Light Weight Deflectometer with Geophones and Load Cell

Four years of intense development work have been crowned with success. TERRATEST® on the bauma Shanghai is proud to present its new high-tech model of Light Weight Deflectometer TERRATEST 9000 LWD for the first time, thus reaching the top in the field of light weight deflectometers. This device for measurement uses a central geophone instead of an acceleration sensor, thus significantly increasing the precision in the case of high rigidity. “Meanwhile we are in contact with dealers in Saudi Arabia and Korea, ready to offer our devices in these countries”, explains Sven Krone, CEO of TERRATEST LWD GmbH. “This model is produced particularly for export, as no test specification in Germany for this type of instrument exists. The situation in USA, Canada, Great Britain, Italy, India and South East Asia however is different, so there is a strong demand.”< The configuration enables two external geophones to be attached additionally, in order to measure settlement at a distance of up to 60 cm. An integrated load cell is provided as well, so that falling height, plate diameter and mass of the falling weight can be optimized by the user whenever needed. The four plate diameters amount to 100, 150, 200 and 300 mm; falling weights with a mass of 10, 15 and 20 kg can be used. The load measurement is correspondingly taken into consideration for the calculation.

Production enhanced by Synergy Effects

For the production, TERRATEST® can exploit synergies, which becomes obvious by the optical appearance of the device, hexagonal shape of the falling weight and the inclined load plate handles. Development of smartphone App and software is based on proven resources as well.

The new light weight deflectometer TERRATEST 9000 LWD has been conceived for international markets, and results from a development phase of four years. The instrument features a central geophone and a load cell; two external geophones can be attached as well.

Calibrate your Light Weight Deflectometer now

According to the German standard TP BF StB Part B 8.3 the TERRATEST Equipment for the dynamic plate load test must be calibrated once a year. What could be more reasonable than choosing the cold season for the calibration? From experience we can tell that most construction activity will be suspended as soon as the outside temperatures drop below zero. During calibration the Light Weight Deflectometer will be checked through thoroughly. It will thus guarantee completely precise test results in the next season. TERRATEST is well prepared for the wintery rush and calibrates the Light Weight Deflectometers in two shifts. "We are well set up and promise all customers an immediate calibration of their Light Weight Deflectometers", says Dr. Bernhard Korsch, manager of the calibration department at TERRATEST. "Our entire team works hand in hand, which is why there is hardly any waiting time", adds Dr. Korsch.

Additionally TERRATEST offers its customers an extra special service: "On request we calibrate your Light Weight Deflectometer instantly and we do so at no extra cost", says production manager Sven Krone. "More and more of Terratest's customers make use of this service, especially our customers from the Berlin area. Our office is conveniently located right at Berlin's northern motorway ring", adds Krone. "Even our Polish customers increasingly enjoy using this service."

And also the logistics are very well organised at Terratest. "Of course we also offer our customers a comfortable pick-up and delivery service, so that the calibration procedure including logistics can be carried out in an uncomplicated manner", says Frank G Schulz, managing director of TERRATEST GmbH. "More and more customers worldwide rely on the high-quality Light Falling Weight Deflectometers from TERRATEST", adds Schulz.

Before dispatch every calibrated Light Weight Deflectometer undergoes an extensive performance check according to a strict checklist. This ensures that TERRATEST customers can always count on a reliable operation of their Light Weight Deflectometer for the dynamic plate load test.

The Light Weight Deflectometer takes over India

TERRATEST’s Light Weight Deflectometer is now already for the third time at “bc-Bauma India 2014”, India’s largest construction trade fair. From 15 to 18/12/2014 TERRATEST presents itself with its own booth in the German Pavillion in Hall 3.

“TERRATEST 5000 BLU” is the first Light Weight Deflectometer with Bluetooth technology and Android app. “Today, at the first day of the trade fair, we have already had very promising conversations with road construction authorities and civil engineering companies,” says Frank G. Schulz, CEO of the TERRATEST GmbH. “Our potential clients are deeply impressed by the Bluetooth technology of our Light Weight Deflectometer. The possibility to control TERRATEST’s Light Weight Deflectometer with an Android smartphone or a tablet is also met with great interest. We expect the Indian market to hold promising growth rates for our devices in the near future,” adds Schulz.

TERRATEST has delivered a variety of Light Weight Deflectometers to road construction and civil engineering companies as well as universities in India within the last years.

Light Weight Deflectometer – New Video on Youtube

A little while ago we put up a new product video about the Light Weight Deflectometer TERRATEST 5000 BLU on our Youtube channel. In 3:18 minutesyou will find out all about the world’s first wireless Light Weight Deflectometer with Bluetooth technology and voice navigation – click here. The video demonstrates impressively the advantages of a wireless device in practice. 

“The cable connection of the Light Weight Deflectometer used to be its Achilles’ heel. We replaced it with a Bluetooth connection, creating a tremendous practical advantage”, says Frank Schulz, TERRATEST’s general manager. “The user no longer has to rewire the device for every test; no wire gets in the way while working”, explains Schulz.

Many users know what it means to bend down and rewire the Light Weight Deflectometer, which has a lifetime of more than 10 years, every time you want to conduct a test. The wireless signal range of 10 metres makes the Light Weight Deflectometer TERRATEST 5000 BLU a perfect test instrument for utility line construction, since the measurement electronics can easily be placed outside of the trench.

One year "Ni hao China"

The Light Weight Deflectometer of TERRATEST has been operated in China for many years. It represents outstanding projects, notably the construction of the high-speed railway Beijing-Shanghai. It is now the time to introduce TERRATEST dealers in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong the innovative features and comfortable handling of the new Light Falling Weight Deflectometer “TERRATEST 5000BLU” with Bluetooth technology, VOICE NAVIGATION and duration measurement mode. In addition, the special color “China Red” painted CARRELLO was perceived as extremely customer-friendly transport system for the 35kg heavy equipment.

“I am convinced that my customers would very much appreciate the comprehensive concept of TERRATEST 5000BLU, the ultra-fast structure of the bluetooth mechanism and the user-friendly software as extra plus.” CEO XIU FU LEI HKD Instruments Ltd. from Hong Kong. It was just logical that the demonstration device changed hands at that time and place.

In China, Light Drop Weight Tester from TERRATEST for the dynamic plate pressure method has been used in road construction for many years. A large number of TERRATEST devices has for example been used in the construction of the high-speed railway between Beijing and shanghai.