General Scope of Geotechnical Engineering Works For Geologists in Singapore *Naing Maw Than, March, 2010 (naingmawthan@gmail.

com) The present script is introduced to the geology graduates who are interesting and want to involve in construction business in Singapore, frankly Soil Investigation is main task for geologist and geotechnical instrumentations is a part of the civil engineering but it has not included in their course primarily, geologists mostly involve in that field by doing as live and learn. For introductory purpose, it is just mentioned lucid composition and general outline. Well, We so-called engineering geologists (supervisor is common term on site) carry out the following listed fields:

A) Site Investigation and In-situ Testing B) Laboratory Testing C) Geotechnical Instrumentation and Monitoring D) Data Processing and Reporting E) Piling / Diaphragm/ Grouting F) Surveying (Land / Building) G) Construction Main Contractor

Lets brief on above items : Site Investigation (SI) works and In-situ Tests A.1) Site Investigation (SI) or Making Bore Log: Making Bore Logs is major task for geologist to be carried out that includes as Rock and soil Sampling : Disturbed Sample (DS), Undistubed Sample (UD), Thin Wall Tube Split Spoon samples, Rock Quality Designation (RQD), Water Level. - Rock & Soil Descriptions : (Strength of material, weathering grade, colour, Consistency/Relative density, Name, grained-size, Formation) - Soil profiling (correlate the bore holes as We do cross-section). - Study the Singapore Geology (i.e. the Kallang Fm, Marine Clay, Older Alluvium, Fort Canning Boulder, Jurong Fm., Bukit Timah Granite). - Standard Penetration Test (SPT) : See more explanation in In-situ test. - Face Log : To define the soil and rock strength (RQD, RMR & Q Systems) in front of excavation chamber of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) and set up maintained pressure against to rock or soil allow the men to work under highly compressed chamber. It is operated in tunnel and deep caven storage project.

A.2) In-situ Testing (Field Testing)

A.2.1) Foundation Testing Plate Bearing Test : for Bearing Capacity (P=F/A, Pressure=Force/area) and Modulus of Elasitcity

(E=stress/strain) of soil for shallow foundation that requires equipments (i.e. I beam, pressure jack, dial gauge, steel disc-plate). - Pile Load Test : for Pile Bearing Capacity for deep foundation, installed Strain Gauges along with steal cage prior to pile casting, tell-tale extensometer, scale ruler and dial gauge, air pressure jack, after casting take strain gauges changes when various loading and unloading times. Later, load transfer can be calculated from strain gauge data from top to pile toe, skin friction and end bearing capacity where sp (positive skf), sn(negative skf) (i.e. Qu=Qb+Qsp-Qsn) and (Qallow=Qu/SF). Ultimate pile load test, to carry out for design assumption and working pile load test for examine the QC of completed working piles.

A.2.2) Formation Evaluation Testing - Permeability Test as rising and falling head, Lugeon Packer test to get water permeability (m/sec) of formation for design assumption. - Impression packer test is to define the interface soil and rock structure around the drilled hole ( seldom to use). The following In-situ tests are carried out to get the field shear strength of Soil : - Standard Penetration Test (SPT) : Highly empirical tests in SI works to obtain N value for indirect measurement of the dynamic shearing resistance of soil (better used for Sand), most applicable parameter for design engineer. - Field Vane Shear Test (FVT) : To get Undrain Shear strength of very soft Clay (Spore Marine Clay) carry out during SI works.

A.2.3) Below mentioned tests need special set-up equipments and machinery. - Pressure Meter Test (PMT) : Measurement of initial stress, preconsolidation pressure and deformation characteristics, three kinds of PMT are Bore Hole PMT, Self-Boring PMT and Cone PMT. - Bore Hole PMT : Commonly use Menard and OYO PMT. - Self_Boring PMT : Commonly use Pressoometer Autoforeur and Comkometer. - Flat Dilatometer Test (FDT) evaluation for in-situ earth pressure co efficient (ko), over consolidation ratio (OCR), Elastic modulus of Sand, Compressibilty of Clay. - Cone Penetration Test (CPT): Instantly display on screen whilst running cone penetration shown qc (cone resistance), shaft friction, pore water pressure, undrained shear strength and soil classification continuously. - Geophysical Testing verified as Resistivity, Electrical, Gravity methods (frequently used Resistivity method after 2005) that needs to cross check with SI bore logs.

B) Laboratory Testing A common soil classification USCS (Unified Soil Classification System) is similar to Sedimentary rocks classification which geologists are using. Understanding the soil mechanics and soil properties are primary thing to step forward in geotechnical environs. Soil properties to be used in design parameters are such as, Water Content, Void Ratio, Porosity, Density,

Specific Gravity, Plastic Limit. Liquid Limit, Plasticity Index, Grain size- analysis (nomenclature), Uni and Tri axial test (cohesion, phi angle), Oedometer Consolidation test, chemical tests. Geotechnical design engineers (mostly civil background) use data from field and lab tests (finite elements) in design calculation. Those data are analyzed by FEM (Finite Elements Modelling) software (i.e. PLAXIS, SAGE CRISP, FLAC and AQBAQUS)) that provide design parameters as bending movement, variable loads on temporary retaining wall when excavation, settlement and prescribed alert and work suspension level. A few persons of geology graduates who pursued geotechnical engineering in post graduate course are involved in geotechnical design field of consultant firm.

