What instrument is designed to measure the strain on a guy wire?

The instrument specifically designed to measure strain is the strain gauge. A strain gauge operates by detecting deformation or strain in an object and translates that into an electrical signal. This functionality is essential for evaluating the stress and strain on materials and structures, making it particularly suited for measuring the strain on a guy wire.

While a dynamometer measures force, or tension in this context, it does not provide a direct measurement of strain, which is a more specific configuration of deformation per unit length. Similarly, a load cell measures weight or load but does not specifically measure strain itself. Lastly, a tensile tester measures the tensile strength and properties of materials but is not used specifically for monitoring the strain of existing installations like a guy wire.

This shows the unique role of the strain gauge in measuring the strain directly, which is paramount when assessing the safety and performance of structural supports like guy wires.