QCS 2014

Section 03: Ground Investigation

Part
05: In-Situ Testing, Instrumentation and Monitoring

Page 1

IN-SITU TESTING, INSTRUMENTATION AND MONITORING............................... 2

5.1
5.1.1
5.1.2

GENERAL ............................................................................................................... 2
Scope
2
References
2

5.2
5.2.1
5.2.2

TESTING, INSTRUMENTATION AND MONITORING GENERALLY ...................... 2

Testing
2
Instrumentation and Monitoring
3

5.3
5.3.1
5.3.2
5.3.3
5.3.4
5.3.5
5.3.6

TESTS ..................................................................................................................... 3
Tests in accordance with BS 1377 or BS EN 1997
3
Tests in accordance with BS 5930
4
Geophysical Methods of Investigation
4
Special In-Situ Testing
4
Hand Penetrometer and Hand Vane for Shear Strength
5
Self-boring Pressuremeter
5

5.4
5.4.1
5.4.2
5.4.3

INSTRUMENTATION AND MONITORING .............................................................. 6

Groundwater
6
Installation of Standpipes and Piezometers
6
Installation of Gas Monitoring Standpipes
6

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QCS 2014

Section 03: Ground Investigation

Part
05: In-Situ Testing, Instrumentation and Monitoring

Page 2

IN-SITU TESTING, INSTRUMENTATION AND MONITORING

5.1

GENERAL

5.1.1

Scope

Testing of soils in place, and provision of instrumentation and monitoring of groundwater and
subsurface gases.

Related Sections and Parts are as follows:

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This Section

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Part 1 ............... General

Part 2 ............... Boreholes
Part 3 ............... Pits and Trenches.
References

The following standards and other documents are referred to in this Part:

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ASTM D 420 ...............Site Characterization for Engineering, Design, and Construction

Purposes
ASTM D 2488 .............Description and Identification of Soils (Visual-Manual Procedure)

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BS 1377......................Methods of tests for soils for civil engineering purposes

BS 5930......................Code of practice for site investigations

BS 7022......................Geophysical logging of boreholes for hydrogeological purposes

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BS EN 1997................Ground Investigation and testing

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The Geological Society Engineering Group Working Party Report on Engineering

Geophysics, Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology, 21, pp. 207-271, 1988.
Clarke B.G. and Smith A., A model specification for radial displacement measuring
pressuremeters, Ground Engineering, Volume 25, No. 2, March, 1992.

TESTING, INSTRUMENTATION AND MONITORING GENERALLY

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5.2

Testing

The following information shall be submitted for each test record to be included in the daily
report, preliminary log and factual report:

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5.2.1

(a)

Date of test.

(b)

Project name, exploratory hole number and location.

(c)

Depth and location of test or depths covered by test.

(d)

Information on water levels in exploratory hole during testing.

(e)

Original ground level at test site.

(f)

Soil type and description as identified from the sample.

All results shall be reported in SI units.

QCS 2014

Section 03: Ground Investigation

Part
05: In-Situ Testing, Instrumentation and Monitoring

Page 3

Where load, displacement or other measuring equipment is used which necessitates regular
calibration, then this shall be carried out in accordance with the relevant standard (the
preferred method) or the manufacturer's instructions, by a calibration service approved by the
Central Materials Laboratory. Evidence of calibrations and copies of calibration charts shall
be supplied to the Engineer prior to commencing work and when otherwise requested.

5.2.2

Instrumentation and Monitoring

The top of each standpipe, gas monitoring standpipe and piezometer tube shall be protected
by a cover. The type of protective cover shall be approved by the Engineer.

When instructed by the Engineer, the Contractor shall install a protective fence around the
top of a standpipe or piezometer. The fence shall be constructed of corrosion treated angle
iron, galvanised wire, and corrosion resistant wire mesh fencing suitable for use in the
climate of Qatar or a fence as a agreed upon with the Engineer.

Daily readings of depths to water in groundwater monitoring standpipes and piezometers

shall be made by the Contractor, with an instrument approved by the Engineer.

Where the presence of gas is suspected or when directed by the Engineer, gas
measurements, using an approved in-situ meter, shall be made by the Contractor during
construction of exploratory holes and in gas monitoring standpipes. The depth to water and
barometric pressure shall be measured immediately after each gas measurement.

Unless otherwise designated, piezometers, and standpipes protection shall not be removed
from the site.

Other instrumentation and monitoring shall be carried out as designated.

5.3

TESTS

5.3.1

Tests in accordance with BS 1377 or BS EN 1997

The following in-situ tests shall be carried out and reported in accordance with BS 1377 or
BS EN 1997:

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in-situ density by

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(a)

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(i)

Small pouring cylinder method.

(ii)

Large pouring cylinder method.

(iii)

Water replacement method.

(iv)

Core cutter method.

(v)

Nuclear method.

(b)

Static cone penetration test (CPT), capacity to suit scheduled depths unless otherwise
designated

(c)

Dynamic probing (DPH or DPSH).

(d)

Standard penetration test (SPT).

(e)

Plate loading test.

(f)

Shallow pad maintained load test.

QCS 2014

Section 03: Ground Investigation

Part
05: In-Situ Testing, Instrumentation and Monitoring
California bearing ratio (CBR).

(h)

Vane shear strength.

(i)

Apparent resistivity of soil.

(j)

Redox potential.

(k)

Pressurementer or Self-boring Pressuremeter (PMT)

(l)

Pocket Penetrometer.