C) Geotechnical Instrumentation and Monitoring Geotechnical instrumentation is measuring the load distributions and its consequences in various ways. Geotechnical Instrumentation and Monitoring plays a critical role in the design verification and construction controls. Instrument based monitoring performance must be effective, adequate resource and maintained for safety issue.

C.1) Geotechnical Instrumentation Most instruments have been installed prior to the excavation activity which generally can be defined measurement for Pore water pressure, lateral deformation, vertical deformation, load distribution, the names and purposes of instruments are :

C.1.1) Pore-water Pressure Instruments The pressure of the water in the voids among the soil grains is called pore-water pressure, - Water Standpipe for Water Level rise and fall. - Pneumatic/Vibration Piezometer for pore water pressure fluctuation to predict active lateral earth pressure to retaining wall or coffer dam (excavation zone).

C.1.2) Lateral deformation Instruments : -Inclinometer (not like as our field compass) installed closely to the excavation site for earth lateral movement and slope stability. - Tiltmeter, Tape extensometer, Crack meter for tilting, lateral movement, fractures, damages of neighboring building and structures affected by deep excavation and construction activity. - Electro Level composed of electrolised liquid and sensor measuring the vertical and horizontal movement of building and structure.

C.1.3) Vertical deformation Instruments : - Settlement markers, for ground settlement and heave due to the soil consolidation using survey equipments. - Rod, Tell_Tale & Magnetic extensometer, Settlement Cells, for vertical earth movement at the required depth in subsurface.

C.1.4) Direct Load distribution Instruments : - Strain gauges duly packed with Temperature Sensor commonly installed on the struts in deep excavation which provide micro strain to calculate the effective strut forces (tension or compression) and also used in pile load test. - Load Cell usually installed at the junction of strut, diaphragm wall, ground anchor and rock bolts accompanied with Strain Gauges to make a cross-check for strut force during and after preloading time. Load cell measure direct load distribution that is more expensive and accurate.

C.2) Monitoring Monitoring is substantial work to carry out after Instrumentation which collect the data from above instruments that requires note down the readings manually or store in read out unit, and some instruments need simple computer skill (i.e. Inclinometer, Vibration, Noise). Environmental Monitoring (Vibration & Noise meter) records the side affect of construction works that could be hazard to the neighboring houses and structures. It needs to down load the data from storage device. Real time monitoring as (i.e. Prism, Inclinometer, Vibration Wire strain gauge, Load cell) that installed on highly sensitive site and 24 hours uploaded by the data logger instantly. Alarm system is set up to the peoples who highly responsible the project.

D) Data Processing and Reporting Data reduction, Process and key-in the field data (soil investigation and monitoring) to make factual report, In-situ and foundation test report that requires valid skill of MS Excel, MS Words, MS Outlook, Email, scanning and coup the in-house training of project oriented software. Auto CAD is advantageous one but not in essential. A data processing engineer essentially needs understanding the basic soil mechanic, instruments functions, installation and changes of instruments data trends with construction progress, It is responsible to submit accurate daily report to main contractor and client that need to highlight when the data exceeded prescribed alert level and approaching stop work level. Inaccurate Instrumentation data make miss leading to design verification and construction controls.

E) Piling / Diaphragm Wall / Grouting

E.1) To strengthen and reinforcement for the foundation works and/or to retain the lateral earth pressure during excavation and construction, two main types are bored pile and driven (precast) pile. Bored Pile consists the stages of Boring holes, binding steel casing, casting by trimming pipe, concrete casting, geologist or site engineer supervise the steel grade, quantity, cut of level, pile toe level and confirm soil layer (i.e. 100 blows of the Older Alluvium). Sometimes, they calculate the pile penetration length based on confirmed depth of very dense (100 blow) layer on site. Diaphragm wall is a kind of bored pile to retain the lateral active and passive earth pressure on both sides of coffer dam (excavation zone).

Steel formed H pile and Sheet piles are some types of Driven Piles which inserted by vibro hammer, RC and Micro piles are square shaped, precast concrete block is driven by mechanical hammer particular in congested area. which E.2) Grouting Grout (a mixture of cement, bentonite, water) is injected into the soft ground to get sufficient strength and cohesion used by injection and DSM (deep soil mixing) methods.

