Vibrating Wire Total Pressure Cells are devices used for accurately measuring surface pressure and stresses in various construction applications. These cells feature pressure pads made of high-strength stainless steel, which are connected to vibrating wire sensors housed within a steel tube.
The loads applied to the pressure pads alter the vibration frequency of the vibrating wire pressure sensor. This change is recorded through reading units or dataloggers and then converted to engineering units using a calibration factor. As a result, pressure cells can be embedded into or covered with various materials such as soils, rock fills, and concretes.
The primary purpose of these cells is to monitor the pressures and stresses transmitted to the ground by a structure. They are used to validate and control design assumptions.