strain gauge measurement

For concrete dams, vibrating wire strain gauges are often the preferred choice. They offer excellent long-term stability because the frequency-based signal isn’t affected by cable resistance changes, which can be a problem with resistive gauges over decades. Kingmach’s vibrating wire gauges are built with a robust steel body and come with integrated thermistors for temperature correction. We also match the gauge’s stiffness to the concrete mix so that the readings accurately reflect strain in the structure, not just the sensor’s own behavior.

Absolutely. Customization is a core part of what we do. We’ve supplied gauges with non-standard bolt patterns for irregular steel beams, extended cables for deep borehole installations, and even installed gauges inside prefabricated housings that the client welded on before we shipped. Just send us a sketch or a photo of your mounting surface, and our engineers will suggest a configuration that fits without compromising the sensor’s performance.

Temperature compensation is essential because both the structure and the gauge itself expand with heat. Most Kingmach strain gauges include a built-in thermistor, and our data loggers can automatically apply a correction factor if you input the material’s coefficient of thermal expansion. For the most critical applications, we also offer dummy gauges that can be connected in a Wheatstone bridge configuration to cancel out thermal output directly at the hardware level.

We don’t disappear after the sale. Depending on the project, we offer remote support for initial setup, on-site commissioning if needed, and troubleshooting via video call. Our team has helped clients interpret noisy data, troubleshoot grounding loops, and even guide them through waterproofing connections in a trench during a rainstorm. You’re not just buying a sensor—you’re getting access to engineers who actually understand field conditions.

Stability comes from design and calibration. We age our gauges through thermal cycling before calibration to reduce early drift, and we calibrate each sensor individually against a traceable reference. Our calibration reports include the gauge factor over the full measurement range, not just a single point. For vibrating wire units, we also verify the tensioned wire’s frequency stability over a simulated lifespan. Combined with corrosion-resistant materials and full epoxy sealing, these practices help ensure that a gauge installed today will still deliver reliable data in 10 or 20 years.