On the Stiffness and the Reinforcement Effect of Electrical Resistance Strain Gauges

The reinforcement effect of a strain gauge installed on low modulus materials can be significant. The increasing use of low modulus materials requires therefore the evaluation of such effect. This paper concerns the relationship between the local reinforcement effect and the strain gauge stiffness. The conclusion is that the gauge stiffness alone does not allow the user a thorough evaluation of the reinforcement effect.