To support multiple applications for Move Solutions structural health monitoring system, we have spent significant time investigating the broad requirements for tiltbeams installed to monitor movement over a greater span.
Whilst reviewing many of the tiltbeams available on the market we identified an opportunity to improve upon their range of movement and ability to support future sensor developments.
For many rail monitoring projects the requirement to accurately monitor the pitch, cant and slew of the track is mandatory. As discussed in our previous blog post Remote rail infrastructure monitoring, simply installing tilt sensors directly on to the rail sleepers presents the possibility of movements either not being accurately recorded, or recorded relating to the sleeper and not necessarily the track itself. The inclusion of tiltbeams for these projects connects a series of sleepers, along a section of rail together and records their movement relative to one another and the track they are connected to.
This itself presents a challenge to the installation of tiltbeams, as the movement of one sleeper independently from another increases the distance between the two fixing points. Therefore in order to both enable and accurately measure this movement, the distance between the tiltbeam fixings must be able too expand and contract without compromising the integrity of the tiltbeam fixings, the installation position or the beam itself.
To enable this movement our new tiltbeam allows for two axis movement, expansion and contraction of the distance between the fixing locations. Due to the multiple applications for tiltbeams we have developed our tiltbeam to allow for a maximum movement as detailed in the table below.
Tiltbeam length | Maximum extension | Maximum X & Y displacement | Maximum horizontal rotation |
1m tiltbeam | 80mm - 8% | 22.2° | 360° 45° when in a chain |
2m tiltbeam | 80mm - 4% | 15.9° | 360° 45° when in a chain |
2.5m tiltbeam | 80mm - 3.2% | 14.3° | 360° 45° when in a chain |
3m tiltbeam | 80mm - 2.7% | 13° | 360° 45° when in a chain |
For applications where it is necessary to monitor the movement over a greater length, a series of tiltbeams can be installed linked using a mounting plate. The mounting plate ensures the relative position between each tiltbeam is maintained and the axis point for each beam is aligned. This is especially prevalent for rail monitoring where a series of tiltbeams can be installed to monitor significant lengths of track, maintaining the relative position between each tiltmeter installed on to the tiltbeams.
*visual representation only
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