APJ ABDUL KALAM TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
FIRST SEMESTER M.TECH DEGREE EXAMINATION, DECEMBER
2015
Civil Engineering

(Structural Engineering)

01CE6111 Experimental Methods and Instrumentation

Duration: 3 Hrs. Max. Marks: 0
Answer any questions from each part.

(2x9=18 marks)

1. a) Explain the generalised measuring system. (4marks)b) Write
notes on

i) Systematic Errors ii) Drift (5 marks)
2. a) Derive the harmonic response characteristics Of a first
order system and comment on its performance. (6 marks)

b) Two pressure gauges (pressure gauge A and B) have a full
scale accuracy of + 5%. Sensor A has a range of 0-1 bar and
Sensor B, 0-10 bar. Which gauge is more suitable to be used
if the reading is 0.9 bar? (3 marks)

3. a) A seismic motion transducer has a seismic mass of 50 g,
spring of stiffness 2 Mcm and damper with a damping constant
3.8 N s/m. The relative motion of the seismic mass with
respect to the frame of the transducer is converted to a
voltage, by a first order system of time cpnstant 0.0153 and

static sensitivity 2V/mm. Find the output voltage for an input
motion of 0.51 mm at a frequency 30 Hz. (6 marks)
b) Comment on the step response of a first order (3
instrument
marks)
PART (2x9=18 marks)
4.a) Explain transverse sensitivity in electrical
foil resistance strain gauges. (6
⋅ ⋅ 7 marks)
©) Explain any one method of calibration of
accelerometers. (3
marks)
5.a) Explain the principle and working of diaphragm
pressure transducers. (5 marks)
b) Explain the working and advantages of (4 marks)

semiconductor strain gauges.