CE5113 Lecture 3

Design of Ground Monitoring System

Application to Excavations
Case History Example
Need for Real Time Monitoring

Design of Instrumentation Scheme

Study geotechnical SI, and project layout
Identify potential geotechnical problems, eg
excessive ground movements, GWT lowering etc
FEM analysis to predict type and extent of ground
movements
Select parameters to be monitored and locations
Define suitable monitoring frequency
Define alert and work suspension levels
Devise contingency plan
Installation and monitoring interpretation

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Step 1: Study the project layout and ground condition
1. Soil profiling: Is the excavation in soft clay or loose soils?
Expect large movement, hence comprehensive instrumentation
usually required.
2. What is the ground water condition, permeability and the compressibility
of surrounding soil?
Can tell whether water draw down is a potential problem
extensive water table and piezometer monitoring expected.
3. Is there any confined aquifer layer (usually fluvial sand or F1 soil)
within and around the excavation?
Possible consolidation of compressible soft clay on top of the
aquifer layer, causing the clay to consolidate.
Influence zone can be very wide, up to 500m away.
Multi-tip piezometers expected to capture the isochrones of pore
pressure dissipation. Also, magnetic extensometer at various
layers to see the response of sub-surface layers

Step 1: Study the project layout and ground condition

4. Nearby critical structures, MRT? Status of the structures any existing

damages (good pre-condition survey necessary).
Instrumentation on the structures necessary for construction impact
assessment and possible evidence for dispute.
Use settlement markers on structures slab
Use crack meters on existing visible cracks
Use tilt plates on critical walls and columns
Use prism survey points on critical columns or piers
Use vibration sensors to monitor levels of vibration do not exceed
tolerable limits (see DIN 4150, Part 3)

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Step 2: Predict Mechanism that Control Behaviour

Excavation analysis to estimate the ground response surrounding the excavation

necessary:

A) FEM analysis, or
B) Other methods, including various design charts for guidance

Settlement and soil deflection at any distance away from the

excavation
Can estimate the influence zone by settlement contour plot
Sub-soil movement behaviour important to assess the possible
impact to existing underground structures and foundation.
The water draw down and pore pressure changes

CENTRAL@SOHO PROJECT

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PLAXIS Model of Excavation next to MRT
Station Box

Total Displacements at Excavation RL 95.9m 8

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 Excavation Area

Step 3: Select the parameters to be monitored and location of

instruments

A) Ground Monitoring

1. Surface settlement and lateral deflection (inclinometers in

soil or in wall) around the perimeter of the excavation, to
capture soil response nearest to the excavation
Usually maximum hence more conservative
Easiest to correlate with analysis results which
usually capture wall deflection more accurately
Quickest soil response hence offer more time for
contingency procedures

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2. Surface settlement and lateral soil deflection (inclinometers) at
a distance away from the excavation or near to existing
structures
To establish the influence zone
To capture the effect of the excavation to nearby
structures
3. Ground water table measurement around and at various
distances away from the excavation to monitor ground water
draw down
Essential for consolidation settlement analysis
Can indicate the water draw down influence zone

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4. Piezometer together with water standpipe, can determine

the excess pore water pressure, hence soil stress changes.
Important to determine whether the excavation impact
stabilized as soil stress changes is the cause of soil
movement. Settlement and wall deflection is the end
results of soil stress changes.

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B) Excavation Support Monitoring

1. Strut or ground anchor load monitoring within the

excavation
For design verification
For construction safety

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C) Adjacent Structures monitoring

1. Building settlement markers, tiltmeters, prisms, crack

meters on adjacent existing structures
To assess the excavation impact to adjacent structures

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Tiltmeter, building
settlement markers, and
continuous vibration
monitoring on nearby shop
houses

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D) Impact Due To Construction Activities

1. Settlement markers, inclinometers, piezometers near

existing structures or underground services to monitor
grouting works
Not too near to grouting points as instruments easily
damaged
2. Vibration sensors near existing structures if construction
activities generate significant vibration piling and
demolition works

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Step 4: Define Monitoring Frequency

1. Determine the possible response time of each instruments.

2. Ground instruments nearer to excavation fastest to response monitor
with closer frequency.
3. Instruments on nearby building slower to response. Can increase
frequency when ground instruments show significant changes.
4. During excavation and struts removal, higher frequency.
5. When trigger levels breached, higher frequency.

6. Avoid too many data syndrome. Identify Area of Concern and

concentrate monitoring instruments within this area.
Instruments involved are usually ground instruments - settlement
markers, inclinometers, piezometers, water standpipes
Enable focus attention from all parties and swift action for
contingency measures.
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 Step 5: Define Trigger Levels

1. Predict changes from design analysis or simulation of the excavation.

2. Evaluate the allowable values of adjacent structures and underground
services
3. Define trigger levels for individual instruments based on the above.

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Step 6: Devise Action Plan

1. Devise action procedures for each trigger levels.

2. Determine who should act and what are the action procedures

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Step 7: Site Installation and Monitoring Control

1. Installation control: make sure the instruments are installed and working
properly.
2. Monitoring control: Make sure the readings are taken properly.

Must trust the readings so that it can be interpreted

in depth and can activate action plan swiftly!

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Actual Example:
Detail Design of An Instrumentation Scheme for
A Deep Excavation Works within LTA Railway
Protection Zone
THE CENTRAL@SOHO PROJECT

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 Satellite View of Site

Existing
diaphragm wall

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Picture courtesy of Hexacon Construction Pte Ltd

Merchant Court Hotel

Overall View of Site
RiverPlace Condo

Riverside Point

Existing Diaphragm Wall

View of current site

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Picture courtesy of Hexacon Construction Pte Ltd

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 Ground Instrumentation Layout

S
v

IN
ROOM H
ITC
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SW

G
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1
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01

B
ST.

