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crack gauges
Kingmach crack gauges include the JMDL-31XXAT Smart Multipoint Displacement Meter for tunnels, rock slopes, foundation pits, and surrounding rock layers. This product is not used like a surface joint gauge. It is built for boreholes where movement must be separated by depth. The instrument group includes displacement gauges, PVC measuring rod protective tubes, anchor heads, and multipoint installation kits that support three to five points. During installation, the borehole is prepared, anchor heads are set at selected layers, and grouting fixes each anchor to its target rock or soil zone. Listed models include 50 mm, 100 mm, and 200 mm ranges, all with 0.01 mm resolution. The sensing circuit changes output frequency as the measuring rod moves through the coil, so each channel can report how one anchored layer moves relative to the reference head. This layout is useful when tunnel crown movement, slope slip, or foundation pit deformation may start at one depth before it appears elsewhere. Field records should emphasize borehole number, anchor depth, grout condition, channel order, and the direction of expected movement. During later review, engineers can compare shallow and deep anchors to judge whether the deformation is local relaxation, progressive sliding, or full-section movement. That layered view is the main reason to use a multipoint instrument instead of several unrelated surface gauges.
Application of crack gauges
In slope and landslide monitoring, crack gauges are used to detect surface creep, deep sliding, retaining wall movement, crack expansion, and displacement between fixed reference points. The challenge is that slope movement may be slow for weeks and then accelerate after rainfall, excavation, blasting, or traffic vibration. Kingmach JMDL-31XXAT multipoint meters can anchor several depths and separate shallow movement from deeper rock layer displacement. JMDL-32XXAT bedrock meters provide single-point embedded measurement with 50 mm, 100 mm, and 200 mm ranges, 0.01 mm resolution, 0.5%FS accuracy, and -30 degrees Celsius to +80 degrees Celsius operating temperature. JMLS-22XXADT wire rope sensors support 500 mm to 2000 mm movement paths with IP67 sealing. When these readings are reviewed with rainfall, pore pressure, tilt, and GNSS data, engineers can identify whether the slope is stable, creeping, or moving toward a warning threshold. During operation, the monitoring team should keep the baseline, temperature, inspection notes, and nearby sensor behavior in the same review file. This makes it easier to tell whether a movement trend comes from normal service, a repair event, changing load, water influence, or developing structural risk. Clear records also help owners decide when a field inspection is needed instead of waiting for visible damage.
The future of crack gauges
Future crack gauges will also become easier to install in cramped and irregular field locations. Many monitoring points are not clean laboratory setups; they are narrow tunnel headings, wet dam galleries, crowded bridge joints, temporary formwork frames, steep slopes, and machinery spaces with limited room for tools. Smaller housings, clearer mounting accessories, stronger cable exits, and simpler alignment checks will reduce installation errors. Kingmach already uses several physical formats, including crack gauges with measuring rods and bases, draw-wire sensors for longer travel, embedded bedrock assemblies, flexible geogrid meters, and non-contact magnetostrictive meters. Future product development can make these formats more modular, so engineers select the mounting kit, cable protection, connector type, and acquisition method together. That would shorten commissioning time and make later maintenance less dependent on the original installer. For projects with many measurement points, practical installation improvements can be as important as another decimal place of resolution, because a well-mounted sensor gives cleaner data from the beginning.
Care & Maintenance of crack gauges
For embedded crack gauges such as multipoint and bedrock displacement meters, maintenance depends heavily on installation records because the sensing parts may not be visible after grouting or backfilling. For JMDL-31XXAT multipoint meters, keep drilling depth, anchor head depth, grouting date, point number, cable route, and baseline readings in one record. The system may monitor three to five points, so channel naming must be exact. For JMDL-32XXAT single-point bedrock meters, record flange position, tie rod condition, anchor point, PVC pipe route, and expected movement direction. During service, compare adjacent depths rather than reading each channel alone. A shallow layer moving while deeper layers remain steady has a different meaning from full-depth displacement. Do not pull or shorten cables during cabinet work, and protect exposed sections from water, rodents, sharp edges, and construction traffic. Keep the installation photo, point number, zero value, and expected movement direction with the commissioning record for later review. If a reading changes after maintenance work, inspect the base, anchor, cable, and cabinet before assuming the structure itself has moved.
Kingmach crack gauges
crack gauges give field teams a direct way to watch components that are hard to judge by sight. A formwork pipe may shift during pouring, a rock layer may slide behind the excavation face, a geogrid may deform inside reinforced soil, and a dam joint may open after water level change. Kingmach's product range includes non-contact designs where the measuring rod and coil work independently, reducing mechanical wear and installation damage. The JMDL-24XXAT flexible displacement meter uses a bendable measuring rod for geogrid monitoring, with 30 mm and 50 mm ranges, 0.01 mm sensitivity, and 0.5%FS accuracy. The JMDL-49XXAT formwork meter offers 50 mm, 100 mm, and 200 mm ranges, IP68 protection, and temperature measurement accuracy of plus or minus 0.5 degrees Celsius. These details are useful when displacement monitoring must continue through wet, crowded, and fast-moving construction stages. The point should be named on the drawing, linked with its cable route, and checked against the expected movement direction before the first automatic reading is accepted. For daily review, the reading should be compared with nearby points, recent weather, site operations, and any loading event that could explain the movement.
FAQ
Q: What are crack gauges used for?
A: They measure movement such as relative displacement, crack width, expansion joint travel, bedrock deformation, rock layer movement, geogrid deformation, formwork settlement, and equipment stroke.
Q: Which Kingmach models belong to this category?
A: Common models include JMDL-21XXAT, JMDL-22XXAT, JMDL-24XXAT, JMDL-31XXAT, JMDL-32XXAT, JMDL-49XXAT, JMDL-52XXADT, JMCW-21XXADT, and JMLS-22XXADT.
Q: What range should be selected first?
A: Start from the expected movement. Short joint monitoring may need 20 mm to 100 mm, while draw-wire or equipment travel may require 500 mm to 2000 mm.
Q: Can these products support remote monitoring?
A: Yes. Several Kingmach models support digital transmission, RS485 communication, automatic acquisition, integrated testers, or unattended monitoring systems.
Q: Why is the baseline reading important?
A: All later movement is compared against the starting point. The baseline should be recorded after the sensor, bracket, anchor, cable, and structure are stable.
Reviews
David Wilson
We purchased displacement transducers and settlement sensors, and the quality exceeded our expectations. Easy installation and reliable performance.
Michael Anderson
The strain gauges and load cells are extremely accurate and stable. They performed very well in our bridge monitoring project. Highly recommended!
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