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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
Longer service life will be a major future requirement for crack gauges. Infrastructure owners want monitoring systems that remain useful beyond the construction phase and into operation, inspection, repair, and renewal. Kingmach lists 30-year designed service life on selected products such as the JMDL-24XXAT flexible displacement meter and JMDL-49XXAT formwork displacement meter, while models such as JMCW-21XXADT use non-contact sensing to avoid mechanical wear. Future specifications will likely ask more directly about waterproof rating, connector durability, cable route protection, sensor replacement access, and data continuity after maintenance. For dams, bridges, railways, slopes, and tunnels, a displacement record over several years is often more useful than a short burst of high-frequency data. This long view supports asset management and helps distinguish slow structural change from normal seasonal movement. The next improvement will be planned service records: expected inspection intervals, spare part notes, replacement dates, and clear links between old and new baselines after a sensor is changed.
Care & Maintenance of crack gauges
For long-term crack gauges, maintenance should focus on trend credibility rather than only sensor survival. Review baseline drift, sudden jumps, flat lines, missing data, temperature influence, and disagreement between nearby points. A flat line may mean no movement, but it may also mean a stuck cable, broken rod, frozen channel, or communication failure. A sudden jump may be real deformation, but it may also follow bracket impact, cabinet work, lightning, or power cycling. Kingmach products with stored measurement records, calibration coefficients, zero values, and digital communication help with diagnosis, but field notes remain important. Inspect waterproof seals, cable glands, brackets, anchor heads, cabinets, grounding, and channel labels at planned intervals. Keep displacement data linked with photos, inspection comments, rainfall, water level, construction events, and nearby sensor readings so engineers can trust the long-term movement history. 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
When a monitoring plan is built around crack gauges, the first question should be the engineering decision behind the reading. If the purpose is crack control, the JMDL-22XXAT series focuses on crack width, joints, and expansion joints. If the purpose is rock layer movement, the JMDL-31XXAT multipoint meter anchors several depths and separates displacement by layer. If the purpose is bedrock or slope face movement, the JMDL-32XXAT embedded single-point meter uses an anchor head, tie rod, flange, and PVC pipe assembly. If the purpose is large travel or equipment position, the JMLS-22XXADT wire rope sensor and JMCW-21XXADT magnetostrictive meter provide longer range options. Kingmach's category is therefore a toolbox for movement diagnosis, not one product renamed many times. That distinction helps engineers set warning values that match the structure being observed. 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
Michael Anderson
The strain gauges and load cells are extremely accurate and stable. They performed very well in our bridge monitoring project. Highly recommended!
Matthew Garcia
Instrumentation cables are durable and perform well even in harsh environments. Will definitely order again.
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