Sensor for measuring large mechanical strains in shear or lateral translation

A capacitive strain sensor for sensing strain of a structure. The sensor includes a first section attached to the structure at a first location and a second section attached to the structure at a second location. The first section includes a capacitor plate electrically isolated from the structure and the second section includes two electrically isolated capacitive plates, both of the plates being electrically isolated from the structure. A flexible connector connects the first section to the second section. The capacitor plate of the first section is separated from the two capacitive plates of the second section by at least one capacitive gap. When strain is experienced by the structure, a change occurs in the capacitive gap due to relative motion between the first and second sections. The first section includes a core and the second section includes a ring that receives the core.