Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Faculty Lee Kong Chian Faculty of Engineering and

Science
Department: Department of Mechanical and Materials
Engineering
Unit Code and Name UEME1132 Statics
Experiment No.: 1
Title of Experiment: Young Modulus
Laboratory Room No. and Name: KB733 Applied Mechanics Laboratory II
Experiment Duration (hour): 3 hours
Number of Student per Group 5 students x 2 (10 students per session)

Introduction

The Young’s Modulus Apparatus is a benchtop model designed for students to understand and to
determine the Young’s Modulus of given material samples.

It consists of an epoxy coated steel reaction frame complete with a meter long linear scale. Two
adjustable supports provide the variable span needed to perform the experiment. Stainless steel
weights and hangers are provided for loading of the beams. One set of dial gauges to 0.01 mm
resolutions complete with mounting brackets are employed for the measurement of the beam
deflection.

A theory and experiment work sheet provided for students to follow the correct procedure of
operation and computation.

Equipment and Materials

Quantity estimation
Item Description *Item category (e.g. per set/group of student)
Set of Stainless steel hanger and weights W 1 set
Set of dial gauges (0.01 mm resolution) W 1

*Item category
SP Sample or specimen
C Consumable
CH Chemical
W Labware, glassware, tool, and
components
E Equipment
SSoftware

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Experimental Capabilities

1. To investigate the relationship between load, span width, height and deflection of a beam.

2. To ascertain the Coefficient of Elasticity (Young’s Modulus) for steel, brass and
aluminum.

Accessories : Set of Stainless steel hanger and weights

Set of dial gauges (0.01 mm resolution)
Four leveling feet with built in spirit level

Dimensions : 1050 x 400 x 300 mm

Weight : Approximately 50kg

Young Modulus

The elastic modulus is one of the most vital properties involved in various aspects of material
engineering for design purposes. Every material undergoes elastic deformation. Elastic
deformation is mostly defined as temporary deformation of its physical shape and will able to
return to its original state. For elastic deformation, the material undergoes an amount of stress
without exceeding the elastic limit. Any deformation caused by further increases in load or stress
beyond the yield point of a certain material will be plastic permanent.

The Young modulus (elastic modulus) is the measurement of the stiffness of a given material. It
is defined as the limit for small strains of the rate of change of stress with strain. Besides using
the stress and strain graphs, the Young modulus of any material can also be determined by using
the deflection of the material (beam) when subjected to load.

The deflection of a beam depends on its length, its cross-sectional shape, the material, where the
deflecting force is applied, and how the beam is supported.

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Moment of Inertia, I

Moment of Inertia, I, is the property of an object associated with its resistance to rotation. It
depends on the objects mass and the distribution of mass with respect to the axis of rotation. For
any beam, the inertia is calculated based on the cross sectional shape and the thickness. It does not
depend on the length and material of the beam. For a rectangular section beam, the I = bh3/12.

Moment of Inertia for rectangular section I

= bh3/12 ……… b = width of beam
h = height of beam

Moment of Inertia for circular section

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I = πd /64 ……… d = diameter of the circular section

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Deflection equation with different beam support types
1. One fixed end and one simple support end

F = load applied
L = beam length
a= intermediate length of beam
δ = deflection
E = Young Modulus I
= Moment of inertia

The deflection at length a from the fixed support is:

support :
δ = Fa3(L - a)2(4L - a) / 12EIL3

For a load in the centre of the beam, substituting a = L/2 in the above equation, the deflection is:

δ = 3.5FL3 / 384EI

2. Two simple supports end

The deflection at distance a from the left-hand support is:

δ = Fa2(L - a)2/3EIL

For a load in the centre of the beam, substituting a = L/2 in the above equation, the deflection is:

δ = FL3/48EI

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 EXPERIMENTS

BENDING OF BEAM AND COEFFICIENT OF ELASTICITY

Objective

Part 1: To investigate the relationship between load, span, width, height and deflection of a
beam, placed on two bearer and affected by a concentrated load at the centre.

