The area of geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring is wide, including a variety of sensors used to keep tabs on things like landslide activity, excavation progress, and building integrity.
One such tool that is often used is the tension link load cell. They are capable of measuring anything from the weight of a large drilling rig to the weight of a single needle. Load cells use in weighing equipment and may be found just about everywhere, even at your neighbourhood supermarket.
There is a wide range of load cells to suit a variety of applications. In case you’ve ever wondered what a load cell is and how it works, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we will talk in further detail about them, including topics such as their many varieties, their underlying mechanisms, their benefits, and much more.
What is a Load Cell?
A load cell, like a standard set of weighing scales, is a transducer that measures force in terms of electricity. Mainly, they apply for weighing or checking the transmitted load.
Elastic materials, called strain gauges, are permanently attached to the wireless tension load cell sensors.
You should learn about the many kinds of strain gauges, how they function, and the fields in which they use.
Why is a load cell necessary: tension link load cell?
The geotechnical profession employs a wide variety of instruments, each tailored to a specific task. Load cells are useful both at the outset (during research and development) and later on (during monitoring) of a structure’s life cycle.
To check the stability of buildings, dams, tunnels, bridges, etc., geotechnical instruments are employed both before and after construction. Long-term stability guarantee by geotechnical monitoring.
A load cell’s primary purpose is in the geotechnical industry, where it is often used for measuring and keeping tabs on Struts, soldier piles, tiebacks, anchors, and retaining walls are all examples of deep foundation excavation bracing.
Cast-in-place concrete, segmented precast concrete, shotcrete, and steel liner plate are all viable options for tunnel and shaft construction.
Most often, these I-beam struts use to support the roofs of subterranean metro stations. When calculating how much force applied to the struts, strain gauge solid load cells use often. Between the struts is where you’ll find the load cells.
- Fasteners for securing objects to the ground, such as tie-backs and rock bolts
The anchor-back load cells use to measure and analyse the loads on tie-backs, rock bolts, and ground anchors. The load is applied to the tie-back anchor using an in-line hydraulic jack to perform the test.
The hydraulic jack and the retaining wall are separated by the load cell. As soon as the hydraulic jack releases its grip, the load cell begins recording the force applied to the tie-back.
- Anchored Wall
Sheet piles, anchored, bored piles, and cantilevered retaining walls are just some of the options available. In order to track movement behind the wall and analyse the performance of various restraints, load cells mounted in strategic locations.
- Sheet-Pile Wall or Diaphragm
It is common practice to put tension link load cell in the tie-back anchor systems so that the integrity of the diaphragm or sheet pile wall may be monitored. Nonetheless, the installed struts and load cell location are consistent with one another.
- Attach Load cell to Dam
Installed on the upstream side of a concrete dam, the tie-back anchors counteract the moments brought on by extreme flood levels. Installing load cells to monitor the anchor’s resistance to movement is a proactive measure to ensure the dam’s safety.
- Pile Load Analysis
Static load testing done prior to building a structure. Piles use to test the load-bearing capabilities of the extensive excavations and foundations.
Exactly how does a load cell function?
What follows is a detailed explanation of how load cell sensors function. When using the load cell concept, several specialised geotechnical\ tools. Strain gauges are only one kind of sensor that must use in conjunction with it.
Strain Gauges are thin, elastic stainless steel materials that are adhered within the load cells using special glues. The resistance of the strain gauge is proportional to its dimensions.
As the load cell yields to the applied force, the strain gauge likewise deforms. Further, the electrical resistivity of the strain gauge, and hence the output voltage, affects variations in its length and cross-section.
