Measure the Water Pressure and Groundwater Levels with Piezometer

Measure the Water Pressure and Groundwater Levels with
Piezometer
Identifying and measuring groundwater levels and water pressure are crucial in geotechnical
engineering. Having the right equipment is recommended to ensure faster, and accurate results
and one of the devices that can be used is the piezometer. Unlike a pitot tube, the piezometer is
designed to measure the static pressure of liquid in a system. Instead of focusing on liquid flow,
the device measures the height to which the column of liquid rises against gravity. Hence, by using
a piezometer, you can measure groundwater pressure at a certain point.
Piezometers have been improved in terms of design and function. One example is the vibrating
wire piezometer, which provides a more reliable way to convert fluid pressure into frequency
signals as it goes through a sensitive diaphragm. Frequency signals are suitable for demanding
environments that are common in civil engineering applications because they can travel through
long distances without degrading. Likewise, they can tolerate wet wiring conditions and external
electrical noise. In a vibrating wire piezometer, the gauge works based on the principle that when
the tension wire is plucked, it vibrates at a resonant frequency. A magnetic coil is around the wire,
and when pulsed by vibration or plucked by a data logger interface, the resulting resonant
frequency of the vibration is measured.
Changes in the distance between the diaphragm and anchor in the vibrating wire piezometer is
related to the differences in pressure, and thus, can be converted into a kPa reading. Operators can
use temperature information if they need to log regularly to determine the fast temperature
changes when readings in pressure may be exaggerated. This way, the piezometer is a reliable,
accurate, rugged device for long-term performance, even when used in the most demanding
environments.
Piezometer can be used in determining the pore pressure measurement in rocks and soils, too, as
well as the fluid pressures in pump tests and hydro-fracture measurements. High-end piezometers
are insensitive to the length of cables used. The gauge may read up to 1,000 metres from where it
is set up. Non-drive-in models can be fitted with threaded adaptors as required. They can be
connected with data loggers that support a vibrating wire interface module.
About the Company:
PCTE supplies a range of equipment from around the world to offer you a one stop shop with all of
the latest equipment. Concrete Non Destructive Testing (NDT) comprises testing a property of
concrete, largely without damaging the concrete to assess some parameter that either directly or
indirectly provides a required characteristic of the concrete or its embedment. For more details, you
can contact us at the website.
https://www.pcte.com.au/
PCTE | VIC,3042, Australia | (03) 9938 3830| r.barnes@pcte.com.au