A new device has been developed for the direct measurement of soil strains under earthquake loading in centrifuge testing. The main body of the device is a potentiometer used to measure soil deformation directly. Two MEMS accelerometers are attached to either end of the device to obtain soil deformation as a semi-direct measurement method. Two different centrifuge models, a level sand bed and a slope, were prepared with dry sands to achieve small and large soil deformation, respectively. A series of model earthquake motions were applied to the centrifuge models. The strains obtained with the new devices are compared with the indirect measurement of Piezo-electric accelerometers. It is found that this new direct method to measure soil strain could be applicable for medium to large soil deformation, that is, in the case of relatively strong earthquakes
