American Journal of Applied Sciences 5 (5): 597-604, 2008

ISSN 1546-9239
2008 Science Publications
Corresponding Author: Bujang B.K. Huat, PhD, DIC, Engr., Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of
Engineering, University Putra Malaysia 43400 UPM, Serdang. Selangor. MALAYSIA
597

Pile Instrumentation Using Retrievable Sensors

1
Faisal Hj. Ali,
2
Bujang B.K. Huat and
3
Lee, Sieng Kai
1
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur
2
Department of Civil Engineering, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang
3
Glostrext Technology Sdn. Bhd., No.38-40, Jalan Desa Serdang ,
43300 Serdang Lama, Selangor, Malaysia


Abstract: Strain gauges are normally used to monitor the shortening or compression of pile during
static pile load test. For concrete spun pile, the technique used either by incorporating high
temperature-resistant strain gauges into the heat-cured production process of the spun piles or by
installing an instrumented steel pipe into the hollow core of the spun piles followed by cement grout
infilling. The former is extremely unpopular due to high cost of these gauges and the uncertainty over
their ability to survive the pile production and driving processes. The shortcoming of the other
technique is the infilling of cement grout substantially alters the structural properties of the piles, thus
rendering their load-response behaviour significantly different from that of the actual working piles. To
address the difficulties of the above techniques a new method was recently developed by the authors,
which uses retrieval sensors instead of strain gauges (which have to be sacrificed in every test). The
method also has the ability to monitor loads and displacements at various levels along the pile shaft and
toe of instrumented piles. Results of field tests show high quality, reliable and consistent data, clearly
far exceeding the capability of both conventional and approximate methods of using strain gauges.

Key words: pile, strain gauge, cement grout

INTRODUCTION

The high strength prestressed spun concrete piles,
commonly driven with hydraulic impact hammers or
preferably installed with jacked-in rigs when
considering the stricter regulations with respect to noise
and vibrations in more urban areas, often offer a
competitive choice of foundation system for projects
with medium and high loadings. They are widely used
in foundations for schools, high-rise buildings,
factories, ports, bridges and power plants in this region.
In early years, the main construction control for
driven piles was mostly based on the measurement of
set of each pile coupled with a selected small number of
non-instrumented static load tests to verify the specified
load-settlement requirements.
In recent years, with critical evolution in the
understanding of the load transfer and bearing
behaviour of piles (mainly through analysis of
instrumented full-scale load tests), many engineers can
now appreciate that the pile performance is not simply a
matter of ultimate load value alone
[1,2]
. According to
Fleming
[3]
some of the basic parameters required for
forecasting pile deformation under loads include (a)
Ultimate shaft load and its characteristics of
transformation to the ground; (b) Ultimate base load; (c)
Stiffness of the soil below the pile base; (d) Pile
dimensions; and (e) Stiffness of the pile material.

Conventional instrumentation method: A
conventional instrumentation scheme for spun pile static
load testing is shown in Fig. 1. The method involves
incorporating high temperature-resistant strain gauges
into the heat-cured production process of prestressed
spun concrete piles.
This method is extremely unpopular and difficult to
be routinely applied in project sites due to the following
constraints:

High cost of these temperature-resistant strain
gauges;
Tremendous difficulties involved in coordinating
the installation of the strain gauges into pile
segments;
Am. J. Applied Sci., 5 (5): 597-604, 2008

598

Strain Gauges Lev. A
Strain Gauges Lev. B
Strain Gauges Lev. C
Strain Gauges Lev. D
Strain Gauges Lev. E
Strain Gauges Lev. F
Existing Ground Level
Legends:
denotes high temperature - resistant
Strain Gauges
denotes Pile Joint
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 50 100 150
N (blows/30cm)
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Clay
Sandy
Clay
Sandy
Silt
Spun Pile
Hollow annular space
Pile toe at 30.0 m depth
SI borehole log
(Pile head)

Fig. 1: Diagrammatic illustration of conventional spun
pile instrumentation scheme

Long lead-time is normally required for
instrumentation works, as the instruments have to
be pre-assembled and installed onto the high
strength prestressing bar cage prior to heat-cured
spin-cast production process of the piles; and
Great uncertainty over the ability of the delicate
instruments to withstand the stresses arising from
pile production and driving processes.

