Pressuremeter test (PMT)

General principles
Types of equipment
Introduction to expansion of cylindrical cavity
Estimation of soil properties form pressuremeter tests
in clays
Estimation of soil properties form pressuremeter tests
in sands
A Hong Kong case
Appendix: Analysis of pressuremeter test

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References

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Mair, R.J., and Wood, D.M. 1987. Pressuremeter testing

methods and interpretation. CIRIA Ground Engineering
Report: In-situ Testing. Butterworths, London.
Briaud, J-L. 1992. The pressuremeter. A.A. Balkema,
Rotterdam.

Introduction to PMT

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Introduction to PMT
The principal attraction of the pressuremeter test is that, in theory, the

boundary conditions are controlled and well defined, as are the stress and
strain conditions in the surrounding soil mass. The basis of the test is the
expansion of a long cylindrical membrane installed in the ground.
Characteristics of the ground can be deduced from measurements of the
pressure and the change in volume or radius of the expanding membrane.
Various pressuremeter devices are currently available. Some are installed in
pre-formed holes, others are self boring, and others are pushed into the
ground from the base of boreholes.
A further attraction of the self-boring type of pressure-meter is that it
potentially offers the closest approach to undisturbed soil testing of any insitu test by its ability to tunnel its way into the ground with minimal soil
disturbance prior to a test being carried out.
The following parameters can be deduced from a test:
Deformation modulus (i.e. compressibility)
Strength
(a) undrained strength for clays or weak rocks, Cu
(b) angle of shearing resistance for sands, '
(c) angle of dilation for sands,

in-situ total horizontal stress, ho

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 1933, Kogler developed the first pre-boring

pressuremeter in Germany, but did not pursue his idea.

1955, Menard developed a pre-boring pressuremeter in
France and started his company.
1957, Fukuoka in Japan developed a K-value tester to
obtain lateral soil moduli.
1963, Menard published the first equations and charts
relating pressuremeter results to foundation settlement
and bearing capacity.
1965, Jezequel in France developed the first self-boring
pressuremeter at LCPC.
1982-1986, joint effort on cone pressuremeter.
1988, ASTM D4719-87 Pressuremeter testing in soils.

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General principles
The membrane is expanded against
the surrounding soil by means of
water, gas or oil under pressure.
Outward radial deformation of the
soil occurs as the membrane
expands. The objectives of the test is
to obtain the relationship between
the applied pressure and deformation
of the soil. Deformation of the soil
can be obtained by monitoring the
volume of fluid injected into the
central part of the pressuremeter.
The radial deformation of the soil is
directly measured by caliper or
feeler arm.
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Three distinct phases are usually

evident in tests in soil. The initial curved
portion (Phase I) is attributed to
expansion of the membrane until it
comes into full contact with the sides of
the borehole (point A), also to
deformation of any softened zone.
Phase 2 is approximately linear until
point B is reached, marking the onset of
plastic behavior of the soil closest to the
pressuremeter. Phase 3 continues with
the zone of soil in a plastic condition
increasing in radius until a limit pressure
pL is approached. The meaning of the
three phases is important in the
interpretation of parameters from
pressuremeter tests.
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Pressuremeter test (PMT)

General principles
Types of equipment
Introduction to expansion of cylindrical cavity
Estimation of soil properties form pressuremeter tests in clays
Estimation of soil properties form pressuremeter tests in sands
An Hong Kong case
Appendix: Analysis of pressuremeter test

CIVL576/Zhang

Types of equipment
Maximum pressures of 2.5-10.0 MPa for use in soils; 10.0-20.0 MPa in

hard soils and weak rocks

The length of the flexible part not less than 6 diameters to simulate
cylindrical cavity expansion
Three major types
Menard-type pressuremeters (MPM devices), for use in a preformed hole. Types 1 and 2 based pressure application and
measuring of responses.
Self-boring pressuremeters (SBP): they are in essence miniature
tunneling machines which are steadily jacked into the ground. The
soil displaced by the instrument enters the cutting head where it is
broken into small pieces by a rotating cutter, then flushed to the
surface.
The push-in pressuremeter (PIP): normally inserted by pushing
either into an undersize pre-cored hole or into the bottom of a
borehole without any pre-coring.

