Tilt test (geotechnical engineering)

A tilt test is like giving a jiggly pudding a little shake to see how it moves.

In geotechnical engineering, people want to know about how the ground moves too, so they can make sure big structures like buildings and bridges are safe.

So, a tilt test is when geotechnical engineers stick a special thing, called a sensor, into the ground. The sensor looks like a tiny computer game controller, and it can feel even the tiniest movements in the ground.

Once the sensor is in the ground, the engineers wait and see what it says about how the ground is moving. They might do this for a little bit, or sometimes even for days, to make sure they get a good understanding of what's happening.

Once they have all the information they need, they can use it to help build really good, safe buildings and bridges that won't fall over.