ABSTRACT
Obtaining precise measurements with electrical resistance strain gages requires accurate knowledge of the gauge factor, which relates the change in the strain magnitude to the change in electrical resistance of the gauge. Strain gages are manufactured to a specific resistance with close tolerance. When bonded to a specimen and subjected to strain, the gauge changes resistance with close tolerance. When bonded to a specimen and subjected to strain, the gauge changes resistance predictably and linearly over the elastic range of engineering materials. Conveniently, resistance increases with tensile strain and decreases with compressive strain.
