Managing Geotechnical Risk

Are we learning from the failures

“The Use of Instrumentation and Monitoring to Verify

Design and Control Construction of Deep
Excavations (modified)”

Andy Pickles
of
GCG (Asia) Ltd.

Asia 1
 Overview of Presentation
Presentation relates to deep excavation for major
infrastructure projects

• Risk in design and role of instrumentation

• Typical scope and cost of instrumentation

• Obtaining added value (reducing risk) from

instrumentation

• Interpretation of instrumentation

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 Risk in Design of Deep Excavations

Instrumentation is associated with the management of

risk (i.e. uncertainties). These include:

• Soil stratigraphy

• Geotechnical design parameters

• Construction related factors

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 Uncertainty of Soil Stratigraphy
Variation of Continuity of Sand Layer

Discontinuous Layer Continuous Layer

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 Uncertainty in Design Parameters - 1
Deep Excavation in Clay

Undrained shear strength, cu (kPa) Wall horizontal disp. (m)

0.000

0.040

0.080

0.120

0.160

0.200

0.240
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
4 4
FILL
0 0

-4 -4

-8 Soft CLAY -8
Reduced level (m)_

Reduced level (m)_

-12 -12

-16 -16
Bend Mom
40 75 Stiff CLAY Final exc 2800 kNm
-20 -20 5000 kNm

-24 -24
Clayey SAND
-28 -28

-32 Strength_1 Hard CLAY -32 Strength_1

Strength_2 Strength_2
-36 -36
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 Uncertainties in Design Parameters – 2
Variation of Rate of Softening

Low Permeability High Permeability

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 Construction Related Uncertainties -1
Performance of Grout Cut-off

CLAY

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 Construction Related Uncertainties - 2
• Ground settlement on wall installation

• Effectiveness and extent of dewatering

• Properties of jet grout layers

• Effectiveness of ground treatment

• Effects of previous construction work

• Interaction with adjacent structures

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 Instrumentation to deal with these risks
• All design approaches
Design parameters from previous experience
Determined from instrumentation results

• Routine design approach

Offset risk by using conservative assumptions
Verify design using instrumentation results (AAA)

• Observational approach (progressive modification)

Manage risk through engineering input
Less conservative assumptions
Continuous improvement of design based on instrumentation results
As knowledge improves design improves and risk remains constant.

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 Trigger Levels in Routine Design
• Trigger levels are used as part of the AAA system

• Important to distinguish between trigger levels set using the design

predictions, on the basis of additional calculation and based on
engineering judgement

• Design predictions are unreliable and AAA value requires a design

review, if appropriate AAA values can be updated

• Additional calculation is based on actual serviceability and AAA

values should not be exceeded

• Engineering judgement are often guesses or best practice and more

detailed analysis is then required and AAA values can be revised

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 Managing Risk and Obtaining Value

• If the major role of instrumentation is to manage risk how

can we make it more effective?

• Alternatively, how can we get more value out of

instrumentation?

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 The Role of Instrumentation
• Routine design and construction 0% I
N
To verify an already conservative design C
R
• Observational approach
E
A
Use data to continually improve design S
Reduce construction costs I
N
Save construction time G

• Long term perspective V

Full interpretation published with all background A
information allows future designs to be improved L
U
Benefits accrued by major clients
10% E

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 Typical Scope of Standard Instrumentation
Standard instrument 1 km cut and cover 1 km cut and cover
type with station in with station in
Singapore Hong Kong
Inclinometers in walls 120 50

Strut load monitoring 400 200

Piezometers 50 120
(VW and standpipe)
Settlement points 800 500

Extensometers 10 15

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 Scope of Data Collection
• Typically 1000 to 2000 separate instruments

• Readings required daily during excavation and strut

removal stages and weekly at other times

• Typically of the order of 200 readings per instrument

• 400,000 separate sets of readings

• 1,000,000 or more data points

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 Typical cost of instrumentation
Cost of instrumentation and 1.5% to 2% of contract value
monitoring
Management cost (engineering 0.5% to 1% of contract value
support, meetings etc.)
Total cost 2% to 3% of contract value

Cost includes
• Instrumentation
• Monitoring teams (instrumentation and survey)
• Engineering support to coordinate work
• Development and maintenance of database
• Daily, weekly and monthly reporting with associated meeting costs
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 Cost of Instrumentation Routine Design
• Total cost for routine instrumentation of a deep excavation contract
is S$ 5 to 10 million

• Primary use is to verify the design of the excavation works

• Cost is of similar order to the original design costs (i.e. pay as much
to verify as to design)

• Instrumentation is often seen as an onerous contract requirement

• No added value obtained from instrumentation

• Designer is often not closely involved with construction

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 How to Add Value to Instrumentation
• Adding value is reducing risk and reducing cost

• Involve designer in the construction work

• Prepare good quality instrumentation interpretative reports

(comprehensive rather than instrument specific)

• Carry out back analyses to determine actual performance

parameters

• Encourage value engineering through observational approach

• Publish results and improve standards and codes of practice

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 Cost of Adding Value to Instrumentation
• Additional cost for proper interpretation of results and
associated report is S$ 0.1 million

• Additional cost for back analysis in order to obtain useful

design data for future work is S$ 0.1 to 0.2 million

• Large savings in Contract costs and times are achievable

by making better use of monitoring data

• Additional costs can usually be offset by better control of

day to day monitoring (i.e. cut down frequency)

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 Examples of Excessive Monitoring
Manual Settlement Readings
Jan 00 Nov 01
-5

-15

-120
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 Examples of Excessive Monitoring
Groundwater Level mPD 3 Manual Piezometer Readings

Asia 18 Months with 500 Measurements 20

 Examples of Excessive Monitoring
Datalog Piezometer Readings

Tide Gauge
2
Groundwater Level mPD

1 Day Piezometer
0

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 Examples of Excessive Monitoring
Datalogged Piezometer Readings
Jan 00 Nov 01
-5

-15

2.5

-1.5

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 Monitoring Frequency, Value and Risk
• My experience approximately 50% of monitoring is
unnecessary.

