1

Danish Geotechnical Society Meeting

G t h i lM
Geotechnical Monitoring
it i andd th
the Ob
Observational
ti lM
Method
th d
Copenhagen, 13-9-212

The Observational Method in Ground Engineering

g g
- Recent UK Experience

By
y
Duncan Nicholson,
Di t A
Director, Arup
 2
Introduction

 Background – Peck 1969

 Ciria Report 185 (1999) - Observational Method
 OM Principles
– Uncertaintyy
– Design - Predefined and OM
– Design
g Codes
– Rapid deterioration
– Trigger
gg Criteria
 Technical and Commercial Risk Management
 Case Histories
 3
History
y - Key
y dates
 40 to 60’s - Terzaghi and Peck
 1969 - Peck’s Rankine Lecture
 Early 90
90’s
s - Channel Tunnel, Limehouse Link

 1994 - Geotechnique
G t h i Symposium
S i in
i Print
Pi t
 1995 - EC7 OM Clause
 1996 - ICE and HSE NATM publications
 1999 - CIRIA OM Report No 185
 2001 - Managing Geotechnical Risk
 2003 - Ciria C580 – Embedded Walls.
 4
Peck ((1969)) – Eight
g Ingredients
g
a) Sufficent SI to establish general nature /
properties
ti off deposits.
d it
b) Assess Most Probable and Most Unfavourable
conditions.
diti
c) Establish Design based on Most probable.
d) Select Monitoring parameters and calculate
values.
e) Calculate values for most unfavourable conditions.
f) Select design Modification options.
g) Monitor and evaluate actual conditions.
h) Modify design to suit actual conditions.
 5
Peck’s
ec s OOM applications
app cat o s
 Best way
y out OM applications
pp
– Cleveland Ore Terminal - soft clays – stockpiles of iron ore
– Cape Kennedy Causeway – Hydraulic fill

 Ab Initio OM applications
– Harris Bank – Chicago strut monitoring
– Bay Transit Tunnels – Volume loss

 Pitfalls
– Geology could be worse.
worse – buried chanels
– Monitoring – Exclude progressive failure and brittleness.
– Reporting
p g and interpreting
p g – Timely
y and robust
– Design must vary during construction – Contract issues
 6

Ciria Report 185 (1999)

 7
CIRIA Report 185, (1999)
The Observational Method in ground
engineering:
principles and applications
D P Nicholson, C-M Tse, and C Penny

 Ch2 Definition and History

 Ch3 Concepts
 Ch4 Technical Considerations
 Ch5 Management Considerations
 Ch6 Contractual Framework
 Ch 7
7-9
9 Applications such as ::-
Tunnelling, Excavations, Embankments,
Environmental Geotechnics
Geotechnics, etc..
etc
 8
CIRIA (1999) - OM Definition

 The Observational Method in ground engineering is a

continuous, managed, integrated, process of design,
construction control, monitoring g and review which enables
previously defined modifications to be incorporated during
or after construction as appropriate. All these aspects have to
b demonstrably
be d t bl robust.
b t The
Th objective
bj ti iis tto achieve
hi greater
t
overall economy without compromising safety.

 The Method can be adopted from the inception of a project or

later if benefits are identified. However, the Method should
not be used where there is insufficient time to implement
fully and safely complete the planned modification or
emergency plans.
 9

The OM
Process

for Ab initio
approach
 10
Concepts (Ch 3)
 Uncertainty
 Design - Predefined and OM
 Design Codes
 Rapid deterioration
 Trigger
Ti C
Criteria
it i
 Implementation of Modifications
 Value Management

 Talk based on Ab Initio application

 Most
M t OM applies
li tto temporary
t works
k
 11
Uncertainty
U ce ta ty in tthe
eGGround
ou d

 Geological
• eg- Complex geology and hydrogeology.

 Parameter and modelling

• eg- Undrained soil verses drained
drained.

 Ground treatment
• eg - Grouting, dewatering.

 (Construction Uncertainty)
• eg – complex temporary work
 12
Geological Uncertainty - Weathered Chalk
Driven piles - length variation
 13
Parameter Uncertainty – Undrained soil
Two props “progressively modified” to one
 14
Ground Treatment
Uncertainty

Ground Water control

Philippines - dry dock

-Additional Well points

for drawdown
 15
Construction Uncertainty - Cofferdam
D d i - dock
Dredging d k silt
ilt and
d fill compaction
ti
 16

C
Concepts
t (Ch 3)
 Uncertainty
 Design - Product and Process
 Design Codes
 Rapid deterioration
 Trigger Criteria
 Implementation of Modifications
 Value Management
 17
The Design
g Product
 The Design Product is:- Drawings, Calcs, Spec etc.

 HSE CDM Regs (1994)

(Construction Design and Management)
• D
Design
i includes:
i l d drawings,
d i design
d i details,
d t il
specifications and BOQ

• Address Buildability
• Identify hazards
• Assess
A risks
i k – Risk
Ri k register
i t

• Design and construction links via:

via:-
• ‘Health and Safety Plan’
• Planning Supervisor

 Stronger design and construction links

 18
Predefined Design Process The OM Process
 Permanent works  Temporary works
 One set of parameters  Two sets of parameters
 One
O design
d i / predictions
di ti  T
Two designs
d i andd predictions
di ti
 Outline of construction  Integrated design and
method construction methods

 Contractors temp design  Methods relate to triggers

/method statement
 Monitoring checks  Comprehensive and robust
predictions not exceeded monitoring system
 Review and modify process
– contingency plan
– improvement plan
 Emergency plan  Emergency Plan
 19
Design Codes - Comparison with
Peck’s (1969) OM and Current Codes

 Peck (1969)  UK Codes

– OM conditions/values – CIRIA 580, BS 8110, BS 8002
– Eurocode – EC7
• Most Probable • Not used
• Not used • Mod conservative or
Characteristic
• Most
M t
Unfavourable • Worst credible
 20
Eurocode EC7 Cl 2.7
(1989 and1995)
 Recognised prediction is difficult in Geotechnics –
OM used
d in
i these
th cases.

