Deformation monitoring
Open-knowledge reference entry

Deformation monitoring (also referred to as deformation survey) is the systematic measurement and tracking of the alteration in the shape or dimensions of an object as a result of stresses induced by applied loads. Deformation monitoring is a major component of logging measured values that may be used for further computation, deformation analysis, predictive maintenance, and alarming.
Deformation monitoring is primarily associated with the field of applied surveying but may also be relevant to civil engineering, mechanical engineering, construction, and geology. The measurement devices utilized for deformation monitoring depend on the application, the chosen method, and the preferred measurement interval.
Measuring devices
Measuring devices (or sensors) can be sorted in two main groups: geodetic and geotechnical sensors. Both measuring devices can be seamlessly combined in modern deformation monitoring.
Geodetic measuring devices measure georeferenced (relative to established locations outside the monitoring area) displacements or movements in one, two or three dimensions. It includes the use of instruments such as total stations, levels, InSAR, and global navigation satellite system receivers.
Geotechnical measuring devices measure displacements or movements and related environmental effects or conditions without external georeferencing. It includes the use of instruments such as extensometers, piezometers, pressuremeters, rain gauges, thermometers, barometers, tiltmeters, accelerometers, seismometers, etc.
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This entry incorporates text from “Deformation monitoring” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.