During horizontal or vertical displacement, the inclinometer probe records changes in incremental deviation angles relative to the vertical or horizontal axis over its baseline distance.
By integrating the measured angular function of the probe, it is possible to obtain the function of horizontal (or vertical) ground mass displacements as a function of depth.
Depending on the instrument type, inclinometric data may be recorded and stored on film or in computer memory under downhole conditions, or transmitted to the surface in real time.