A new approach to the third order calibration of internal strain gauge balances used for aerodynamic load measurement

Abstract

With respect to wind tunnel aerodynamic load measurement, an internal strain gauge balance (often referred to as a sting balance) is essentially a compact load cell designed to fit within a cavity of the aerodynamic body and form a link between the model and a fixed ground point via a sting support system. The structure of an internal strain gauge balance is designed to incorporate a series of planar surfaces such that the deflection of each surface is predominantly induced by a unique aerodynamic load. Strain gauges, mounted on groups of surfaces in a Wheatstone bridge arrangement produce output signals proportional to the applied aerodynamic loads. A strain gauge balance is calibrated by applying known loads, measuring the bridge outputs and then formulating an equation which relates the two variables together. Although calibration techniques are well established, reservations have been recently expressed concerning the ability of the associated calibration equation to satisfactorily model the response of the balance when subjected to a six component aerodynamic loading. This generally accepted calibration equation (referred to here as the traditional equation) results in a quadratic approximation to the behaviour of the output signals with applied loads, whereas a more appropriate variation would be cubic. Other limitations of the traditional calibration equation are that the behaviour of the balance to two simultaneously applied loads is based upon limited combinations of the two applied loads, and that the acquisition of the required loads from the strain gauge signals is frequently based upon an approximate matrix inversion method. The proposed calibration equation, described within this paper, models the behaviour of the sting balance to the third order, takes account of all possible combinations of two simultaneously applied loads, and avoids the use of an approximate matrix inversion when deriving the desired aerodynamic loading from the signal outputs. It is also shown that the proposed method may be used to determine the interaction of all possible combinations of up to three simultaneously applied loads.