strain gauge load cell applications

They appear in a variety of places: monitoring tieback anchors in retaining walls, measuring strut loads during deep excavations, verifying pile load test results, and checking cable tension on temporary bridges. Anything where you need a direct force reading and quick installation tends to favor strain gauge load cells.

Vibrating wire load cells are often chosen for very long-term installations because the frequency signal is less prone to drift. Strain gauge types, however, respond faster to load changes and cost less upfront. With proper sealing and stable electronics, strain gauge load cells can still deliver reliable data for years—many of our units stay within specification for over five years in buried conditions.

Yes. We regularly machine load cells with non-standard bolt patterns, spherical seating surfaces, or low-profile housings to fit into tight spaces. If you can provide a drawing or even a rough sketch, we can usually build a sensor that drops into your existing setup without extra modifications on site.

Mostly keeping the connector or cable dry. If the load cell is buried, a good waterproof junction box handles corrosion. We recommend checking the zero reading every few months and after any major weather event. Beyond that, solid-state strain gauge sensors don’t require much attention.

For tests like anchor proof loading, strain gauge load cells with proper calibration can meet the ISO 7500-1 Class 1 accuracy requirements often specified. We supply each sensor with a calibration certificate traceable to national standards. As long as the load cell is sized appropriately—not too large for the expected load—it works well for acceptance testing.