Stiffness Testing of Hydraulic Hoses

Abstract

Hydraulic hoses are used in industrial machines to transmit power. These hoses have a physical stiffness that depends upon the hose size and type. If a computer model is used to predict the path a hose will take through a machine, accurate physical stiffness properties are required for the hose. These stiffness properties are not available from hose manufacturers and hose test methods are scarce in the available literature. This paper describes methods used for testing the bending stiffness, torsion stiffness, and axial stiffness of hydraulic hoses. Plots of the stiffness data are given for a sample hose.