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crack gauges
Kingmach crack gauges include the JMDL-21XXAT Smart General-Purpose Displacement Meter, a compact instrument for relative displacement and expansion joint movement. The product is used in buildings, railways, transportation works, hydropower structures, dams, and bridge projects where two structural components may move against one another. Listed ranges include 50 mm and 100 mm, with 0.01 mm resolution and 0.5%FS accuracy. The meter is based on inductive frequency modulation, which supports high sensitivity, stable long-term observation, and low temperature influence. A built-in memory chip stores sensor model, serial number, calibration coefficient, time, temperature data for temperature versions, absolute displacement, relative displacement, and zero-point value. It can save 800 measurement results, which is useful when checking site history after construction stages or weather events. When connected to an integrated tester or automatic acquisition system, readings can be reviewed quickly without relying on manual gauge notes. During project setup, the measuring point should be matched with the expected travel direction, available mounting space, cable route, and required acquisition interval. This prevents a short-range joint instrument from being used on a long-travel point, or an exposed sensor from being placed where an embedded anchor is needed. It also helps the monitoring team set a baseline that can be defended during acceptance and later maintenance review.
Application of crack gauges
In dam and hydropower projects, crack gauges can track joint opening, bedrock deformation, gate position, dam body movement, tunnel portal movement, and displacement between monitoring points. The pain point is long service life under water level fluctuation, seepage, temperature change, and difficult access. Kingmach JMDL-32XXAT single-point bedrock meters are designed for dam bedrock deformation and provide 50 mm, 100 mm, and 200 mm ranges with 0.01 mm resolution. JMDL-52XXADT differential meters can monitor relative movement in concrete joints with RS485 digital output and plus or minus 0.1%FS accuracy. JMCW-21XXADT magnetostrictive meters provide 0 to 1000 mm absolute position measurement for gates, equipment stroke, or structural movement. JMLS-22XXADT wire rope sensors support up to 2000 mm for larger displacement paths. Combined with water level, seepage, strain, and temperature monitoring, displacement data helps dam managers understand deformation behavior across operating cycles. 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 flexible geogrid crack gauges, installation care is more important than later access because the product may be buried inside reinforced soil. Kingmach JMDL-24XXAT uses a bendable measuring rod, 30 mm and 50 mm ranges, 0.01 mm sensitivity, 0.5%FS accuracy, 20-point curve fitting, and a designed service life up to 30 years. Both ends of the geogrid should be clamped with the flexible sensor sections using mounting brackets so deformation transfers reliably. Avoid sharp bending, cable tension, bracket slippage, and damage during filling or compaction. Record the geogrid layer, chainage, depth, sensor direction, zero value, and backfill date. During operation, compare displacement with settlement and rainfall records. If the trend changes after heavy rain, traffic loading, or nearby excavation, inspect accessible cabinets and cables before deciding whether the buried geogrid movement itself has changed. 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
Long-term projects need crack gauges that can survive the same weather, vibration, cable pulling, and site handling as the structure itself. Kingmach designs several smart displacement products with built-in memory chips, digital detection, strong anti-interference capability, and direct display through compatible testers. The JMDL-22XXAT crack gauge stores up to 600 measurement results and covers 20 mm, 50 mm, 100 mm, and 200 mm models. The JMDL-21XXAT general-purpose model stores up to 800 records and can save time, temperature, absolute displacement, relative displacement, and zero-point values. These records matter during handover because the original baseline, later shifts, and abnormal readings can be checked without relying only on handwritten notes. For bridges, dams, tunnels, slopes, and buildings, that traceability helps maintenance teams judge whether a movement event is isolated, repeated, or linked with surrounding construction and environmental change. 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: Which crack gauges are used for rock layers or bedrock?
A: JMDL-31XXAT multipoint meters are used for different surrounding rock layers, while JMDL-32XXAT single-point bedrock meters are used for tunnel rock mass, dam bedrock, slope, or foundation pit movement.
Q: How many points can the multipoint meter support?
A: The multipoint installation kit supports three to five monitoring points, with anchor heads fixed at different depths by drilling and grouting.
Q: What ranges are listed for these models?
A: Both JMDL-31XXAT and JMDL-32XXAT list 50 mm, 100 mm, and 200 mm models with 0.01 mm resolution.
Q: Why monitor several depths?
A: Different layers may move differently. Separating shallow and deep movement helps engineers judge whether the problem is surface creep, deeper rock slip, or overall mass movement.
Q: What records should be kept?
A: Keep drilling depth, anchor location, grouting date, channel name, zero value, cable route, and first stable reading.
Reviews
Ryan Lewis
Fast delivery and excellent product quality. The accelerometers and tiltmeters are highly reliable. Strongly recommend this company.
Andrew Lee
The visualization software is intuitive and powerful. It helps us analyze monitoring data efficiently.
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