Approximate instrumentation method: Due to the
difficulties of using the conventional method, the
engineering community for spun pile industry has been
using an approximate instrumentation method for the
past few decades, by installing either an instrumented
reinforcement cage or an instrumented pipe, into the
hollow core of spun piles followed by cement grout
infilling (Fig. 2).
Figure 3 shows typical sequence of spun pile
installation by jack-in method, commonly used
vibrating wire strain gauges mounted to steel pipe,
lowering of instrumented pipe into the annular space
of the test pile followed by cement grout infilling.
As this approximate method is comparatively more
convenient to be implemented than the conventional

Strain GaugesvLev. A
Strain Gauges Lev. B
Strain Gauges Lev. C
Strain Gauges Lev. D
Strain Gauges Lev. E
Strain Gauges Lev. F
Existing Ground Level
Legends:
denotes Vibrating Wire Strain Gauges
denotes Pile Joint
Spun Pile
Cement Grout
Instrumented Pipe
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 50 100 150
N (blows/30cm)
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Clay
Sandy
Clay
Sandy
Silt
Pile toe at 30.0 m depth
SI borehole log
(Pile head)

Fig. 2: Diagrammatic illustration of approximate spun
pile instrumentation method


Fig. 3: Typical installation process of spun pile
instrumentation in approximate method

method, it was widely practiced in this region for the
past few decades.
Some contract specifications also ask for the
inclusion of conventional sleeved rod extensometers
(depending on the space available) to monitor the pile
shortening reading during the static load tests. Either
using an instrumented reinforcement cage or an
instrumented pipe, with or without the added-in sleeved
rod extensometers, the end product after the cement
grout infilling is more towards a solid pile.
Therefore the obvious shortcomings of this
approximate method include:
Am. J. Applied Sci., 5 (5): 597-604, 2008

599
The infilling of cement grout substantially alters the
structural properties of the piles, thus rendering
them significantly different from the actual working
spun piles, which are usually not grouted internally;
The change in strain in the post-grouted core under
the applied loading may not be the same as the
change in strain in the prestressed concrete wall of
the pile because of the different stiffness of the two
materials of different mix, strength and age;
Structural shortening measurement of the test piles
are not representative of the actual working piles;
Structural integrity of the original pile cannot be
reliably ascertained, particularly performance of
pile joints, during the static load test; and
Significant time loss due to grout infilling and
curing process, beside the environmental unfriendly
nature of this method.

DEVELOPMENT OF A NEW
INSTRUMENTATION METHOD

To address the challenges and difficulties posed by
the conventional and approximate methods, retrieval
sensors hereby named as global strain extensometers for
spun piles had been developed, improved and field
tested, by the authors.
Description of the Global Strain Extensometer: The
technology consists of a deformation monitoring system
that uses advanced pneumatically- or hydraulically-
anchored extensometers coupled with high-precision
spring-loaded transducers, and a novel analytical
technique to monitor loads and displacements down the
shaft and at the toe of foundation piles. This method is
particularly useful for monitoring pile performance and
optimizing pile foundation design.
To appreciate the innovation contained in the
technology, the basic deformation measurement in the
pile by strain gauges and tell-tale extensometers are
reviewed. Normally, strain gauges (typically short
gauge length) are used for strain measurement at a
particular level or spot, while tell-tale extensometers
(typically long sleeved rod length) are used purely for
shortening measurement over an interval (over a length
between two levels). From a strain measurement point
of view, the strain gauge gives strain measurement over
a very short gauge length while the tell-tale
extensometer gives strain measurement over a
very long gauge


0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 50 100 150
N (blows/30cm)
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Anchored Lev. 6
Anchored Lev. 5
Anchored Lev. 4
Anchored Lev. 3
Anchored Lev. 2
Anchored Lev. 1
Anchored Lev. 0
Global Strain Gauge Lev. A
Extensometer Lev. 1
Global Strain Gauge Lev. B
Global Strain Gauge Lev. C
Global Strain Gauge Lev. D
Global Strain Gauge Lev. E
Global Strain Gauge Lev. F
Extensometer Lev. 2
Extensometer Lev. 3
Extensometer Lev. 4
Extensometer Lev. 5
Extensometer Lev. 6
Existing Ground Level
Legends:
denotes Glostrext anchored level
denotes Glostrext Sensor
denotes Pile Joint
Clay
Sandy
Clay
Sandy
Silt
Spun Pile
Hollow annular space
Pile toe at 30.0 m depth
SI borehole log
(Pile head)