– 1) Establish limits of behaviour.

– 2) Acceptable probability actual behaviour within limits.
– 3) Monitoring plan, response times and contingencies.
– 4) Contingencies adopted if real outside acceptable
range.
 No
o of Re
eadings

Mo
ost Unfa
avourab
ble

1 iin 1000
Charracteristic mateerial prroperty
(usedd in structural engine eering)

1 iin 20
moderately conserrvative

Most Pro
M obable

1 iin 2
UK Design Codes - Soil Strength Parameters

Soil Strength Parameter Results

(Eg Undrained strength, SPT etc)
21
 22
Ideal EC7 Predicted versus Measured
Performance


Predicted most
probable value
GREEN Predicted EC7
"Ideal" distribution of Characteristic
dings

measured deflections AMBER Value (SLS)

o. of read

RED
Most
U f
Unfavourable
bl
No

(ULS)
5%

Deflection ( )
 23
Trigger Criteria

Traffic light conditions include:-

include:
• Green = Safe site condition.

• Amber = Decision stage

• Red = Implement planned modifications

• Emergency
(Not normally part of OM. Required under CHSW Reg (1996).
Relates to Ultimate Limit State.)
 24
Trigger Criteria Example : Tunnelling
Emergency
g y plan
p
implementation ULS
( adjacent
buildings &
ment

project
ce settlem

Emergency Trigger structure )

Without modification
ED
RE
vergence or Surfac
value

SLS
( adjacent
Discovery buildings )
Monitored

Red trigger
With planned modification
AMBER

Amber trigger
M
nnel Conv
A

Behaviour
EN
eg Tun
GREE

Decision Implementation

T d rate
Trend t – important
i t t
Time
 25
Multi stage
Construction
 26
OM Limitation - Rapid Deterioration
‘...... the Method should not be used where there is insufficient
time to implement fully and safely complete the planned
modification or emergency plans.....’ (CIRIA, 1999)

D
Deterioration
i i rate depends
d d on:

- Ground conditions (ductile/brittle soil behaviour)

- Groundwater conditions (rainfall/burst water mains)

- Temporary
p y surcharges
g

- Construction sequence and programme

 27
Implementation of the OM
 Co
Construction
st uct o Implementation
p e e tat o

• Peck,
Peck (1969)
• Starts with most probable ( MP )
conditions

• CIRIA Report 185, (1999)

• Starts with characteristic ( Moderately
Conservation) conditions.
• Progressive Modification to Most Probable
 Failure  Ductile behaviour
28

characteristics – Significant displacement to mobilise peak

strength => possible warnings
Mobilised
strength – e.g. Soft clays, Sands, Ash, Previous
failures (residual strength mobilised)

– Cyclic loading – “creep”

– Also seasonal changes (wetting/drying)

OM applicable
Displacement

 Brittle behaviour
P k
Peak – Rapid, run-away failures
Mobilised
strength
– Low displacement to mobilise peak
g => Minimal warning
strength g

– e.g. Stiff clays

Residual
– Also ‘high
high rainfall - slope flooding
flooding’

Displacement OM not applicable?

Technical & Commercial 29
Risk Management

OM Technical Balance
 Technical & Commercial 30
Risk Management

OM Commercial Project Risks

 31
Contractual (Ch 6)
 Types
yp of Contracts.
 Contractual Difficulties using OM.
 Contractual Risks.
Risks
 Strategies.
– Traditional Contracts
• VE Clauses
• Novation
• Partnering
– Design and Build
• Strong Interface Manager.
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52

T
Tunnels
l
(ch 7)
(ch.
 Mainly
y NATM
 Design and Planning LUL JUBILEE LINE EXTENSION CONTRACT 102
ARUP Balfour Beatty

– JLE NATM tunnels Post

Heathrow 50

 Monitoring
 Review process

ARUP Balfour Beatty

 33
Excavations
(Ch 8)
 Cuttings
– Slopes
– Soil Nails
– Contingencies -
dewatering
 Retaining walls
– Cantilever
– Multipropped
– Contingencies:-
Berms and soft propping
p pp g
 34
Other Applications (Ch 9)
Crack 1
Without compensation grouting,
excessive settlement leading to
cracking.
g

 Ground
Treatment Acceptable level
of Settlement

– Grouting
– Dewatering
– Deep compaction Settlement without
compensation
 Embankments
grouting
GROUND TREATMENT
UNCERTAINTY -
– Soft clays Final grouting Settlement Control
using Compensation Grout
 Environmental
E i t l
Initial grouting
– Containment
– Clean up
p NATM
 Structures Tunnel
GEOLOGICAL UNCERTAINTY
– Bridges and Dams PARAMETER UNCERTAINTY
- tunnel face logged
- variable g
ground
con ergence monitoring
convergence
– Tunnelling effects lining pressure scour holes

Compensation Grouting
 35
Conclusions (Ch10)
The CIRIA Report has achieved the following objectives:

• Established a definition of the OM Process.

• Clarified Uncertainty and Risk Management.

• Integrated OM into design codes and site control

procedures.

• Provided technical, managerial and contractual

guidelines for the team.

• Summarised applications/case histories.

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Thank you for your Attention

Attention.