For these applications, we are typically employed to help design and build complete monitoring systems. These incorporate a number of components including:

Sensors to measure

• Strain
• Load
• Water Pressure
• Movement (vertical or horizontal displacement, tilt, cracks etc.)
• Acceleration
• Environmental Factors

Sensors we support include Geokon and RDPE

Sensor recording and datalogging equipment

•  able to take very fast (sub-second) measurements and/or able to endure long term deployments
•  high resolution to measure very small changes
•  able to measure specialised outputs such as vibrating wire sensors
•  large memory capacity and/or remote telemetry to avoid data loss
•  ability to apply calibration factors or other algorithms to provide the data of most use

Dataloggers and readouts are available from Geokon, as well as Campbell Scientific

Mounting and cabling

• Mounts are typically custom designed to enable accurate measurement of the area of interest. These may need to be installed at the time of construction, embedded in concrete or fixed to steel or other materials in a way that will not compromise the measurement
• Cable lengths are often significant and it is important that the placement of sensors is considered early on, as this could affect the type of sensor chosen, and needs to be allowed for at the budgeting stage

Applications

Applications we have supplied instrumentation for have included:

• long term bridge monitoring in Tauranga and Auckland
• dynamic monitoring of bridge motion in Auckland
• ground water pressure in mining operations