Fig. 4: Schematic diagram of typical instrumented spun
pile using global strain extensometer technology

length. Tell-tale extensometer that measure strain over a
very long gauge length may be viewed as a very large
strain gauge or simply called global strain extensometer.
With recent advancement in the manufacturing of high-
precision spring-loaded vibrating-wire sensors, it is now
possible to measure strain deformation over the entire
length of piles in segments with ease during static load
testing.
Figure 4 shows a schematic spun pile
instrumentation diagram using the global strain
extensometer. This system is equivalent to the
conventional method of using 24 no. strain gauges and 6
no. sleeved rod extensometers, which might not be
possible to be installed satisfactorily due to congestion
in the spun piles.
For the analysis of test data for spun piles using the
global strain extensometer, the load distribution can be
computed from the measured changes in global strain
gauge readings and pile properties (cross-section area of
spun pile and concrete modulus). Load transferred
(P
Ave
) at mid-point of each anchored interval can be
calculated as:

P = (E
c
A
c
) (2)

Where:
= Average change in global strain gauge readings;
A
c
= Cross-sectional area of spun pile section;
E
c
= Concrete secant modulus in pile section.
Am. J. Applied Sci., 5 (5): 597-604, 2008

600
With the instrumentation set-up as described in
Figure 4, the global strain extensometers system is able
to measure shortening and strains over an entire section
of the test pile during each loading steps of a typical
static pile load test, thus it integrates the strain over a
larger and more representative sample.
Advantages of Using the Global Strain
Extensometer: Due to the significant difference in the
methodology evolution, from conventional sacrificial
cast-in method to a new retrievable post-install
approach, the global strain extensometer technology has
been proven via a large number of full-scale load tests
to be a reliable and powerful pile load testing and data
interpretation tool.
Some of the obvious benefits of using global strain
extensometer technology are as follow:

The technology enables installation of
instrumentation after pile-driving and thus virtually
eliminates the risk of instrument damage during
pile production and installation;
The post-install nature of the method empowers
engineers to select instrumentation levels along the
as-built depth of foundation piles using pile
driving/installation records and site investigation
data as guides;
The technology reliably measures segmental
shortening/elongation and strain over an entire
section of the test pile during each loading step of a
typical static load test. Unlike the conventional
strain gauges that make just localized strain
measurements, the new technology integrates
individual measurements over a larger and more
representative sample;
Significant cost and time saving, as the additional
cage and cement grout infilling are not required;
The technology is extremely environmental
friendly, as the sensors are retrievable, and no
messing around with cement grouts; and
Mass implementation of spun piles instrumentation
is now made viable with this technology, to capture
representative and reliable data in large quantities
to assist engineers to build up a reliable databank
for better design and safety.

FIELD TESTS RESULTS
AND DISCUSSION

The technology has been recently used to fully
instrument a 500 mm diameter (with 90 mm wall
thickness) jacked in prestressed spun concrete pile for a


500mm Instrumented Spun Pile
Pile top (RL +3.0m)
EGL (RL +2.5 m)
s pun pile
hollow core

Pile toe at 30.0 m depth (RL -27.5m)
Legend:
denotes Glostrext anchored level
denotes Glostrext Sensor
SI Borehole BH 4
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
0 50 100 150 200
N (blows/30cm)
D
e
p
t
h
(
m
)
Clay
SandySilt
29.5 m
27.5 m
7.5 m
15.5 m
12.5 m
26.5 m
21.5 m
18.5 m
Global Strain Gauge Lev. D (RL -19.0m)
Extensometer Lev. 3 (RL -16.0m)
Global Strain Gauge Lev. C (RL -13.0m)
Extensometer Lev. 2 (RL -10.0m)
Global Strain Gauge Lev. B (RL -5.0m)
Global Strain Gauge Lev. A (RL +1.5m)
Extensometer Lev. 1 (RL +0.5m)
Extensometer Lev. 5 (RL -24.0m)
Global Strain Gauge Lev. F (RL -25.0m)
Extensometer Lev. 7 (RL -27.0m)
1.0 m
2.0 m
0.0 m
28.5 m
Extensometer Lev. 6 (RL -26.0m)
29.0 m Global Strain Gauge Lev. G (RL -26.5m)
Sandy
Clay
24.5 m Extensometer Lev. 4 (RL -22.0m)
25.5 m Global Strain Gauge Lev. E (RL -23.0m)