Part 2: To ascertain the coefficient of elasticity for steel, brass and aluminum.

Part I

a) One fixed end and one simple support end.

1) Set the clamping length (L) to 800mm.
2) Measure the width and height of the test specimen using a caliper and record the value.
3) Place the test specimen on the bearers.
4) Set one end as fixed end by tightening the screw.
5) Mount the load (F) hanger on the center of the test specimen.
6) Move the dial gauge to the center of the test specimen. Adjust the height of the gauge so that
the needle touched the test specimen. The initial reading of gauge is recorded.
7) Load 5N weight onto the weight hanger and the dial gauge reading is recorded.
8) Repeat procedure (7) until the loads reached 20N. All the gauge reading must recorded.
9) After result taken, remove all the loads.
10) Repeat the experiment once again to get the average deflection value.
11) Plot the graph of force versus deflection.
12) Calculate the experimental young modulus for respective beam/material and compare with
theoretical value.
13) Repeat the experiment by using different material beam (i.e aluminum, mild steel, brass)

Part II

b) Two simple supports end.

1) Set the clamping length (L) to 800mm.
2) Measure the width and height of the test specimen using a caliper and record the value.
3) Place the test specimen on the bearers.
4) Do not tighten the screw since both ends are simple support.
5) Mount the load (F) hanger on the center of the test specimen.
6) Move the dial gauge to the center of the test specimen. Adjust the height of the gauge so that
the needle touched the test specimen. The initial reading of gauge is recorded.
7) Load 5N weight onto the weight hanger and the dial gauge reading is recorded.
8) Repeat procedure (7) until the loads reached 20N. All the gauge reading must recorded.
9) After result taken, remove all the loads.

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10) Repeat the experiment once again to get the average deflection value.
11) Plot the graph of force versus deflection.
12) Calculate the experimental young modulus for respective beam/material and compare with
theoretical value.
13) Repeat the experiment by using different material beam (i.e aluminum, mild steel, brass)

Part III

1. Run the experiment by using different clamping length, L = 500mm for one fixed end and one
simple support end.
2. Run the experiment by using different width height (h) beam (i.e 12mm) for two simple supports
end.

Results

Part I: Deflection of test specimen a) One fixed end and one simple support end.

Measurement of test specimen

Length, L (mm) Thickness, h (mm) Width, b (mm)

Steel

Brass

Aluminium

Steel
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20

Brass
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20
6
Aluminum
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20

Part II: Deflection of test specimen - Two simply support ends

Measurement of test specimen

Length, L (mm) Thickness, h (mm) Width, b (mm)

Steel

Brass

Aluminium

Steel
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20

Brass
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20

7
Aluminum
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20

Part III: Deflection of test specimen – a) Different clamping length

Measurement of test specimen

Length, L (mm) Thickness, h (mm) Width, b (mm)

Steel

Brass

Aluminium

Steel
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20

Brass
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20

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 Aluminum
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20

Part III: Deflection of test specimen – b) Different specimen height

Measurement of test specimen

Length, L (mm) Thickness, h (mm) Width, b (mm)

Steel

Brass

Aluminium

Steel
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20

Brass
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20

9
Aluminum
Load Defection #1 Deflection #2 Deflection #3 Average Deflection
(N) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
5
10
15
20

*Plot the graph of Load versus deflection. Find the slope of the line (i.e F/δ).

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Calculation

First, the moment of inertia of the beam is determined. For rectangular section beam,

I = bh3/12 … … (1)

If it is center load on beam with one fixed end and one simple support end, we used

δ = 3.5FL3/384EI … … (2)
Rearrange equation (2), we have

E = 3.5FL3/384Iδ ... ... (3)

We can determine the beam Young modulus by rearrange equation (3)

E = (F/δ)(3.5L3/384I) ... ... (4)

Notation

E = Young modulus (Pa)

F = Force/load applied (N)
δ = Deflection (m) L
= Beam length (m)
I = Moment of Inertia (m4)
F/δ = Slope of graph line force versus deflection

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