Figure 20 Schematic of a Ridley-type flushable piezometer

Key
1 Pump for circulating water and 7 50 mm diameter UPVC pipe
removing air 8 Hydraulically operated valve
2 Flush de-aired water (in) 9 О-ring seal
3 Flush air and water (out) 10 Water chamber
4 Pressure sensor 11 Porous ceramic (1 bar air entry)
5 70 mm diameter fully grouted
borehole
6 50 mm diameter UPVC pipe

52.7 Pneumatic piezometers

COMMENTARY ON 52.7
Pneumatic piezometers consist of two gas-filled tubes connecting a measuring
point to a valve located close to a porous element (see Figure 21). When the gas
pressure in the input line equals the water pressure in the porous element, the
valve opens, the gas flows around the system and can be detected as it
emanates from the return tube. The gas supply is then shut off and the pressure
in the supply tube is monitored as it decays. The pore water pressure is taken to
be the final steady pressure developed when the valve closes. The operation of
the valve requires a small volume change in the porous element, and in stiff low
permeability clays this can lead to difficulties. Pneumatic piezometers are simple
to install, but they can be slow to respond because the operator has to wait for
the gas pressure to equalize. They cannot be used for in-situ permeability
measurements (see Penman, 1960 [121]).
Dirt entering the tubes can prevent the valve operating properly and, therefore,
the operating system should be kept scrupulously clean. Care should be taken to
include coils in the cables when laying them in trenches, to avoid them being
stretched when strains (e.g. settlements) are encountered.