Fig. 5: Test Pile (TP1) instrumentation using global strain
extensometer at Melaka site, Malaysia



Fig. 6: Static axial compression load test set-up for TP1 at
Melaka site, Malaysia

commercial building project in the state of Melaka,
Malaysia. The test pile (TP1) instrumentation details
along with nearby borehole SPT N-values plot are
graphically represented in Fig. 5. The pile was jacked-in
to 30 m penetration length when the jack-in force
reached approximately two times working load or
4000kN. The jack-in frame was also used for
subsequent static load test (Fig. 6).

Am. J. Applied Sci., 5 (5): 597-604, 2008

601

Fig. 7: Instrumentation and monitoring test set-up for
TP1 at Melaka site, Malaysia

Pile head movement was monitored using both
Linear Variation Displacement Transducers (LVDTs)
and by affixing pile tops with vertical scale rules that
could then be sighted by precise level instruments.
Vertical scales were similarly provided on the reference
frame to monitor frame movements during load testing.
The applied loads were measured by calibrated
vibrating-wire load cell. The vibrating-wire load cell,
global strain extensometers and LVDTs were all logged
automatically using a Micro-10x datalogger system
(Fig. 7).
Pile head settlement and pile settlement at various
depths including pile toe (derived by subtracting the
structural shortening at corresponding depth from the
pile head settlement) are presented in Fig. 8.
In the pile test analysis, it is highly recommended
in practical terms to obtain the pile concrete modulus,
E
c
value directly from the material of the pile
[4]
. Global
strain extensometer technology appeared to provide an
excellent answer to this recommendation (Fig. 9),
giving a reliable site-specific calibration of strain-
dependent modulus to be ascertained before converting
strains into axial loads.
A conspicuous benefit which can be derived from
the plots shown in Fig. 8 and 9 is that they enable
engineers and researchers nowadays to have an
opportunity to have an insight understanding on the
relationship between the pile settlement along the pile
depth and the corresponding load transfer
characteristics.
The new instrumentation technique was also used
in the pre-production pile testing program for the US$
800 million 1400 MW Coal Fired Jimah Power Plant
Project in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. The
pile

0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Pile Settlement (mm) at 12.5m depth
P
i
l
e

H
e
a
d

L
o
a
d

(
k
N

)
`
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Pile Head Settlement (mm)
P
i
l
e

H
e
a
d

L
o
a
d

(
k
N

)
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Pile Settlement (mm) at 18.5m depth
P
i
l
e

H
e
a
d

L
o
a
d

(
k
N

)
`
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Pile Settlement (mm) at 24.5m depth
P
i
l
e

H
e
a
d

L
o
a
d

(
k
N

)
`
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Pile Settlement (mm) at 26.5m depth
P
i
l
e

H
e
a
d

L
o
a
d

(
k
N

)
`
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
Pile Toe Settlement (mm)
P
i
l
e

H
e
a
d

L
o
a
d

(
k
N

)
`

Fig. 8: Pile head settlement and pile settlement at
various depths including pile toe for TP1 at
Melaka site, Malaysia

Table 1: Prestressed Spun Concrete Pile Properties
Test Nominal Wall Pile Prestressing
Pile Diameter Thickness Length Bar
No. (mm) (mm) (m) (9mm )
TP3C 600 100 38.9 14 no.
TP5 500 90 38.1 10 no.
TP6 500 90 17.5 10 no.
TP7 500 90 17.5 15 no.
TP9 400 80 41.7 8 no.

instrumentation schemes adopted for the pre-production
spun pile testing programme are graphically represented
in Fig. 10 and 11. The pre-production prestressed spun
concrete piles TP3C was installed with an 11-ton BSP
hydraulic impact hammer while piles TP5, TP6, TP7
and TP9 were installed with a 9-ton Junttan hydraulic
impact hammer. Preboring was carried out over the
upper 12 m for piles TP3C and TP5. The structural
properties of these driven prestressed spun concrete
piles are summarized in Table 1.
Am. J. Applied Sci., 5 (5): 597-604, 2008

