MEASUREMENT OF DYNAMIC FORCES.

It is often necessary, in dynamic testing, to measure contact loads and forces transmitted through structural or machine elements. Often the point of force measurement is some distance away from the location at which the force is acting. This introduces the need to account for static force paths in combination with dynamic inertia compensation of the raw force signals. These questions are addressed in relation to specific measurement applications. This paper will examine the roles played by the intervening structure between the points of load applications and load measurement in both quasistatic and fully dynamic measurements. To illustrate the various effects, the authors primarily use an example of dynamic bearing load measurement using piezoelectric load cells. However, the general considerations and method of compensation discussed are equally applicable to other force measurement techniques and to other applications.