Development of a Five-Component Strain-Gauge Balance for the DSTO Water Tunnel

摘要

This report gives details of a five-component strain-gauge balance that has been developed to measure flow-induced loads on models in the DSTO water tunnel. The loads are very small and the balance was designed to measure side and normal forces, as well as rolling, pitching and yawing moments, within the ranges plus or minus 25 N, plus or minus 25 N, plus or minus 0.1 N.m, plus or minus 0.2 N.m and plus or minus 0.2 N.m respectively. These loads are at least 2 to 3 orders of magnitude smaller than those typically measured on aircraft models in the low-speed wind tunnel at DSTO. The balance has not been designed to measure axial forces. Due to the small loads, it was necessary to use semi-conductor strain gauges on the balance. The five-component balance has been developed using similar design principles to a two-component balance developed earlier at DSTO for use in the water tunnel.