602

Appliedpileheadload, Pt,
measuredbyVWLoadCell
spunpile
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000
Loads(kN)
D
e
p
t
h
b
e
l
o
w
p
l
a
t
f
o
r
m
l
e
v
e
l
(
m
)
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
MovementofPilebetweensoil stratum(mm)
M
o
b
i
l
i
s
e
d

U
n
i
t
S
h
a
f
t
F
r
i
c
t
i
o
n
(
k
N
/
m
2

)
LevAtoLevC
LevCtoLevD
LevDtoLevE
LevEtolevF
LevFtoLevG
Level AGlobalStrain
Extensometertoverifyandback-
calculateconcretemodulus, Ec,
usingP
A
=P
t
1.0m
2.0m
0.0m
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200
MeasuredAxial Strain(x10
-6
)atLevA
S
e
c
a
n
t

M
o
d
u
l
u
s
, E
c
(
k
N
/
m
m
2
)

Fig. 9: Level A sensor arrangement for verifying and
back-calculate E
c
values, modulus-strain curve,
load distribution curve and mobilized unit shaft
friction versus average movement of pile
between soil stratum measured using global
strain extensometer for TP1


- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
x x x x x
x x x x x
x x x x x
x x x x
x x x x x
x x x x
x x x x x
x x x x
x x x x x
x x x x
x x x x x
x x x x
N. T.S
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Hydraul i c
Sand Fi ll
Cl ay
S andy
S ilt
Hard
Layer
TP 3C TP 5 TP 9
Plat form Level
Legends:
Soil Profile
Global Strain Gauge
Pi le Joint
Bitumen Slip Coating
GloSt rExt Anchored Level
I
I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
RL +5.5m MLSD

Fig. 10: Schematic diagram of instrumentation details
for static axial compression load tests on spun
piles using global strain extensometer
technology at Jimah site, Malaysia

The test results acquired from global strain
extensometer technology on all tested piles appeared to
be consistent, and the test results for the two tension test
piles TP6 and TP7 are reproduced here to highlight


- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - -
N . T .S
0
5
1 0
1 5
2 0
2 5
D
e
p
t
h

(
m
)
Cl a y
T P 6 T P 7
L e g e n d s :
I
I
G l o S tr E x t A n c h o re d L e ve l
G l o b a l S tr a i n G a u g e
P i l e J o i n t
B i t u m e n S l ip C o a t in g
T o P u l l O u t F r a m e
S o i l P r o f i l e
P la tf o r m L e v e l
H yd r a u l ic
S a n d F i ll
R L + 5 . 5 m M L S D
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I
I I

Fig. 11: Schematic diagram of instrumentation details
for static axial tension load tests on spun piles
using global strain extensometer technology at
Jimah site, Malaysia


0
300
600
900
1200
1500
0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Total Structural Elongation (mm)
P
i
l
e

H
e
a
d

T
e
n
s
i
o
n

L
o
a
d

(
k
N

)TP7
TP6

Fig. 12: Pile head tension load versus total structural
elongation for TP6 and TP7 measured using
global strain extensometer technology at Jimah
site, Malaysia

the capability of this technology. From highly consistent
measurements of the structural elongation of the entire
length of piles TP6 and TP7 using global strain
extensometers (Fig. 12), the pile toe upward
displacement behaviors (Fig. 13) can be reliably
established by subtracting the structural elongation from
the pile head upward displacement (Fig. 14).
Similarly, global strain extensometer technology
also enable pile displacement under load at any depth
along the shaft to be accurately derived, based on its
ability to make segmental or global
shortening/elongation measurement along the whole
pile independent of any external reference and free of
common errors associated with the conventional sleeved
rod extensometers. This enables the movement
Am. J. Applied Sci., 5 (5): 597-604, 2008

603

0
300
600
900
1200
1500
0 5 10 15 20 25
Pile Toe Upward Displacement (mm)
P
i
l
e

H
e
a
d

T
e
n
s
i
o
n

L
o
a
d

(
k
N

)TP7
TP6

Fig. 13: Pile head tension load versus pile toe upward
displacement for TP6 and TP7 at Jimah site,
Malaysia


0
300
600
900
1200
1500
0 5 10 15 20 25
Pile Head Upward Displacement (mm)
P
i
l
e

