KNS 2591 CIVIL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 3

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

LAB F1 : CALIBRATION OF A PRESSURE GAUGE

OBJECTIVE :

To determine the accuracy in Bourdon gauge readings and calibration

requirements.

APPARATUS :

The Bourdon gauge shown in Figure 1.1 has a transparent dial through which the
construction may be viewed. It consists essentially of a thin-walled tube of oval
cross section, which is bent to the circular arc encompassing about 270 degrees.
It is rigidly held at one end, where the pressure is admitted. The other end is free
to move and is sealed. When pressure is applied, the tube tends to straighten, so
that the free end moves slightly. This movement operates a mechanism, which
drives a pointer round the graduated dial, the movement of the pointer being
proportional to the applied pressure. The construction of the dead weight tester is
also shown in Figure 1.1. A cylindrical piston, free to move vertically in a closely
fitting cylinder, is loaded with known weights. The space below the piston is filled
with water, and the pressure is transmitted by the water to the gauge under test
through a transparent hose. The pressure generated by the piston is easily found
in terms of the total weight supported and the cross-sectional area of the piston.
 KNS 2591 CIVIL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 3

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

PROCEDURE :

1. The weight of the piston and its cross-sectional area should be noted.

2. The piston is removed and water is poured into the cylinder until is full to the
overflow level.

3. Clear any air trapped in the tube by tilting and gently tapping the apparatus.

4. The piston is then replaced in the cylinder and allowed to settle.

5. A spirit level placed on the platform at the top of the piston may be used to
ensure that the cylinder

stand quite vertically.

6. Weights are now added in convenient increments, and at each increment the
pressure gauge reading
 is observed.

7. A similar set of result is then taken with decreasing weights.

8. To guard against the piston sticking in the cylinder, it is advisable to rotate the
piston gently while

the pressure gauge is being used.

 KNS 2591 CIVIL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 3

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

RESULTS / ANALYSIS :

Calibration Of A Pressure Gauge

Weight of piston = 9.81 N

Cross-sectional area = 3.15 x 10-4 m2

Total load incl. True Gauge Reading

Piston Weight Pressur
Increasing Average Decreasing Average
(kgf) (N) e
Pressure Pressure
(kN/m2)
(kN/m2) (kN/m2)

1.0 9.81 31.14 30 31 30 30.33 35 34 34 34.33

1.5 14.72 46.73 48 48 48 48.00 50 49 49 49.33
2.0 19.62 62.29 63 63 62 62.67 64 63 64 63.67
2.5 24.53 77.87 80 80 80 80.00 81 80 79 80.00
3.0 29.43 93.43 98 97 94 96.33 98 97 95 96.67
4.0 39.24 124.57 13 12 12 128.67 13 128 128 128.67
0 8 8 0
Total load incl. Piston Gauge Error
weight (kgf) ( True Pressure - ( True Pressure -
Increasing Pressure ) Decreasing Pressure)
(kN/m )
2
(kN/m2)

1.0 0.81 - 3.19

1.5 - 1.29 - 2.62
2.0 - 0.38 - 1.38
2.5 -2.14 - 2.14
3.0 - 2.90 - 3.24
4.0 - 4.10 - 4.10

KNS 2591 CIVIL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 3

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

a) The graph of gauge reading (kN/m2) versus true pressure (kN/m2) is plotted as
shown below.

b) The graph of gauge error (kN/m2) versus true pressure (kN/m2) is plotted as
shown below.

KNS 2591 CIVIL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 3

 FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARAWAK

DISCUSSION :

The graph plotted shows that the increasing pressure is similar with the
decreasing pressure where the slope plotted is almost overlapped to each other.
However, the point plotted is not smoothly linear or form a straight line.
Furthermore, we can see that the gauge error occurred inconsistently where the
line plotted is going upward and downward. There are several factors that may
influenced the results of this experiment such as ;

a) There are bubbles or air trapped inside the tube when the experiment is
carried out.

b) Pressure is exerted on the piston during it is placed into the cylinder where it
can affected the

reading of gauge pressure taken for entire experiment.

c) The piston is not totally in stable condition during the value of gauge pressure
is taken.

d) Parallax error is occurred where the observer’s eyes are not perpendicular to
the scale of the

Bourdon gauge during the value of gauge pressure is observed.

CONCLUSION :

The objective to determine the accuracy in Bourdon gauge readings and

calibration requirements is achieved.