Load cells are used to monitor the pressure and deformation of hydraulic structures such as dams, help engeneers assess their stability over time and prevent potential safety issues.
CELMI srl. Dams are among the engineering works that have a high potential for danger, therefore the need for continuous monitoring of their behavior during operation is universally recognized and accepted in all countries. Over the years, great progress has been made in measuring instruments anddatatransmission and processing systems, with regard to the reliability and precision of measurements andthespeed of acquisition, recording, comparison, evaluation and transfer of observations over long distances, alsothanks to the use of load cells in this type of application.
In detail, the control system including the load cells, both during the construction phase andespecially during the operation of the dam, must ensure that the work behaves according to the design forecasts. As long as this occurs, the work has the level of safety defined by the designer and approved by the competent supervisory bodies at the time of design. If during the construction or operation phase a significant deviation from the behavior predicted at the time of design occurs, it is the task of the control system to highlight the phenomenon and correlate it with all the factors that may have an influenceon the behavior of the dam.
First of all, it is essential to identify those risk factors that could put the work in crisis or at least compromise its functionality for operational purposes. While some of them are intrinsic to the workitself, others may be completely independent of it and come from external physical events, linked to the natural environment in which it is inserted. Among the latter, the following can be considered typical of an environmental situation such as the Italian one: – seismic events ; – exceptional hydrological and meteorological events; – soil disturbances in the upstream basin, or inside the reservoir, having their own origins and causes, and not consequent to the other events mentioned above.
The load cells and in general the control system created for the monitoring of the dam, are positioned inside the structure to control and measure these potential risk factors related to the life of the dam itself, some examples:
∙ Joint movements
∙ Movements of the cracks
∙ Concrete deformations
∙ Concrete stresses
∙ Vertical displacements
∙ Rock deformation
∙ Solicitations in general
Here are CELMI solutions designed for use within a dam control system:
Load cell type 281: it is a load cell that can be used for medium capacity weighing systems. Typical applications:
∙ Load control systems on aerial platforms
∙ Production machines
∙ Tensioning systems
∙ Load control systems on lifting machines, etc.
CAPACITY: 0.3-0.5-0.75-1-1.5-2-3-5-7.5-10-15-20 t
MAIN FEATURES:
∙ IP66 hose-tight construction
∙ Completely in stainless steel
∙ Standard capacities from 0.3 to 20 tons
∙ ATEX Certification
Transducer type MA2: are used in all static and dynamic weight systems where it is necessary to monitor the force. Typical applications:
∙ Monitor the load or lifting moment of the machine
∙ Indicate the tank level
MAIN FEATURES:
∙ Universal use
∙ Low cost
∙ Stainless steel construction
∙ ATEX Certification
Load cell type 422: it is used to measure the load state of a tie rod or a contrast. In particular, it is usedtodetermine the stress state of bolts and tie rods, to control the tensions on walls and rock masses, to determine the load transmitted to the base of the centering, by installing it under the foot of the centeringorbetween two elements of a centering. Typical areas of application are:
∙ Measurement of variations of bar or strand ties
∙ Diaphragms, bulkheads and containment structures
∙ Tunnels , dams, bridges and viaducts
∙ Rock bolting and anchoring
∙ Landslides
Here are some technical specifications:
∙ Degree of protection IP67
∙ Strain gauge technology
∙ Choice of measuring ranges and dimensions
∙ It can be supplied with a standard connector or with a small box
∙ You can choose between: double bridge and single bridge
∙ Available with three output types: CAN open, 4-20mA, mV/V
For more information and details on all weighing solutions that we are able to study ad hoc for every new weighing need, you can visit the website www.celmi.com and write to info@celmi.com