F) Surveying (Land/Building) Surveying is common term for us but it needs more practices in handling of equipments (Auto Level, Total Station) and calculations where peoples involved are: Land Surveying to produce topographic map. Building Survey and Pile setting out make leveling works, alignment and setting out (set up a point duly by xyz co-ordinates by Total Station) that needs comprehension of the construction shop drawings Monitoring Survey is used to check the ground and building settlement markers, prism affected by ground movement and soil consolidations

G) Construction Main Contractor Some construction main contractor appointed geotechnical engineer whose background with geology or engineering geology with site investigation, instrumentation and data reduction experiences who is responsible for : - Review on instrumentation data and make daily report that submit to client and consultant checked with construction progress. A clarification report is submitted if necessary and given the reason and action to consultant body as QP (Qualified person) and professional engineer PE (Temporary Earth Retaining Structure). - Soil layer confirmation and calculation for piling works (very dense Older Alluvium for piling works, pile length calculations). - Attend instrumentation meeting, coordinate with service contractors (i.e. site investigation, instrumentation, monitoring, maintenance, jet grouting). Perform in Main contractor design team for design verifications. It should understand on related construction sequence, for example in Cut and Cover tunnel that consists the stages of jet grouting, bore piling, sheet piling, excavation, struting, preloading, structure building, strut removal, back filling and sequences of structure progress (i.e. lean concrete, kicker, base slab, first lift wall, second lift wall, roof slab and back filling). Some consultant firm and main contractor appoint in title of professional geologist or engineering geologist in project of deep Caven and subsurface large storage facilities projects.

How To Proceed ! Lets resume on overview of interactive connection within construction business is shown as : Three main components (Design/Analysis),(Construction Controls),(instrumentation/Monitoring) are mutyally interactibe to each other. Design/Analysis

instrumentation/Monitoring

Construction Controls

(After Wong Kai Sing, Lecture Notes, Nanyang Technological Univ. Singapore, 2004).

As look at in above description, the role of an engineering geologist or geotechnical engineer (instrumentation) is to provide factual data which used in verification of design parameters and construction controls. After collapsed the Nicolls highway in 2003, Singapore Building Construction Authority (BCA) have more concerned and emphasized the critical role of instrumentation data. A substantial thing is language proficiency that is not only geotechnical field in Singapore but also other geological fields, other noticeable things are PR (public relations) and patience. Additional suggestion is to study the Soil Mechanic and finite elements with solving mathematic problems that enhance you to further steps in design field of geotechnical engineering. After you have passed through on this brief descriptions, firstly you become familiar with terms and general knowledge on scope of works. Honestly, this script is just sharing of own experience and compilation works to someone who needs more than I do. Say again, this script is just an introductory purpose and you could have some materials in soft copy via my email. See Your Career Go Far Beyond : Most practices all above are not composed in the school taught syllabus completely, but now more than 300 Myanmar geology-graduates involved and survived in Singapore since early 1990. Sir. Richard Sykes, Rector of Imperial College (UK) remarkably said One of the greatest advantages of university education is to take the whole education onto account - not just the subjects you are studying, but the environment in which you live in and the student activities that go on. Emeritus Professor Dr. U Thein (2005)** also likely stated that We have been teaching and giving the practices to our students to accomplish a job in proper way, not just geology subject. Theodo Levitt (1983) first coined the term Globalization, it means that we are part of global culture in which we ourselves perform in globalization wherever we are. Hence, I would like to encourage to stretch out your step but a gentle remind is to jubilant stay in own coordinate within or without of our home land. My sincere thank is dedicated to devoted geoscientists of Myanmar geology, adorable teachers from University of Mandalay and Petroleum Geoscience Department, Universiti of Brunei who gave way to understand our living earth and adapt on it. " You have to keep on thinking after reading".

References and Further Readings: 1. Bradly, N.C & Weill , R.R , The Nature And Properties of Soil (1996, , Prentice Hall Inc.). 2. Durhum Geo Slope Indicator Co., USA, Geotechnical Instrumentation Application Guide (1994) 3. Durhum Geo Slope Indicator Co., USA,Guide to Geotechnical Instrumentation (1994) 4. Holtz, R.D & Kovacs, W.D, An Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering (1981) 5. Nanyang Technological Univ. Singapore, Lecture Notes (2004 on Geotechnical Engineering Courses) 6. P.J. Sabatini & et. al, Evaluation of Soil and Rock Properties (Geotechnical Engineering Circular No.5) Dept. of Transportation, U.S. (2002) 7. Theodo Levitt ,The Globalization of Markets, Harvard Business Review, (1983, May-june) ** Speech on 5th Annual Sayapuzawpwe (2005) Department of Geology, University of Mandalay.

*Author is a former Assistant Lecturer of Geology, University of Yangon and worked in both of Univ. of Mandalay and Yangon during (1986-1996), and a post graduate from University of Mandalay and Petroleum Geoscience Dept. Universiti of Brunei. He is presently working in CST- II project, Marina South KOH Bros Building and Civil Engineering Contractor Pte. Ltd. in Singapore.