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Type 1 Menard
pressuremeter test
(After Weltman and Head
1983)
Nitrogen

A central measurement cell filled

with water to which pressure is
applied by gas pressure controlled
at the surface. The change in
radius of the borehole during
expansion of the membrane is
obtained by measuring the change
in volume of the water-filled
central cell.

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Type 2 Menard
pressuremeter test (After
Weltman and Head 1983)
The membrane is
expanded under gas or oil
pressure, and the
displacement of the
borehole wall is directly
measured by feeler-arms
or displacement
transducers inside the
membrane.

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Self-boring pressuremeters (SBP)-Camkometer

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The push-in
pressuremeter (PIP) for
offshore industry
-Expansion by oil
-Limited usage

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Comparison of products

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Comparison of products

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Test procedures
ASTM D4719-00
Standard Test Method for
Prebored Pressuremeter
Testing in Soils

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Summary
1. There are two principal categories of pressuremeter test: the MPM test and the SBP test. MPM devices
are installed in pre-formed holes and SBP devices bore their own way into the ground. (A third specialist
category of pressuremeter test, the PIP test, has been developed principally for offshore use.)
2. MPM tests can be performed in most soils and weak rocks, provided suitable installation methods are
available. SBP tests can be performed in most soils and some very weak rocks, provided there are no
hard obstructions of medium gravel size or larger. If such obstructions are present, SBP tests can
sometimes still be undertaken in conjunction with a conventional boring rig. Gravels are unsuitable for
any type of pressuremeter test.
3. There are two major types of pressuremeter, distinguished by their pressure application and
deformation measuring systems: either pressurised liquid expands the membrane and cavity volume
changes are measured (type 1), or pressurised gas expands the membrane and cavity radius changes
are measured by means of displacement transducers (type 2). In some cases, pressurised oil is used to
expand the membrane in type 2 devices designed for use in weak rocks.
4. Calibration of any pressuremeter is a vital part of the test procedure. The system stiffness, affecting
volume change or radius measurements, is particularly import-ant for tests in stiffer soils or weak rocks.
The membrane resistance is more important for tests in soft soils. Calibrations have to be undertaken
regularly throughout all test series. Without proper calibration, pressuremeter tests are usually
meaningless.
5. As with any in-situ test, control of installation procedure critically affects the success of any
pressuremeter test: This is particularly important for pressuremeter tests, for which the installation
procedure has to be carefully selected for each set of ground conditions. The methods of forming the
hole (if an MPM test) and installing the pressuremeter should be chosen to minimise disturbance to the
surrounding ground.
6. At the outset of any programme of pressuremeter tests on a new site, several exploratory tests should
be undertaken. Different methods of hole formation should be explored in the case of MPM tests, and
different cutter settings for SBP tests. The quality of any pressuremeter test can usually be judged by
the corrected pressure-volume (or pressure-radius) curve, which should be plotted on site immediately
following the test.
7. Any pressuremeter test programme requires the highest degree of operator skill and site supervision.
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Pressuremeter test (PMT)

General principles
Types of equipment
Introduction to expansion of cylindrical cavity
Estimation of soil properties form pressuremeter tests in clays
Estimation of soil properties form pressuremeter tests in sands
A Hong Kong case
Appendix: Analysis of pressuremeter test

CIVL576/Zhang

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Pressuremeter cavity
Initial state: p0, h0, V0, 0
During test: p, h, V,
V = 2h
h = constant

V = V - V0
Cavity strain: c = ( 0)/0
= circumferential strain in the wall of
the cavity, typically up to 10%.
Test result plotted: p:V or p:V

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Equilibrium equation
d r r
+
=0
dr
r
Circumferential strain: = y/r
Radial strain: r = dy/dr
Cavity strain: c = yc/0=
(-0)/0

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Elastic solutions
yc c 0
=
r
r
y
= c2 = r ; V = 0
r
y=

c 0
r2

= h 0 = 2G c 20
r
r + + z = 0
r = r h 0 = 2G

r
(Timoshenko and Goodier 1934)

If a pressuremeter is expanded in elastic soil, it

does not matter whether or not drainage is able to

occur. No pore water pressure development.
The expansion of the cavity that appears to be a
compressive process turns out to be entirely a
shearing process. Properties deduced with
reference to this analysis concern the shearing and
not the compression of the surrounding soil.

