Modern Displacement Measuring Systems Used in Geotechnical Laboratories: Advantages and Disadvantages

The paper presents the contemporary displacement measurement systems used in geotechnical laboratories during the determination of soil precise mechanical parameters, e.g., the shear modules G: initial and in the range of small and very small strains. In the laboratory, researchers use standard sensors for measuring deformation, pressure, and force as well as modern measuring systems such as linear variable differential transformers (LVDT), proximity transducers (PT), magnetic encoder sensors with fiber Bragg grating (FBG), or methods based on laser or X-ray measurement. None of the measurements are universal and their use depends on the type of soil (cohesive, non-cohesive), its condition (loose or dense, stiff or very soft), and its characteristic properties (e.g., organic soil, swelling soil). This study points out the interesting equipment solutions and presents the guidelines for selecting appropriate methods of deformation measurement.