Experimental stress analysis is an important tool in the overall design and development of machinery and structures. While analytical techniques and computer solutions are available during the design stage, the results are still dependent on many assumptions that must be made in order to adapt them to the problems at hand. One popular method of finding structural and design weaknesses is through the use of the electrical resistance strain gage. These devices are relatively low in cost, easily applied by a reasonably skilled technician, and require little investment in instrumentation (for the general user), yet they yield a wealth of information in a relatively short time period. The information and its validity is, of course, dependent on the training and knowledge of the engineer who plans the tests and reduces the data. In addition to serving as a reference for engineers, this practical, instructive book has a high potential as a textbook for senior and first-year graduate students in engineering and related fields, such as engineering physics and geology. A solutions manual is available to instructors using the book as a text. To request a free copy of the manual, please write: Peter Gordon, Engineering Editor, Oxford University Press, 198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016.

The classic reference on shock and vibration, fully updated with the latest advances in the field Written by a team of internationally recognized experts, this comprehensive resource provides all the information you need to design, analyze, install, and maintain systems subject to mechanical shock and vibration. The book covers theory, instrumentation, measurement, testing, control methodologies, and practical applications. Harris' Shock and Vibration Handbook, Sixth Edition, has been extensively revised to include innovative techniques and technologies, such as the use of waveform replication, wavelets, and temporal moments. Learn how to successfully apply theory to solve frequently encountered problems. This definitive guide is essential for mechanical, aeronautical, acoustical, civil, electrical, and transportation engineers. EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MECHANICAL SHOCK AND VIBRATION, INCLUDING Fundamental theory Instrumentation and measurements Procedures for analyzing and testing systems subject to shock and vibration Ground-motion, fluid-flow, wind-. and sound-induced vibration Methods for controlling shock and vibration Equipment design The effects of shock and vibration on humans

This highly detailed handbook is a resource for those entering the field of stress analysis and instrumentation. The authors were brought together to provide their expert experience and have presented many practical solutions.

Part I introduces the basic "Principles and Methods of Force Measurement" according to a classification into a dozen of force transducers types: resistive, inductive, capacitive, piezoelectric, electromagnetic, electrodynamic, magnetoelastic, galvanomagnetic (Hall-effect), vibrating wires, (micro)resonators, acoustic and gyroscopic. Two special chapters refer to force balance techniques and to combined methods in force measurement. Part II discusses the "(Strain Gauge) Force Transducers Components", evolving from the classical force transducer to the digital / intelligent one, with the incorporation of three subsystems (sensors, electromechanics and informatics). The elastic element (EE) is the "heart" of the force transducer and basically determines its performance. A 12-type elastic element classification is proposed (stretched / compressed column or tube, bending beam, bending and/or torsion shaft, middle bent bar with fixed ends, shear beam, bending ring, yoke or frame, diaphragm, axial-stressed torus, axisymmetrical and voluminous EE), with emphasis on the optimum location of the strain gauges. The main properties of the associated Wheatstone bridge, best suited for the parametrical transducers, are examined, together with the appropriate electronic circuits for SGFTs. The handbook fills a gap in the field of Force Measurement, both experts and newcomers, no matter of their particular interest, finding a lot of useful and valuable subjects in the area of Force Transducers; in fact, it is the first specialized monograph in this inter- and multidisciplinary field.

The first book on the subject written by a practitioner forpractitioners. Geotechnical Instrumentation for Monitoring FieldPerformance Geotechnical Instrumentation for Monitoring FieldPerformance goes far beyond a mere summary of the technicalliterature and manufacturers’ brochures: it guides readersthrough the entire geotechnical instrumentation process, showingthem when to monitor safety and performance, and how to do it well.This comprehensive guide: * Describes the critical steps of planning monitoring programsusing geotechnical instrumentation, including what benefits can beachieved and how construction specifications should bewritten * Describes and evaluates monitoring methods and recommendsinstruments for monitoring groundwater pressure, deformations,total stress in soil, stress change in rock, temperature, and loadand strain in structural members * Offers detailed practical guidelines on instrument calibrations,installation and maintenance, and on the collection, processing,and interpretation of instrumentation data * Describes the role of geotechnical instrumentation during theconstruction and operation phases of civil engineering projects,including braced excavations, embankments on soft ground,embankment dams, excavated and natural slopes, undergroundexcavations, driving piles, and drilled shafts * Provides guidelines throughout the book on the best practices