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Shear moduli from elastic solutions

At the edge of the cavity, r = , r = p
c0
p h 0 = 2G

1 dp

G =
2 0 d c

At the start of the test, = 0, the initial shear modulus Gi is

1 dp
dp
= V0
Gi =
2 d c
dV

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Note: dV= L 20d, V0= L 02, c=d/0

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Solution in elastic-perfectly plastic soil

Yielding occurs at the wall of
the cavity when

p = h 0 + cu
Indefinite deformation when

pL = h 0 + cu [1 + log e (G / cu )]
p = pL + cu log e (V / V )

At ( h 0 + cu ) p pL
The undrained shear strength
can be determined based on
the equation

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Gibson and Anderson (1961)

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Pressuremeter test (PMT)

General principles
Types of equipment
Introduction to expansion of cylindrical cavity
Estimation of soil properties form pressuremeter tests
in clays
Estimation of soil properties form pressuremeter tests in
sands
An Hong Kong case
Appendix: Analysis of pressuremeter test

CIVL576/Zhang

25

Estimation of soil properties form

pressuremeter tests in clays

Shear modulus
In-situ total horizontal stress
Undrained shear strength
Coefficient of horizontal
consolidation

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Shear modulus
Determination of shear moduli from
initial slope of pressuremeter
expansion curve and from slope of
unload-reload cycle

1 dp
dp
G=
or G = V
2 d c
dV

where ec and V are, respectively, the

cavity strain and current volume of
the cavity
The initial slope of the p:c or p:V
curves can be used to estimate an
initial modulus Gi; but it is more
satisfactory to determine Gi from the
slope of an unloading-reloading cycle
after expansion has clearly reached a
plastic phase.

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Initial and secant moduli

Gi = (

1 dp
d
) = 0 ; Gs = = (
)c
d
2 d c

c is approximately half the shear

strain in the wall of the cavity; The
secant modulus of a particular
cavity strain value is approximately
the same as half the slope of the
pressuremeter curve at that c.
G is shear-strain dependent.

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Example
Results of a typical SBP test in a
very stiff clay at a depth of 43.3
m at Zeebrugge, Belgium (Wroth
1982). The unload-reload cycle
has an amplitude of 300 kPa;
the slope is twice the shear
modulus, Gur = 47 MPa.

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Comparison of shear moduli for London clay

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In-situ total horizontal stress

Estimation by lift-off method
Applicable to SBP tests only
When the pressure in the

cavity increases from zero

and exceeds ho, the cavity
is able to expand and lift off
occurs.
Lift-off is detected at the
point of departure of the
p:c data from the initial
linear relationship, which
results from the compliance
of the strain arm system.

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6 m in Gault clay, Dalton and Hawkins 1982)

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In-situ total horizontal stress

Estimation by graphic iteration

relationship between the

reference cavity pressure and
the in-situ total horizontal stress

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Undrained shear
strength from the slope
of the p:logeV/V
curve
For a pressuremeter being
expanded in an impermeable soil
which does not change in volume
during the test, the local slope of
the p:logeV/V curve gives an
indication of the shear stress at the
wall of the cavity:

= dp / d[logeV/V]

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Undrained shear strength

from limit pressure
The limit pressure of a cylindrical
cavity in elastic-perfectly plastic
soil is

pL = h 0 + cu [1 + log e (G / cu )]
when the cavity expands
indefinitely, V/V =1. cu then is

cu = ( pL h 0 ) /[1 + log e (G / cu )]

Or cu = ( p L h 0 ) / N p ; N p = 1 + log e (G / cu )
Np can be correlated with G/cu; pl
can be determined by
extrapolation to volume change =
volume of pressuremeter.
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Comparison of Cu

