickness h [mm] : 4.9
iv. Beam Working Length, l [mm] : 275

Theoretical result of simply-supported beam with concentrated loads

W1[N] W2[N] R1[N] R2[N] R1+R2[N]

5.00 0.00 3.75 1.25 5.00
10.00 0.00 7.50 2.50 10.00
15.00 0.00 11.25 3.75 15.00
20.00 0.00 15.00 5.00 20.00
25.00 0.00 18.75 6.25 25.00
30.00 0.00 22.50 7.50 30.00
0.00 5.00 1.25 3.75 5.00
0.00 10.00 2.50 7.50 10.00
0.00 15.00 3.75 11.25 15.00
0.00 20.00 5.00 15.00 20.00
0.00 25.00 6.25 18.75 25.00
0.00 30.00 7.50 22.50 30.00
5.00 5.00 5.00 5.00 10.00
10.00 10.00 10.00 10.00 20.00
15.00 15.00 15.00 15.00 30.00
20.00 20.00 20.00 20.00 40.00
25.00 25.00 25.00 25.00 50.00
30.00 30.00 30.00 30.00 60.00

Experimental results of simply-supported beam with concentrated loads.

 W1[N] W2[N] R1[N] R2[N] R1+R2[N] [N] %
5.00 0.00 2.60 1.40 4.00 -0.10 -20.00
10.00 0.00 4.80 1.60 6.40 -3.60 -36.00
15.00 0.00 7.50 1.90 9.40 -5.60 -37.33
20.00 0.00 10.20 2.20 12.40 -7.60 -38.00
25.00 0.00 13.10 2.30 15.40 -9.60 -38.40
30.00 0.00 16.10 2.70 18.80 -11.20 -37.33
0.00 5.00 1.50 2.80 4.30 -0.70 -14.00
0.00 10.00 2.60 4.50 7.10 -2.90 -29.00
0.00 15.00 3.70 6.30 10.00 -5.00 -33.33
0.00 20.00 4.70 7.90 12.60 -7.40 -37.00
0.00 25.00 5.80 9.70 15.50 -9.50 -38.00
0.00 30.00 6.90 11.30 18.20 -11.80 -39.33
5.00 5.00 3.70 2.20 5.90 -4.10 -41.00
10.00 10.00 8.20 4.20 12.40 -7.60 -38.00
15.00 15.00 12.90 6.50 19.40 -10.60 -35.33
20.00 20.00 17.70 9.10 26.80 -13.20 -33.00
25.00 25.00 22.30 11.30 33.60 -16.40 -32.80
30.00 30.00 27.10 14.00 41.10 -18.90 -31.50

= (R1+R2)-(W1+W2)

%=100 /(W1+W2)
 Graph Of R1 and R2 Against W1, when W2 =0
25

20

R1
R1 and R2 (N)

15
R2
R1 (theoretical ）
10 R2 (theoretical)

0
5 10 15 20 25 30
W1 (N)

Graph Of R1 And R2 Against W2, When W1 = 0

25

20

R1
R1 and R2 (N)

15 R2
R1
theoretical)
10
R2
(theoretical)
5

0
5 10 15 20 25 30
W2 (N)
 Graph Of R 1 And R2 Against W1 = W2
35

30

25
R1
R1, R2 (N)

20 R2

15 R1 （ theoretical)
R2 (theoretical)
10

0
5 10 15 20 25 30
W1 = W2 (N)

Discussion:
1) Discuss on the verification of the equation (3) and (4)

Simply-Supported Beam

When taking moment R2,

R1l = W1(½ +a) + W2 (½– b)

R1l =( ½)W1 + aW1 + (½)W2 – W2b

R1l = ½ (W1+W2) + W1a – W2b

R1 = ½(W1+W2) + W1(a/l) – W2(b/l) -----------------------1

When taking moment R1,

R2l = W1(½-a) + W2(½+b)

R2l = (½)W1 – W1a +( ½)W2 + W2b

R2l = (½)(W1+W2) – W1a + W2b

R2= ½(W1+W2) – W1(a/l) + W2(b/l) ------------------------2

Hence, equation 3 and 4 are obtained from the equation 1 and 2 as the left hand support reaction
R1 is first required and the reactions can be found from the equations of force and moment
equilibrium. In addition, we can observe that the equation 1 and 2 is to determine the R1 and R2
of the simply-supported beam. Other than that, the equation 2 and 3 is to determine the R1 and
R2 of the overhanging beam.

2) Discuss on the obtained graphs from the experiment.

-All the graphs are showing straight line graphs it means that the load cell readings are
proportional to the load which applied on the beam.

-From the graph R1 and R2 against W1, when W2=0, we observed that the two linear line of R 1
and R2 show a positive gradient. But the gradient of the line R 1 is higher than R2. This is due to
the applied load, W1 load is placed nearer to the R1. Therefore, the support reaction at R1 is
higher than the support reaction at R2. As the load of W1 increases, the value of R1 and R2 also
increases simultaneously. However, the rate of increases of R1 is much higher than R2.

