Building techniques are constantly improving. New approaches to construction require more and more accurate measurements to ensure the necessary accuracy. In this regard, there is a huge number of building instruments for measuring a variety of indicators. Used not only in large construction companies, but also in everyday life, they have already become an integral part of any toolkit. In this article, we will briefly review their main types and applications.
Rulers and tape measures
Everything is clear here: measuring the length is simply necessary for any type of construction work. Both rulers are used, designed for measuring small details, and tape measures, allowing you to measure distances up to ten or twenty meters, depending on their length. A more modern analogue of roulettes and rulers are laser rangefinders. They areallow you to calculate the length at large distances with an accuracy of half a millimeter. Their principle is based on the reception of a laser wave reflected from the surface, and deviations arise mainly due to the density of the medium. They come in handy when you need to measure the distance to a kilometer.
Goniometers and inclinometers
Goniometers and inclinometers are used to measure angles and slopes of surfaces. Depending on the type of construction, they can be both electronic and digital, as well as simple levels. The building level is a ruler with an indicator, inside of which there is an air bubble, which is located exactly in the center only in the case of a perfectly flat surface. Digital goniometers are much more complicated, and with their help you can not only measure the level of surface roughness, but also angles, and the accuracy will be extremely high - deviations will not exceed one degree. Goniometers are indispensable for the assembly and installation of structures.
Total stations
Total station is another indispensable type of building instrument. This tool is widely used in geodesy, allowing you to determine the coordinates and heights of terrain points with high accuracy, show the angles of inclination of surfaces, and much more. Studies with a total station are carried out without fail before laying the foundation of a building or when laying a road surface. A variety of detectors are used in construction to search for inhomogeneities in the surface, metals, fittings, pipes and other building structures. These can be like hygrometers, allowing you to determinemoisture, for example, in wood, or to find water underground, and metal detectors, which allow you to find metal deposits and even determine the type and shape of an object, and many others. Alone among such detectors are locators.
Routefinders
Route detectors are construction devices that allow you to find underground utilities through which current flows. They are suitable for both searching for underground communications and for underwater ones. Some of them are equipped with alternating current generators, which allows you to find non-working communications by powering them. Line detectors are used not only in construction, but also in the repair of communications, allowing you to find gaps in them. A survey with a locator is mandatory before carrying out earthworks, during which there is a risk of stumbling upon wires or pipes laid underground.
Sclerometers
An equally important construction measuring device is a sclerometer. This is a device that measures the hardness of a material. Most often, the strength of concrete is checked in this way, which is important when using it. The check is made by scratching or hitting the surface. Modern sclerometers come in both mechanical and electronic types.
Voltage testers
Voltage testers are another indispensable building instrument. It is used, as the name implies, to measure the voltage in communications. In addition, it can be used to determine the phase of the current, find hidden wiring or breaks.in the electrical circuit.
Other measuring instruments
In addition to those devices that are used directly during construction, we also need those that will allow us to measure indicators in ready-made premises. Such instruments are vibrometers, sound level meters and light meters. Vibrometers measure the level of vibration in a building. This is especially important for heavy manufacturing enterprises. Strong vibrations can have extremely negative effects on the body of workers and are generally very harmful.
Sound level meters allow you to measure the level of sound pollution. Here the scope is wider than that of vibrometers - after all, sound level meters are also used at home, when, for example, you need to measure the noise level from neighbors. Exceeding certain noise levels in residential premises is not only harmful, but also prohibited by law. Luxmeters are devices for measuring illumination. Working in low light conditions leads to vision problems and a deterioration in the psycho-emotional state. This is especially important when working with texts or small details. There are government standards in place to ensure adequate levels of lighting, failure to comply with which may result in the closure of the facility.
Conclusions
Thus, building instruments and measurement equipment are presented in a huge variety and often serve to perform a specific specific task. Their correct use helps to greatly facilitate the work of builders and repair teams, and in somecases, their use is simply necessary.