• Obtained because nobody is reviewing the data.

• Extra value can be obtained without additional cost by better

control of instrumentation

• Better value is associated with reduced risk

• Additional value can be obtained through

Use of Observational Approach (Progressive Modification)
Adoption of updated design codes (e.g. CIRIA C580)
Feeding back information to future contracts

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 Proposal for Increasing Value of Instrumentation
• Use of Observational Method can achieve substantial cost savings
and more importantly time savings (e.g. Powderham, Nicolson)

• Adoption of CIRIA C580 which makes more use of instrumentation

and can reduce cost of Dwalls by approximately 5% (Sze and Chan
2005)

• Scope for reducing factor of safety or load factor by 10%

• Paper to ICDE 2006 proposes adoption of C580 with improved

instrumentation as an interim measure. Better use of
instrumentation, involvement of designer and more widespread
adoption of Observational Approach.

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 Comment on Interpretation of Instrumentation
The 4 Basic Steps
1. Baseline readings and background trends must be
established (daily rainfall, seasonal rainfall, tide,
temperature etc.)

2. Construction records are critical to data interpretation

3. Instrumentation results must be correlated against
baseline trends and construction history

4. Analysis and presentation of data must consider cause

and effect

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 Establish Baseline Trend

“X”
Movement of
Maximum
Viaduct Structure
Allowable “Y”
Water Alert = 10 mm
Drawdown Action = 15 mm
Is 1m Alarm = 20 mm
40 m

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 Establish Baseline Trend – 1
Movement of Bypass Pier Head
50
X-dir
Feb 01
40 mm

JunJuly
00 00 Oct 01
-30

20
Y-dir

18 mm

0
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 Establish Baseline Trend – 1
Movement of Bypass
50
X-dir

40 mm

JunJuly
00 00 July Oct
01 01
-30

20
Y-dir

18 mm

0
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 Establish Baseline Trend – 2
Variation of Groundwater Level

3
Groundwater Level mPD

Jan 00 July 00 Jan 01 July 01

0
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 Construction Records – Tabulated Data
Casing Top
Ground Length of
Level (for
Level Casing
Drilling R.H.)
Drilling
Pile No. Cap Mark Inclination Completion
Start Date
Date
(mPD) (mPD) (m)

MP33A-1 1 : 4 14-Jul-05 14-Jul-05 6.800 7.060 21.66

MP33A-2 1 : 4 26-Jul-05 26-Jul-05 6.800 7.119 21.60
MP33A-3 1 : 4 03-Aug-05 04-Aug-05 6.800 7.030 21.54
MP33A-4 0 : 1 22-Aug-05 23-Aug-05 6.800 7.000 20.13
MP33A-5 1 : 4 05-Sep-05 06-Sep-05 6.800 7.037 20.45
MP33A-6 1 : 4 18-Jul-05 19-Jul-05 6.800 6.942 20.53
MP33A-7 1 : 4 09-Aug-05 17-Aug-05 6.800 6.892 20.15
MP33A
MP33A-8 1 : 4 27-Jul-05 27-Jul-05 6.800 7.104 20.97
MP33A-9 1 : 4 02-Aug-05 03-Aug-05 6.800 7.151 20.94
MP33A-10 1 : 4 16-Jul-05 16-Jul-05 6.800 6.989 20.94
MP33A-11 0 : 1 05-Sep-05 05-Sep-05 6.800 7.051 19.9
MP33A-12 1 : 4 15-Jul-05 15-Jul-05 6.800 7.028 20.32
MP33A-13 1 : 4 08-Aug-05 09-Aug-05 6.800 7.015 20.21

Asia MP33A-14 1 : 4 29-Aug-05 30-Aug-05 6.800 6.884 19.78 30

 Construction Records - Environmental

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 Construction Records – Progress Summaries

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 Construction Records - Photographs

3 March 2002
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 Correlate Response to Construction Activities
Cause and Effect Plots
Jan 00 -5
Nov 01

Excavation level (mPD)

-15
0

Settlement (mm)

-120
50

Inclinometer (mm)

+2.5

Piezometer (mPD)
-1.5
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 Correlate Response to Construction Activities
and Baseline Trends
Tidal Response
Rainfall Control
+2 Start Dewatering
Groundwater Level mPD

Stop Dewatering
+1

Complete Dwall
-1

Jan 00 July 00 Jan 01 July 01

-2
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 Summary
• The primary purpose of instrumentation is to manage risk

• Risk arises due to uncertainties in ground engineering

• Designer is aware of uncertainties so should be involved in

construction (i.e. continuity) but is often excluded

• Much instrumentation is wasted, not enough engineering input

• Reduced costs and reduced risk (i.e. added value) can be obtained
by better use of instrumentation

• Requires good quality interpretation of data and reporting to manage

the risks

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 End of Presentation

Thank you

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