-From the graph R1 and R2 against W2 when W1=0 we obtained, it is shown that there are two
linear line plotted. The slope of two line show positive gradient. That means the value of R2 is
big when the W2 is added on the beam. But, there is small value of R1 because the distance
between the pinned of R1 is more far from the load, W2. The small value of R1 is needed in
order to balancing the beam with the value of R2. It’s due to the action-reaction force of the
Newton’s.

-For graph R1 and R2 against W1=W2=5N, 10 N, ... 30 N, the two linear lines obtained show
similar positive gradient. When W1=W2 increases, the values of R1 and R2 also increases. It’s
due to the loads are equidistance from the both pinned. Therefore, we will get the almost same
value of R1 and R2 in order to balance the beam. However, there is some difference between the
R1 and R2. It may be due to the position of the beam is not balance when the loads added. Other
than that, we also should add the load slowly in order not to put additional force on the beam.

3) Calculate the theoretical values of R 1 and R2, by using equation (3) and (4). Plot the
graph of theoretical values of R1 andR2. Compare and discuss the theoretical and
experimental graphs.
- When compare the theoretical and the experimental graphs, we notice that there is not much
difference between the theoretical and experimental result since both of them give a linear line
graph with a positive gradient and give the same shape graph. The experiment values obtained
are smaller than the theoretical values for R1 and R2 but the still obey the theoretical result. Both
of the theoretical and experimental graph show that R1, R2 increases when W1 increase, W2 equal
to zero where R1 is increase more faster than R2 while R2 increase more faster than R1 when W2
increase but W1 equal to zero. When W1 equal to W2,theory state that R1 will equal to R2 also
but from the experiment the value of R1 and R2 have a bit difference but still increase in the rate
almost the same. The deviation from the theory may be caused by some error like apparatus
setting, zero and parallax error occur when make measurement. The experimental result graph is
obeys the theory graph hence this shows that the accuracy of the testing result is quite accurate.

4) What is the percentage error? Discuss the factor can be affected to the experiment
results.
- The percentage error refers to the smallest scale of the equipment that an error will occur
divided by the specimen reading and multiply by 100%.The lower the percentage error the more
accurate the reading given.
Smallest error/specimen reading x 100% = percentage error
The smallest percentage error is 14%.
Factors that can be affected to the experiment result
i. The way to add load
The additional force will added to the beam if the load is not added slowly, so the load
should be added slowly and carefully. The measuring equipment will spoil because of the
suddenly adding force and this will cause the dial gauge give a higher or wrong reading.
It is to avoid the deviation of experimental values from the theoretical values.
ii. Thickness of the beam
The beam might not has the same thickness for whole beam.Hence,with different
thickness the value we get from the experiment will be different too.Besides that,the
strength of the beam also not exactly same at every part,some of the part will be softer
and some of them will be harded due to the material mixture during making the beam.
 iii. Flawless of the beam
In the experiment the beam used might have some flaw which some part of the beam
might not be smooth as another part this is caused by the dirt and rust present on the
beam. So the measurement taken might not be accurate as theory.
iv. The balancing of the beam
The beam might not balance after the load is been removed. Therefore, we should use the
dial gauges to make sure that the beam is in balance position before we added new load
to get the reaction forces. Hence, an accurate reading can occur.
v. The placement of dial-gauge
The placement of dial gauge must be perpandicular to the beam in order to determine the
balance of the beam at R1 and R2.If the dial gauge is not placed perpendicular to the
beam,the reading for the balance will certainly become not accurate and this will affect
the results for R1 and R2.
vi. Zero error
Zero error is occur due to the equipment we used to do measurement. Some equipment
such as the dial gauges are not read zero after the load is removed. Therefore, we must
make sure that the dial gauges is read zero before every load is applied on the beam.
vii. Load cell
The value of the load that we obtained might not be the same as the theory’s value. This
is because there is tolerance value when producing the load cell and there might be some
dirt present on the beam.

Precautions:

1. Apply the loads to the beam should be very gently to ensure there is no additional bending
stress to the beam
2. Position of dial gauge should always perpendicular with the beam to get a value which is
about the same as theoretical value.
3. Parallax error and zero error should be avoided. The vision position of the eye must be
perpendicular to the scale when take any reading
4. The experiment must be repeated to get average values which are more accurate.
5. Ensure all the equipment is in good condition for example the beam should free of dirt.
Conclusion:

For the simply-supported beam experiment, we can conclude that the loads applied are directly
proportional to the reaction force. When only a load is added to a side of the beam, the reaction
force of the beam which near the load is bigger compare to the reaction force which more far
from the load. When both loads are same magnitude and equidistance from the pinned, the
reaction is almost the same. Furthermore, from this experiment we learn that how the bending
depend on load, length between the load. As conclusion, if all the errors mentioned above is
avoided it will sure get a more accurate reading compared to the theoretical value.

Reference:

- Riley, W.F Sturges, L.D and Morris, D. Mechanics of Materials. Fifth Edition. John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. 1999

- Ryder G.H Strength of Materials Third Edition Macmillan Press Ltd. 1971