Vane-Log

Data Acquisition Software for Geotech´s Electrical

Vane Apparatus

Ingenjörsfirman Geotech AB Ph: +46 - 31 28 99 20

Datavägen 53 Fax:+46 -31 68 16 39
SE-436 32 ASKIM (Göteborg) E-mail: [email protected]
Sweden Web site: http://www.geotech.eu/

Copyright © Ingenjörsfirman Geotech AB, Sweden 2004-2011

 Contents
Contents ..................................................................................................................... 2
Installation .................................................................................................................. 3
Structure ..................................................................................................................... 3
Acquisition .................................................................................................................. 4
Settings....................................................................................................................... 7
Communication ....................................................................................................... 7
Test info .................................................................................................................. 7
Range options......................................................................................................... 7
Color options........................................................................................................... 8
Bars......................................................................................................................... 8
Depth confirmation .................................................................................................. 8
Presentation ............................................................................................................... 9
Settings ................................................................................................................. 11
Viewing options..................................................................................................... 12
Remoulded tests ................................................................................................... 13
Change units......................................................................................................... 13
Create vb1-files for import to AutoGRAF software ................................................ 14
Export file as an image.......................................................................................... 14

2
Installation
To install Vane-Log, connect the HASP key in a free USB slot, then insert the Vane-Log CD
into the CD-drive and run setup.exe. The installation follows the standard Install Shield
procedure. Follow the instructions on the screen.
Keep the HASP key connected for proper functionality at all times.

Structure
Vane-Log starts in acquisition mode, ready to run a new vane test.

Vane-Log start-up screen.

In the left margin you can find three tabs: Acquisition, Settings and Quick jump.

The Settings tab The Quick jump tab activates the quick
activates the settings jump bar from which you can start the
bar with buttons for presentation module by
different types of clicking Presentation
settings. You can or browse for vane test
choose between data files by clicking
Communication, Test Thumbnails.
info, Range options
and Color options.

3
Acquisition
To make a new data acquisition, click New Test in the Acquisition tab, or press F1.

Fill in the Test info sheet and

press OK.

Note: It is very important to

set the right vane type since
this affects the obtained data.

Specify the directory and

filename to save the data and
press OK.

4
The program now starts a zero reading of
the gauges. The zero value should be in
the interval 15 – 40.
If the zero value fall essentially under
that interval, immediate service is
needed.
Wait until the zero reading is finished
and press OK.

You are now ready to make the first turn.

When the depth for the first turn is reached, press Start turn, or F2, to start the vane tester.
Enter depth level and press OK. Verify the depth in the appearing dialogue box.

If it is desired to remould at the same depth as

the previous turn, press the Remoulded button.
The depth will remain, but the third decimal
will be replaced with a serial number, starting
at one, that increments each turn when
remoulding is selected.

5
During the test the torque graph is presented on the screen.

Acquisition.

The first part of the curve shows only rod friction and when the vane starts to turn in the
ground the curve shows the rod friction and the vane torque together. Use the mouse pointer
to place the vertical line right before the point where the vane torque starts to increase. The
program calculates the shear force assuming that the force registered on the left side of the
line is rod friction and the force registered on the right side of the line is rod friction plus vane
torque. On the scale to the right you can se the shear force.
When the ground material brakes, press End turn, or F3. Make the same procedure on each
depth. After the last turn is ended, press End test, or F6. The vane test is now completed.

After the test is ended, all data is saved automatically in the file
specified at the test start. There is however a possibility to
immediately save the data to an additional backup file, for
example on a USB flash memory. If you want to save a backup
file, answer Yes when the dialogue box appears.

6
Settings

In the settings module changes in the the acquisition software can

be made. Select the settings tab and choose one of the options.

Communication

Serial port settings.

Test info

Opens the Test info sheet

Range options

Settings for torque, angle and shear strength ranges.

To change the units, open Settings
Range options, or press F7, and then press the Units
button.

7
Now you can change the units for the Depth, Torque and Shear strength scales.

Color options

Settings for background and buttons color.

Bars

Viewing options for the test. Select or unselect Angle/Torque and Max Torque/Rotation
speed.

Depth confirmation

Select or unselect depth confirmation.

8
Presentation

In the presentation module you can open files for viewing, editing
and printing. Select the Quick jump tab and press Thumbnails.

If the above sign appears when the presentation module is activated, make sure that the HASP
key is connected, and press the Retry-button. The HASP key enables editing, saving and
printing of the test files. By pressing the OK-button files can only be viewed in demo mode.

Thumbnails.

In the window that appears you can browse the hard drive for vane test data files. When you
select a folder in the left part of the window, the files in it will appear as thumbnails in the
right lower part of the window. In the right upper part of the window you can see the test
information of the thumbnail you select.

9
To open a file for viewing you double click the thumbnail. The file is shown in a new window
called Vane graph. It starts default with the Standard chart-tab open. The Standard chart
presents the Torque/Speed-graphs. For a graphical view of other parameters, open the
Extended chart-tab.

View of a vane test. Extended chart.

10
Settings
The settings in Vanegraph are made under Edit.

Options

Extended chart settings

Standard chart settings

Single graph settings

Settings for units and sheet appearance

11
Test info

Displays the test info sheet.

Chart settings

Range and color settings for the graphs in Standard chart and Extended chart.

Table edit

Editing and additions to test information.

Viewing options.

In the upper part of the window you can set viewing options for the vane chart.

1 2 3 4

5 6

These options are:

1. Depth scale for the shear force.
2. Viewing size.
3. Show speed. If this is marked the speed will be shown in the graph.
4. Show rod friction. If this is marked a red cursor will appear in the graph. It should be
used for specifying the rod friction of the curve.
5. Depth selection.
6. Restore from file. Loads the current file without changes.

Speed shown in graph.

Rod friction specified in

graph.

12
Remoulded tests

It is possible to use remoulded tests to calculate soil sensitivity.

Undrained and remoulded turns.

Change units

To change units, open Edit
Options

and then select the All-tab and push the
Units button.
Now you could change the units for the
Depth, Torque and Shear strength scales.

13
Create vb1-files for import to AutoGRAF software

The original vct-file can easily be converted to a vb1-file through these steps.

1. Open the desired file in Vane graph.

2. Open File
Save As…
3. Write or select the file name and select the
*.vib file format.
4. Press Save

This action creates two copies of the file in each vib and vb1 formats.

Export file as an image

To convert the file into an image format:

1. Open the desired file in Vane graph

2. Open File
Export
3. Select target directory
4. Write file name without file extension
5. Select file type: bmp, jpg or gif
6. Press Save

14