Uploaded November 2020 | Updated September 2026, 18 hours ago
The gage length of a strain gage is the active or strain sensitive length of the grid as Darryl explains in this video. The end loops and solder tabs are considered insensitive to strain because of their relatively large cross-sectional area and low electrical resistance. To satisfy the widely varying needs of experimental stress analysis and OEM transducer applications, Micro-Measurements offers gage lengths ranging from 0.008 in (0.2 mm) to 4 in (100 mm). Gage length is often a very important factor in determining the gage performance under a given set of circumstances. For example, strain measurements are usually made at the most critical points on a machine part or structure — that is, at the most highly stressed points. And, very commonly, the highly stressed points are associated with stress concentrations, where the strain gradient is quite steep and the area of maximum strain is restricted to a very small region. The strain gage tends to integrate, or average, the strain over the area covered by the grid. Since the average of any no uniform strain distribution is always less than the maximum, a strain gage which is noticeably larger than the maximum strain region will indicate a strain magnitude that is too low.
Consider concrete, for example, which is a mixture of aggregate (usually stone) and cement. When measuring strains in a concrete structure it is ordinarily desirable to use a strain gage of sufficient gage length to span several pieces of aggregate in order to measure the representative strain in the structure. In other words, it is usually the average strain that is sought in such instances, not the severe local fluctuations in strain occurring at the interfaces between the aggregate particles and the cement. In general, when measuring strains on structures made of composite materials of any kind, the gage length should normally be large with respect to the dimensions of the inhomogeneities in the material.
As a generally applicable guide, when the foregoing considerations do not dictate otherwise, gage lengths in the range from 0.125 to 0.25 in (3 to 6 mm) are preferable. The largest selection of gage patterns and stock gages is available in this range of lengths. Furthermore, larger or smaller sizes generally cost more, and larger gages do not noticeably improve fatigue life, stability, or elongation, while shorter gages are usually inferior in these characteristics.
Micro-Measurements: micro-measurements.com
Advanced Sensors Technology: micro-measurements.com/advanced-sensors-technology
StrainTalks™ seminar: straintalks.com
StrainBond™? micro-measurements.com/bonding
StrainBlog: strainblog.com
The gage length of a strain gage is the active or strain sensitive length of the grid as Darryl explains in this video. The end loops and solder tabs are considered insensitive to strain because of their relatively large cross-sectional area and low electrical resistance. To satisfy the widely varying needs of experimental stress analysis and OEM transducer applications, Micro-Measurements offers gage lengths ranging from 0.008 in (0.2 mm) to 4 in (100 mm). Gage length is often a very important factor in determining the gage performance under a given set of circumstances. For example, strain measurements are usually made at the most critical points on a machine part or structure — that is, at the most highly stressed points. And, very commonly, the highly stressed points are associated with stress concentrations, where the strain gradient is quite steep and the area of maximum strain is restricted to a very small region. The strain gage tends to integrate, or average, the strain over the area covered by the grid. Since the average of any no uniform strain distribution is always less than the maximum, a strain gage which is noticeably larger than the maximum strain region will indicate a strain magnitude that is too low.
Consider concrete, for example, which is a mixture of aggregate (usually stone) and cement. When measuring strains in a concrete structure it is ordinarily desirable to use a strain gage of sufficient gage length to span several pieces of aggregate in order to measure the representative strain in the structure. In other words, it is usually the average strain that is sought in such instances, not the severe local fluctuations in strain occurring at the interfaces between the aggregate particles and the cement. In general, when measuring strains on structures made of composite materials of any kind, the gage length should normally be large with respect to the dimensions of the inhomogeneities in the material.
As a generally applicable guide, when the foregoing considerations do not dictate otherwise, gage lengths in the range from 0.125 to 0.25 in (3 to 6 mm) are preferable. The largest selection of gage patterns and stock gages is available in this range of lengths. Furthermore, larger or smaller sizes generally cost more, and larger gages do not noticeably improve fatigue life, stability, or elongation, while shorter gages are usually inferior in these characteristics.
Micro-Measurements: micro-measurements.com
Advanced Sensors Technology: micro-measurements.com/advanced-sensors-technology
StrainTalks™ seminar: straintalks.com
StrainBond™? micro-measurements.com/bonding
StrainBlog: strainblog.com
