Geotechnical Instrumentation for Monitoring Field Performance

Book excerpt: The first book on the subject written by a practitioner forpractitioners. Geotechnical Instrumentation for Monitoring FieldPerformance Geotechnical Instrumentation for Monitoring FieldPerformance goes far beyond a mere summary of the technicalliterature and manufacturers’ brochures: it guides readersthrough the entire geotechnical instrumentation process, showingthem when to monitor safety and performance, and how to do it well.This comprehensive guide: * Describes the critical steps of planning monitoring programsusing geotechnical instrumentation, including what benefits can beachieved and how construction specifications should bewritten * Describes and evaluates monitoring methods and recommendsinstruments for monitoring groundwater pressure, deformations,total stress in soil, stress change in rock, temperature, and loadand strain in structural members * Offers detailed practical guidelines on instrument calibrations,installation and maintenance, and on the collection, processing,and interpretation of instrumentation data * Describes the role of geotechnical instrumentation during theconstruction and operation phases of civil engineering projects,including braced excavations, embankments on soft ground,embankment dams, excavated and natural slopes, undergroundexcavations, driving piles, and drilled shafts * Provides guidelines throughout the book on the best practices