Geosense®  VWS-2800 vibrating wire strain gauge is designed for the monitoring of strain along stranded anchors.

The gauge is housed within a robust cover to de-bond it from the surrounding grout and the specially-designed mounting blocks ensure the strain is transferred from the strand to the gauge. The low profile design means that multiple sensors can be installed along the bonded length of strand anchors.

The strain gauge operates on the principle that a tensioned wire, when plucked, vibrates at its resonant frequency. The square of this frequency is proportional to the strain in the wire.

The gauge consists of two end blocks with a tensioned steel wire between them. The end blocks can be attached by either arc welding, bonding or groutable anchors to steel or concrete.

Around the wire is a magnetic coil which, when pulsed by a vibrating readout or data logger interface, plucks the wire and measures the resultant resonant frequency of vibration. As the steel undergoes strain the end blocks will move relative to each other. The tension in the wire between the blocks will change accordingly thus altering the resonant frequency of the wire.