The design, construction & calibration of a five-component strain gauge and tunnel dynamometer

Abstract

The Report describes the design, construction and calibration of a five-component strain gauge dynamometer suitable for the free-stream testing of control surfaces in a wind tunnel at a Reynold's Number of up to 1.5 x 10 to the power of 6.

The dynamometer has been designed primarily for the testing of ship control surfaces including, in particular, skeg rudders; it has facilities for the independent adjustment of angle of attack, and the derivation of the forces and moments, on both rudder and skeg.

A review is made of background design philosophy and design requirements, leading to the choice of strain gauged shear flexures incorporated in a fabricated structure; a full description of the dynamometer follows, together with the relevant design calculations.

A report on the complete calibration leading to the interaction correction equations is given; assessments of the magnitudes and origins of the interactions and overall measuring accuracy of the dynamometer confirm the choice of overall design concept.

Brief comments are made on the operation of the dynamometer following successful commissioning experiments in the wind tunnel.

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