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Single-point Displacement Meter: Reliable Subsurface Movement Tracking

Single-point Displacement Meter

A single-point displacement meter gives you one clean data point per borehole—no clutter, just a direct look at how a specific zone is moving. Kingmach has been building these instruments for years, and the design keeps it simple: a downhole anchor, a connecting rod, and a reference plate up top. When the ground shifts, the rod moves and you measure that displacement with a depth gauge. It’s a straightforward approach that avoids overcomplicating things when you really only need to know if a certain rock layer is creeping. We see these used a lot in tunnel crowns, deep excavations, and landslide monitoring where budget is tight and reliability is what counts.

Technical Detail

Configured around process stability, mold life, and long-term uptime.

Kingmach’s single-point displacement meter focuses on the practical side of deformation monitoring. The system uses a groutable anchor at the measurement depth, a stainless steel rod inside a protective PVC pipe, and a reference plate at the collar. Rods come in lengths up to 100 m, fully joined with couplers, so you can go as deep as your borehole allows. The rod protrudes a few centimeters above the reference plate, and you measure from the plate edge to the rod tip with a digital depth gauge—resolution typically 0.01 mm is achievable, though that depends on the gauge you pair with it. Accuracy is more about repeatability: as long as the rod moves freely and the reference plate stays put, you’ll catch sub-millimeter shifts over time. Installation is boring but crucial: you grout the anchor in place, let it cure, then tighten the rod and set your initial reading. Most sites run these alongside extensometers or inclinometers for a fuller picture, but sometimes one point is all you need. Temperature effects can be a nuisance, so we often recommend recording the rod temperature if you’re chasing very fine numbers. Kingmach can customize rod diameters, anchor types, and plate designs to fit your specific borehole setup or headroom constraints. It’s a low-tech, high-watchfulness instrument—nothing fancy, but it does the job.

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FAQ

Common technical questions

How deep can a single-point displacement meter be installed?

Typically up to 100 m, limited by the rod length you can practically handle. Beyond that, friction and rod sag start to affect readings. For deeper points, you might stack multiple single-point meters in one hole or switch to a multi-point system.

What kind of gauge do I need for reading?

Any digital depth gauge with a resolution of 0.01 mm or better works. You just place it against the reference plate and measure the rod protrusion. A mechanical dial gauge can do the job too if you don’t need electronic data logging.

Can this meter measure both settlement and heave?

Yes, it catches movement in either direction as long as the rod is free to slide inside the pipe. Make sure the grout anchor is bonded firmly and the rod isn’t pinched by debris or grout migration.

How does temperature affect the readings?

The rod will expand and contract with temperature changes, so if you’re after high precision, you should record the rod temperature at each reading and apply a correction. In most soil or rock, the underground temperature is stable, but the portion of rod exposed at the collar can introduce some drift.

Is it possible to convert a single-point meter to a multi-point later?

Not easily, because the single-point uses a central rod that runs the full depth. To add more anchors, you’d need rods of different lengths, which would require a completely different head assembly. It’s better to plan for a multi-point system from the start if you might need multiple measurement horizons.

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