Combined Load Diagram for a Wind Tunnel Strain-Gage Balance

Combined Load Diagrams for Direct–Read, Force, and Moment Balances are discussed in great detail in the paper. The diagrams, if compared with a corresponding combined load plot of a balance calibration data set, may be used to visualize and interpret basic relationships between the applied balance calibration loads and the load components at the forward and aft gage of a strain–gage balance. Lines of constant total force and moment are identified in the diagrams. In addition, the lines of pure force and pure moment are highlighted. Finally, lines of constant moment arm are depicted. It is also demonstrated that each quadrant of a Combined Load Diagram has specific regions where the applied total calibration force is at, between, or outside of the balance gage locations. Data from the manual calibration of a Force Balance is used to illustrate the application of a Combined Load Diagram to a realistic data set.