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(g)

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Tests in accordance with BS 5930

The following in-situ tests shall be carried out where applicable and reported in accordance
with BS 5930:

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5.3.2

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Constant head permeability test.

Variable head permeability test.
Packer permeability test.

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(a)
(b)
(c)

Geophysical Methods of Investigation

Geophysical testing shall be carried out as designated. The Contractor shall submit to the
Engineer a full description of equipment and procedure for each geophysical method
required.

The equipment and procedure, and information to be submitted for the following geophysical
methods of investigation, shall be as described in BS 5930, BS 7022 and the Geological
Society Engineering Group Working Party Report on Engineering Geophysics:

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electrical resistivity method

(b)

seismic refraction and reflection method

(d)

magnetic method
gravity method

electromagnetic method

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(e)

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(c)

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(a)

(i)

Ground conductivity.

(ii)

Transient electromagnetic.

(iii)

Ground probing radar (optional).

(f)

Borehole geophysical logging.

(g)

Cross-hole seismic method.

(h)

Multi Channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW)

(i)

Refraction Microtremor (ReMi)

5.3.4

Special In-Situ Testing

Special in-situ testing shall be carried out as designated.

The Contractor shall allow for the excavation of boreholes, trenches or trial pits necessary for
the execution of inspection tests.

QCS 2014

Section 03: Ground Investigation

Part
05: In-Situ Testing, Instrumentation and Monitoring

Page 5

Inspection tests shall be decided as directed by the Engineer. These tests shall include but
not limited to those in Table 3.2.
Table 3.2: Quality Assurance Tests for Completed Work

In-situ CBR

Field density

Plate load Test

Layer Thickness

Field density

DCP Test

Layer Thickness

SPT

DCP Test

Pressure meter

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Deep Fill
(boreholes)

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Shallow Fill
(trench or test pit)

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Recommended Test per Layer

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Large Scale Loading

Hand Penetrometer and Hand Vane for Shear Strength

Hand penetrometer and hand vane tests shall be carried out where required to give a
preliminary estimate of undrained shear strength of the soil tested.

Hand (or pocket) penetrometer equipment shall be of an approved proprietary make with
2
stainless steel tip of end area 31 mm with an engraved penetration line 6 mm from the tip.

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5.3.5

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The scale shall be suitably graduated. The procedure for the test shall be in accordance with
the manufacturer's instructions. Both unconfined compressive strength and estimated shear
strength shall be reported for the soil tested.
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Hand vane equipment shall be of an approved proprietary make with stainless steel vanes
having a length of 19 mm or 33 mm and a length-to-diameter ratio of 2:1. The scale shall be
suitably graduated. The procedure for test shall be in accordance with BS 5930 and the
manufacturer's instructions. Peak shear strength and residual shear strength shall be

The reported shear strengths for the hand penetrometer and handvane shall be the average
of 3 tests in close proximity. Tests giving inconsistent results shall be reported and
comments on the relevance of the tests noted.

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recorded.

Self-boring Pressuremeter

The equipment shall be of the Cambridge type (soft ground) self-boring pressuremeter (SBP)
unless otherwise designated. The instruments, calibration, operator, installation, testing
procedure, on-site data processing and analysis, information to be submitted, report data
processing and analysis and information to be submitted in the report shall be as described
by Clarke and Smith (1992) and as designated..

5.3.6

QCS 2014

Section 03: Ground Investigation

Part
05: In-Situ Testing, Instrumentation and Monitoring

Page 6

5.4

INSTRUMENTATION AND MONITORING

5.4.1

Groundwater

When groundwater is encountered in exploratory holes, the depth from ground level of the
point of entry shall be recorded together with depth of any casing. Exploratory hole
operations shall be stopped and the depth from ground level to water level recorded with an
approved instrument at 5 minutes intervals for a period of 20 minutes. If at the end of the

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period of 20 minutes the water level is still rising, this shall be recorded together with the
depth to water below ground level, unless otherwise instructed by the Engineer, and the
exploratory hole shall then be continued. If casing is used and this forms a seal against the
entry of groundwater, the Contractor shall record the depth of casing at which no further entry
or only insignificant infiltration of water occurred.
Water levels shall be recorded as required by the Contract and at the beginning and end of
each shift. On each occasion when groundwater levels are recorded, the depth of the
exploratory hole, the depth of any casing and the time shall also be recorded.

Where artesian conditions are encountered, the Contractor shall immediately inform the
Engineer and agree a method for dealing with the conditions.

5.4.2

Installation of Standpipes and Piezometers

Standpipes for monitoring groundwater levels and changes in groundwater levels shall be
installed in exploratory holes, as instructed by the Engineer. They shall be to the designated
form and detail, and appropriate dimensions and depths shall be recorded at the time of
installation.

Standpipe piezometers for monitoring groundwater levels in exploratory holes shall be

installed as instructed by the Engineer. They shall be to the designated form and detail, and
appropriate dimensions. The installation details of the standpipe piezometers shall be
recorded.

The Contractor shall install piezometers of the hydraulic, electrical or pneumatic type
described in BS 5930 or as designated by the Engineer.

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Installation of Gas Monitoring Standpipes

Standpipes for monitoring gas concentration in exploratory holes shall be installed as

instructed by the Engineer. Warning signs or other safety measures required by the Civil
Defence Department of the Government shall be complied with. Standpipes shall be of the
designated form and detail. All dimensions and depths shall he recorded at the time of
installation.

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5.4.3

END OF PART