1.

Purpose of monitoring
Every instrument on a project should be selected and placed to assist in answering a
specific question: if there is no question, there should be no instrumentation..
(Dunnicliff, 1999).

Maintain safe operational practices.

Provide advance notice of instability.

Provide additional geotechnical information regarding embankment behaviour.

Settlement profile quantity of settlement, thickness of fill.

Surface settlement

Limit of permissible lateral movement

Ground water profile

Heave of excavation

Pore Water pressure

Vertical settlement at determination depth

1.1 Benefits

Safety and construction control

Observational method

Verification and provide legal protection

Measurement for claim

2. Parameter to be monitored

Vertical deformation / settlement or heave

Horizontal deformation

Pore water pressure and water table

Vertical settlement at determination depth

2.1 Measurements of deformation:

Excess pore water pressures in ground that will dissipate over time and cause
movement.

Drawdown of groundwater that may cause movements over time.

Date of weathering, erosion or clogging to detect deterioration of materials from

physical causes.

Change in forces, stresses or strains to detect unexpected loading.

Construction processes that likely effects on materials properties and hence

future performance.

3. Planning for monitoring

Establish of datum for reference point

Trigger limits

Selection of instruments for its ranges sensitivities or accuracies.

Method of data collection, manual or automatic, real time or periodic?

Indication on the need for remedial actions.

Compare measured performance with predicted, performance to get differences.

Indicate for future performance

4. Planning of remedial action

Devise action for each hazard warning level and ensuring the necessary
manpower, machinery and materials will be available.

Line of communication for emergency respond plan.

Review frequency of monitoring to suit the warning level.

5. Selection of instrumentation locations

Identify zones of influence. (high risk sites, catchments areas and topographical
maps).

Where predicted behaviour is representative of behaviour as a whole.

Instrumentation based on cluster.

Plan for data continuity in case of damage.

Arrange locations at predicted and critical area.

Arrange locations to provide cross-checks or comparative behaviour.

6. Selection of Instrumentation System

Use simple type of instrumentation system that will enable the desired data to be
obtained.

Reliability is the most important when the instrumentation project is located in

remote area.

Consider the ease of data acquisition and processing.

Consider cost (processing, calibration, installation, maintenance, monitoring and

data.

Cost of procuring, calibration, maintenance, installation, monitoring and data

processing.
Accuracy.

Good past performance record.

Environmental and operational condition.

7. Calibration and Installation

Calibration certificate which are traceable to the National Standards.

Installation and Method Statement to follow drawing, specification and

manufacturers recommendation.

Plan installation schedule.

Checklist should be used.

Plan for field function test.

Prepare installation record sheets.

Plan simple numbering system for case of identification.

Plan installation schedule.

Plan protection from damage and vandalism.

Plan calibrations during services life.

- readout units

- embedded components

Plan maintenance.

- Readouts units

- Field terminals

- Embedded components

8. Data collection, processing and presentation

8.1 Data Collections

Recording factors that may influence measured data.

Frequency of monitoring

Visual observation of the behaviour, for correlation with measured data.

Record format, Logbook or Field Data Sheet.

Data screening, comparing the latest reading.

Alert the Engineer when the magnitude of data change exceed predetermined
critical magnitude.

Lookout for damage of instruments.

8.2 Initial Readings

A minimum of two readings will be taken immediately after installation.

Initial values should be based on a minimum of two reading and repeatability

satisfy the expected tolerance.

Daily readings should be taken daily until data are stable.

8.3 Data collection frequency

Should be related to the rate at which the reading are changing.

Relation to construction activity.

8.4 Data Processing and Presentation

Manually, reading to be recorded in the field data sheets. Contain previous

readings for immediate comparisons.

Format for data processing and presentation.

8.5 Report

Reporting requirements, contents

Frequency of data submission

Submission date

9. Installation & Datasheet

Borehole Log

Settlement Marker

Settlement Gauge

Deep Levelling Datum

Standpipe Piezometer

Pneumatic Piezometer

Inclinometer

9.1 Borehole Log Record

9.2.1 Spread Sheet Settlement Marker

9.2.3 Graph Settlement Marker

9.2.4 Installation of Settlement Marker

9.3 Installation Record Settlement Gauge

9.3.1 Spread Sheet Settlement Gauge

9.3.2 Graph Settlement Gauge

9.3.3 Installation of Road Settlement Gauge

9.4 Installation Record Deep Levelling Datum

9.5 Installation Record of Standpipe Piezometer

9.5.1 Spread Sheet Standpipe Piezometer

9.5.2 Graph Standpipe Piezometer

9.5.3 Installation of Standpipe Piezometer

9.6 Installation Record Pneumatic Piezometer

9.6.1 Spread Sheet Pneumatic Piezometer

9.6.2 Graph Pneumatic Piezometer

9.6.3 Installation of Pneumatic Piezometer

9.7 Installation Record Inclinometer

9.7.1 Spread Sheet Record Inclinometer

9.7.2 Graph Inclinometer

9.7.3 Installation of Inclinometer

10. Effective Monitoring Program

Action Levels and responses must be established

Data must be reliable.
Measurements must be taken with sufficient frequency to capture unexpected
performance as earliest as possible.
Measurements must be evaluated in a timely manner.