CE5113 Lecture 1

Geotechnical Instrumentation and

Ground Monitoring
OCT 2006

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 Outline of Topics
➢ Geotechnical Instrumentation and
Monitoring
➢ Application to Deep Excavation
➢ Application to Ground Improvement
➢ Construction Vibration Control
➢ Pile Instrumentation

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 Overview of Geotechnical
Instrumentation
Two categories of instruments:
➢ Insitu Tests – for soil and rock properties
(this part covered by Prof Chew)
➢ Performance monitoring – to check that
design assumptions apply in the actual
ground conditions (this part covered by
Prof Tan)

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 Questions
➢ Why do we need to monitor performance?
➢ What must be capabilities of instruments?
➢ What must be capabilities of people?
➢ Where were we?
➢ Where are we now?
➢ What are future trends?

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Geotechnical Instrumentation

Application to
Deep Excavations

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• Excavation of soil is a common
activity in heavily built-up cities
➢excavation for basement

➢excavation for
underground road
and tunnel

➢excavation for sewerage

pipe, drainage facilities
and other constructions

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 Building founded
• Excavation caused stress on pile foundation
relief, results in:
1. Movement of soil
B
surrounding the d1 B'
F d2 F'
excavation

2 d
Illustration of an excavation

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Before Excavation

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 Vv

Vh

Immediately after excavation

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 Vv
= Vh

Immediate response

Vh = Vv
assume
i) the soil is saturated, and
ii) no water flow out from soil
mass – undrained condition

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 • Excavation caused stress
relief, results in:
1. Movement of soil
surrounding the Building founded on
excavation pile foundations

• 2. Other mechanism causes ground

movement: B B'
F d1
• lowering down of ground d2 F'
water table,
• construction surcharge,

• Tunnelling involve excavation of soil

below existing ground. This causes
ground loss and hence settlement at
the surface Illustration of 2and excavation

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Observed settlements behind strutted excavation in Chicago
(after O’Rourke et al., 1976)
O’Rourke, T.D., Cording, E.J. & Boscardin, M. The ground movements related to braced excavation
and their influence on adjacent buildings. U.S. Department of Transportation, Report no. D0T-TST 76,
T-23, 1976 12
Observed settlements behind excavation (after Peck,
1969)
Peck. R.B. Deep excavations and tunnelling in soft ground. Prof. 7th Int. Conf. S.M.F.E.,
Mexico, State-of-the-art volume: 225 –290. 1969 13
Relationship between maximum ground settlements and
maximum lateral wall movement from case histories
(after Mana & Clough, 1981)
Mana A.I. and Clough G.W. Prediction of movements for braced cuts in clay. J. Geotech.
Engng, ASCE, (107), June: 759 – 777. 1981
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 Why is dHmax > dVmax ?
Settlements

A Wall deflection

For Undrained Excavation; B1

volume is constant:
This implies: Base heave
Vol A = Vol B1
C C
Vol C = Vol B2
dHmax = f(B1+B2) B2

dVmax = f(A)
So dVmax </= dHmax

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Ground Deformation and Basal Stability
Diaphragm Walls

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200mm settlement near to
an excavation

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 Pore Water Pressure (kPa) Pore Water Pressure (kPa) Pore Water Pressure (kPa)

200.0
205.0
210.0
215.0
220.0
130.0
140.0
150.0
160.0
170.0
180.0
75.0
80.0
85.0
90.0
95.0
100.0

24-Nov-03 24-Nov-03 24-Nov-03

15-Dec-03 15-Dec-03 15-Dec-03

5-Jan-04 5-Jan-04 5-Jan-04

26-Jan-04 26-Jan-04 26-Jan-04

16-Feb-04 16-Feb-04 16-Feb-04

8-Mar-04 8-Mar-04 8-Mar-04

29-Mar-04 29-Mar-04 29-Mar-04

19-Apr-04 19-Apr-04 19-Apr-04

10-May-04 10-May-04 10-May-04

31-May-04 31-May-04 31-May-04

Date of Monitoring

21-Jun-04 21-Jun-04 21-Jun-04

Date of M onitoring

Date of Monitoring
12-Jul-04 12-Jul-04 12-Jul-04

2-Aug-04 2-Aug-04 2-Aug-04

23-Aug-04 23-Aug-04 23-Aug-04

13-Sep-04 13-Sep-04 13-Sep-04

Pnuematic Piezometer (P1) reading

Pnuematic Piezometer (P3) reading

Pnuematic Piezometer (P2) reading

4-Oct-04 4-Oct-04 4-Oct-04

Piezo Readings

Piez o reading

Piez o reading

25-Oct-04 25-Oct-04 25-Oct-04

15-Nov-04 15-Nov-04 15-Nov-04

6-Dec-04 6-Dec-04 6-Dec-04

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Theory hy dros tatic bas ed on WSP reading

27-Dec-04
Theory hy dros tatic bas ed on WSP reading
Theory Hydraustatic Based on WSP Readings

27-Dec-04 27-Dec-04
 Possible Under Drainage Problem
Pneumatic Piezometer

0m
Fill 0

2m
Theoretical Hydrostatic
-5
line based on water
table measurement

P1
Marine Clay -10
Depth
(m)

12-Jul-04 16-Aug-04
-15
7-Oct-04 22-Oct-04

18 m 4-Nov-04
Silty Sand
P2
21 m -20
P3
Tekong
Sand

25m -25
0 50 100 150 200 250

Pressure (kPa)

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Crack up to 20mm width
at a house 200m away
from an excavation:
Possible cause – water
pumping

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Crack up to 20mm width
at a house 150m away
from excavation:
Possible cause – water
pumping

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 Outline Of This Presentation
1. Introduction
2. Objectives of Instrumentation Monitoring
3. Type of Commonly Used Instruments for
Deep Excavation
4. Design of Instrumentation Scheme
5. Interpretation, Review Levels and Action
Plan

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 OBJECTIVES OF INSTRUMENTATION
MONITORING

1. Design Verification:
a. Instrument monitoring results can be used to verify design data
and design assumptions and to check that performance is as
predicted.
b. This include back analysis to fine-tune design parameters and
construction sequences during the progress of excavation, to
enable a better prediction for subsequent stages of excavation.
c. Usually, soil deformation data, such as inclinometer movement
and surface settlement data are used.
d. However, soil deformation is the “end results” of soil stress
changes. Hence, monitoring that indicates causes of
deformation, such as water table and pore pressure changes in
soils is essential.
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2. Construction Control: The instruments will monitor the effects of
construction to the surrounding ground and properties.
a. To determine the magnitude of soil and nearby structures
deformation. Instruments are designed to capture small changes
which cannot be seen by naked eyes.
b. To estimate the influence zone of the construction impact
c. To establish the stabilization time of the ground after the
construction changes

3. Safety: The instruments will provide an early warning of impending

failures, allowing time for safe evacuation from work site and time to
implement supplementary preventive or remedial action.
a. An established instrument trigger levels and associated action plan
is required.

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4. Evidence for Damaged Dispute : Instrumentation results
to serve as record of construction impact for damage
assessment.

Benefits of Ground Instruments:

• During Design
• Provide correct inputs for boundary conditions GWT
• Provide inputs for initial ground stress and pore water
pressure conditions
• During Construction
• Safety
• Observational Method
• After Construction
• Legal protection in case of damage dispute 25