Tiltmeters

A tiltmeter is a portable device used to monitor changes in the inclination of a structure. Items in this monitoring system include a number of tilt plates, a portable tiltmeter, and a readout unit.

A portable tiltmeter uses a force-balanced servo-accelerometer to measure inclination. The accelerometer is housed in a rugged frame with machined surfaces that facilitate accurate positioning on the tilt plate. The bottom surface is used with horizontally mounted tilt plates and the side surfaces are used with vertically mounted tilt plates.

In the measurement, the tiltmeter is positioned onto the tilt plate and the displayed reading is noted. The tiltmeter is rotated 180° and a second reading is noted. The two readings are averaged and the changes in tilt are derived by comparing them with the initial reading.

Common applications include the monitoring structural elements for:

– rotations
– inclination
– leaning
– tilting
– slanting