H
e
a
d

T
e
n
s
i
o
n

L
o
a
d

(
k
N

)
TP7(plain)
TP6(coated)

Fig. 14: Pile head tension load versus pile head upward
displacement for TP6 and TP7 at Jimah site,
Malaysia


0
2
4
6
8
10
12
0 300 600 900 1200 1500 1800 2100
Axial Tensile Strain (x 10
-6
)
P
i
l
e

H
e
a
d

S
t
r
e
s
s

(
N
/
m
m
2

)
TP6
TP7
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
0 300 600 900 1200 1500 1800 2100
Axial Tensile Strain (x 10
-6
)
P
i
l
e

S
e
c
a
n
t

M
o
d
u
l
u
s

(
k
N
/
m
m
2
)
TP6
TP7
0
5
10
15
20
0 200 400 600 800
Loads ( kN)
D
e
p
t
h

b
e
l
o
w

p
l
a
t
f
o
r
m

l
e
v
e
l

(
m
)
TP6
0
5
10
15
20
0 400 800 1200 1600
Loads ( kN)
D
e
p
t
h

b
e
l
o
w

p
l
a
t
f
o
r
m

l
e
v
e
l

(
m
)
TP7

Fig.15: Tensile stress-strain curves, modulus-strain
curves and load distribution curves for TP6 and
TP7

0
15
30
45
60
75
90
0 5 10 15 20 25
Average Upward Movement (mm) of Pile between soil stratum
M
o
b
i
l
i
s
e
d

U
n
i
t

S
h
a
f
t

F
r
i
c
t
i
o
n

(

k
N
/
m
2

)
TP6(coated): 0.0m to 8.5mdepth (Sandfill)
TP7(plain): 0.0mto 8.5mdepth (Sandfill)
TP6(coated): 8.5m to 17.5m (clay)
TP7(plain):8.5mto 17.5mdepth (clay)


Fig. 16: Mobilized unit shaft friction characteristic, TP6
and TP7 test results acquired from
measurement using global strain extensometer
technology at Jimah site, Malaysia

and strains at various levels down the pile shaft to be
accurately determined, thus permitting a significantly
improved means for the acquisition of load transfer
data.
The technology not only enables ease of the assessment
of modulusstrain relationship and load transfer study
(Fig. 15), it also significantly improves the reliability of
the measurement of movement of pile between deeper
soil stratums, as illustrated in the characteristic curves
of mobilized unit shaft friction (Fig. 16).

CONCLUSIONS

Considering the inherent shortcomings of
conventional and approximate instrumentation method
for spun piles, the global strain extensometer
technology appeared to be a more superior and logical
evolution due to its revolutionary difference in the
methodology approach, from conventional sacrificial
cast-in method to a new retrievable post-install nature.
Field tests using this technology on both driven and
jacked-in spun piles showed high quality, reliable and
consistent data, clearly far exceeding the capability of
both conventional and approximate methods.
The advanced features and novel nature of the
global strain extensometer technology also made it an
improved alternative of instrumentation approach to the
following research areas, where it could be too
cumbersome and sometimes economically not viable if
using conventional and approximate methods:
Am. J. Applied Sci., 5 (5): 597-604, 2008

604
Fully instrumented piles for long term load transfer
characteristic study, including both positive and
negative skin friction development with time;
Study of locked-in stresses in piles due to handling
and installation process, particular suitable for
jacked-in piles;
Fully instrumented piles for study of influence due
to installation process of adjacent piles;
Study of pile joints performance under loadings;
Mass implementation of spun piles instrumentation
in fast- track projects.

REFERENCES

1. Chan, S.F. & Lee, C.S.P. 1990. The design of
foundations for Suntec City, Singapore,
Proceedings of Conference on Deep Foundation
Practice, Singapore.
2. Chan, S.F. 2004. Special lecture, design and
construction of Foundations for Suntec City,
Singapore, Proceedings of the Malaysian
Geotechnical Conference, Malaysia, pp 21-43.
3. Fleming, K. 1996. Talking Point: Ken Fleming
assesses the present major issues in the pile testing
industry. Page 3, Ground Engineering October
1996.
4. Fleming, K. 1992. A new method for single pile
settlement prediction and analysis. Geotechnique
42, No.3, 411-425.