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Summary for interpretation in clays

1. Most of the experience to date with pressuremeter testing in soils has been
with clays. In a number of well-documented cases, it has been possible to
compare the parameters deduced from pressuremeter tests with those
obtained by other in-situ tests and laboratory tests. The greatest potential for
pressuremeter testing in clays lies in the measurement of in-situ horizontal
stress and modulus.
2. In-situ horizontal stress can be more reliably measured with the SBP device.
3. Modulus is best measured in an unload-reload cycle, which may be
performed in any type of pressuremeter test. It is particularly important to
perform unload-reload cycles in MPM or PIP tests, because the initial
modulus is seriously affected by disturbance on installation.
4. Undrained shear strength obtained from any type of pressuremeter test
tends to be significantly larger than values obtained by other means, and
should therefore be viewed with caution when applied to existing design
methods.
5. Other design parameters, such as coefficient of consolidation and effective
stress parameters, can, in principle, be obtained from certain pressuremeter
tests in clay, but there is to date very little experience of these.
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Pressuremeter test (PMT)

General principles
Types of equipment
Introduction to expansion of cylindrical cavity
Estimation of soil properties form pressuremeter tests in clays
Estimation of soil properties form pressuremeter tests
in sands
A Hong Kong case
Appendix: Analysis of pressuremeter test

CIVL576/Zhang

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Estimation of soil properties from

presuremeter tests in sands
PMTs can be used to estimate values of shear modulus,

in-situ total horizontal stress, and peak angles of friction

and dilation for sand deposits. To date, analysis of PMT
tests in sands is not so well developed as analysis of tests
in clays.
Shear modulus and friction angle are studied in this
section.

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Shear modulus
G=

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1 dp
dp
or G = V
2 d c
dV

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Angle of shearing resistance and dilation

Hughes et al. 1977 (pages 143-147 in Appendix)

Failure initiated at the cavity wall

( p u 0 ) = 'h 0 (1 + sin ' )

ln( p u 0 ) = s ln( c + c / 2) + A

s
sin ' =
1 + ( s 1) sin 'cv
sin = s + ( s 1) sin 'cv

2h0-p

h0

- dilaion angle
cv critical state friction angle
peak friction angle
c intercept, not cohesion
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Angle of shearing resistance and dilation

There are two possible approaches to determine from
MPTs

Estimate the in-situ vertical stress and the maximum likely

value of the ratio of horizontal to vertical effective stresses,

K0. Take as reference state the point at which this estimated
in-situ stress condition is regained.
Choose the reference state so that the plot of log (p-u0):
log c is straight over as large a portion of the test as
possible.
Once an acceptable curve has been achieved in a plot of log
(p-u0): log c, the slope of its latter linear portion, s, can be
measured and values of and the angle of dilation, ,
determined from a chart.
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Approach 1

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Approach 2

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Relations among , , cv and s

Example
s = 0.425
Assume cv = 35
Find = 39
and = 5.5

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Summary
Obtaining representative samples of sands is extremely difficult. Values of
' determined from triaxial or shear box tests on reconstituted disturbed
material are generally conservative for very dense deposits, because it is
very difficult to reproduce the same density in the laboratory. Laboratory
tests are not suitable for estimating either in-situ horizontal stress or insitu elastic modulus. In-situ tests are therefore essential to obtain these
parameters. Elastic modulus can be estimated from seismic tests, and from
empirical relationships from CPT or SPT data, but no in-situ test other than
a SBP test has the potential to provide reasonable estimates of in-situ
horizontal stress. Values of ' can be empirically correlated with CPT or
SPT data, but pressuremeter tests (particularly SBP tests) are a promising
alternative in-situ test for sand deposits, because elastic modulus, in-situ
horizontal stress, and ' can all be estimated. However, at present the
experience is very limited in comparison with pressuremeter testing of
clays and weak rocks.

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An Hong Kong case

by Fugro Geotechnical Services (HK) Ltd
2004

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