Geotechnical Instrumentation and Monitoring – A Big Boon!

Geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring plays a very significant role in helping engineers in various projects related to soil and structures like bridges, tunnels, dams, reservoirs, mines and more. It includes measurement of soil permeability, stability of slope and pore water pressure. In bridges for geotechnical instrumentation sensors are used for measuring important parameters like displacement, settlement, temperature, inclination and more. These sensors could be installed for a temporary or a permanent basis depending upon the requirement, be it is health monitoring of the structure or for ensuring healthy and safe working conditions as well as load testing during repair. Geotechnical instrumentation is also used in dam monitoring and for analyzing the elements that are critical to the dams. The type of dams that are benefited from instrumentation are concrete, RCC, earthen as well as concrete. When it comes to embankments, instrumentation helps in monitoring the vertical drain effectiveness as well as for accelerating consolidation in construction of embankments. One of the main use of geotechnical instrumentation is also in excavation and deep foundation sites. This is done not only to ensure the stability of the foundations but also to keep a check that the neighboring structures are not affected or damaged.

Geotechnical instrumentation is also used in Geogrids reinforcements. It is particularly useful in alerting prior any kind of potential failures in the grid. The process includes attaching displacement transducers to the grid with the help of the necessary lamps. The networks of these systems are connected to data acquisition systems which in turn help in identifying subsidence areas. Usage of cover plates involves protection of the transducers from the fill and overlying aggregate. The other instruments used for reinforcement embankment constructions include settlement profiles, pressure cells and horizontal extensometers. Another application of geotechnical instrumentation is in environmental monitoring which requires information on level of the ground water landfill stability also. These environments are highly corrosive hence there are special instruments that are used for the same as these instruments are able to withstand very high temperatures. For mines, geotechnical instrumentation works towards monitoring the stability of below ground openings as well as pit slopes. The safety of steep hanging walls is monitored when the deepening of the pit takes place.

Geotechnical instrumentation is highly useful in the construction field also. It is useful from the initial phase of construction till the completion of the project. In a nutshell, geotechnical instrumentation is a boon for engineering.

Russell Crue provides useful information on geotechnical instrumentation and monitoring.To get more information on geotechnical monitoring visit his Gpuls. Russell Crue Website >>