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A
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3rd

Q
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RV

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CHA

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2nd
T . RES
ERV

RI
E
EARTH WORK AREA

VE
T

R
T 1st. RESERVE

v
Tv T T
CLARKE QUAY MRT STATION PLATFORM

Qty Lead Instruments

7 Inclinometer In
Ground

7 Water Standpipe (TO INSTALL BEFORE CBP

ST.

WALL INSTALLATION)
EU
7 Piezometer
KONG

NE TO
W NG
4 Inclinometer In SE
HONG

Wall BR N T
ID ST
GE RE
1 Existing ET
RO
Inclinometer AD

TEE
27 Surface
STR
Settlement COL
ER EM AN
1

RD
Markers BRID
T
PEN

S01001
GE

AR
20 Survey Point

CUL
CAR

CIR
10 Tiltmeter

ER
- Crackmeter

UPP
3
v
Vibration 27
Sensors

1 Noise Sensor

Inclinometers, water standpipes and piezometers are installed within the

same cluster
in addition to the individual instrument effect, the inter-relationship
should also be assessed.

It is advisable to install settlement markers near to the cluster so it can be

assessed together.

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 20m 20m 5m 5m
SURFACE SETTLEMENT MARKERS
2m 2m
TILTMETER/ SURVEY POINT
TILTMETER INSTALLED AT SIDE OF
VIBRATION SENSOR
STEP
103.500 RIVER PROMENADE
NEW BRIDGE ROAD EU TONG SEN STREET RL 102.4 RL 102.400

97.500 SINGAPORE RIVER

1m

1m
10m

10m
94.250
WATER STANDPIPE
P P
88.300
PIEZOMETER

VARIES
INCLINOMETER IN D/W

81.300 INCLINOMETER IN GROUND

EXISTING DIAPHARGM WALL
NEW DIAPHARGM WALL

NEW BORED PILES

EXISTING BARRETTE

2m
SECTION 1-1
SCALE 1:250

Ground Instrumentation 29

Other General Design Consideration

1. Inclinometer depth criteria: The inclinometer toe must not

moved as it is the datum for movement calculation
General guide:
a) Toe beyond the influence zone can estimate from
design analysis or empirical values
b) Toe at soil with SPT more than 60
c) For inclinometer in wall or bored pile, toe in beneath
the wall/pile for at least 2m into hard stratum, if necessary

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2. Water standpipe criteria:
1. The perforated part in permeable soil layer to measure
hydrostatic water lever
2. The depth must be sufficient to capture the estimated
draw down
3. Piezometer criteria:
1. The piezometer tip should be within the excavation
influence zone
2. The piezometer tip should be in impermeable soil layer
to capture the build-up of pore pressure
3. Piezometer tip can also be in fractured rock or rock
joints
4. Piezometer can also be in sandy soils to confirm acquifer
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is continuous

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 Necessity for real time, remote monitoring for:

1. Critical structures where fast action required

1. MRT tunnels
2. Strut supporting excavation

2. Instruments that cannot be accessed for manual monitoring

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Automatic Tunnel
Monitoring System (ATMS)

Prism L-
L-bracket
bra

Track
34prisms
Picture courtesy of Wisescan Engineering Pte Ltd

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TCA in tunnel
with prisms in
the background

Email to Client

Collates
Col
measurements
me then
hen
Computer
transfer
tra to office
ce
unit at
platform
Data is auto-p
processed & sent
out almost instantaneously
inst
without human intervention
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Picture courtesy of Wisescan Engineering Pte Ltd

Automated Real Time Monitoring for

Struts

Eve
minu ry 10
tes
Uplo data
ad

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site logger GPRS

SMS
site logger GPRS

Alert &
Gateway Processing Email
report generation

site logger GPRS

Web

dBase
site logger GPRS

Data upload every 10mins if over trigger level

alert will send out immediately

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Real Time Strut force Monitoring & Alert system

Solar Powered
eMonitoring CR10X
Data Logger 39

Case History for Real Time eMonitoring System

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VW Load Cell

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 Case History for Real Time eMonitoring System

VW Strain Gauges
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Case History for Real Time eMonitoring

System Average Axial Force in Level 1 Strut 21-A

TY
900

MON PICAL
800
700

ITO
RI
600

R E O RD N G
Force (kN)

C
500
400
Preload
300
200 S
100 Excavation
to next
S21-1-A Trigger Design Allow able
0

level
-100
14-Nov

15-Nov

16-Nov

17-Nov

18-Nov

19-Nov

20-Nov

21-Nov

22-Nov

23-Nov

24-Nov

25-Nov

26-Nov

27-Nov

28-Nov

29-Nov

30-Nov

01-Dec

02-Dec

03-Dec

04-Dec

05-Dec

06-Dec

07-Dec

Date

900
Average Axial Force in Level 1 Strut 21-B

800
700

600
Force (kN)

500
400 Preload
300
200

100 Excavation
0 to next S21-1-B Trigger Design Allow able

-100
level
14-Nov

15-Nov

16-Nov

17-Nov

18-Nov

19-Nov

20-Nov

21-Nov

22-Nov

23-Nov

24-Nov

25-Nov

26-Nov

27-Nov

28-Nov

29-Nov

30-Nov

01-Dec

02-Dec

03-Dec

04-Dec

05-Dec

06-Dec

07-Dec

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Date

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 eMo
Sys nitorin
tem g
We
Site b

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eMo
Sys nitorin
tem g
We
Site b

SMS Alert 44

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Real Time Strain monitoring at 10 minutes
intervals during the post tensioning phase

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