S & R Geotechniques Pvt. Ltd.

Conducting Pressuremeter Tests for Design & Construction of Underground

structures (Tunnels and Stations) of length 3.655 km (approx.) from south
ramp (including) to Vellara junction station (excluding) (Ch. 7521.162 m to
11176.615m) including allied works and 3 Nos of UG Metro Stations viz; Dairy
Circle, MICO Industries and Langford Town in Reach-6 line of Bangalore
Metro Rail Project –RT01, Phase -2.
Document Title: Work Procedure for Pressuremeter test

Document No.: SRGeo/BVIPL/02

Name of Agency: M/s. S & R Geotechniques Pvt. Ltd.

Client: M/s Bureau Veritas (India) Pvt. Ltd.

Principal Client: M/s Afcons Infrastructure Limited

Revision No.
Revision No.:
R0
Date of Issue: 04/01/2020
(MM/YYYY)
Total No. of Pages: 09
(i/c cover page)

Action Name Designation Date Signature

Prepared By Pooja More Geologist 04/01/2020

Geotechnical
Reviewed By Kumar Salunkhe
Engineer
04/01/2020

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WORK PROCEDURE FOR DILATOMETER/PRESSUREMETER TEST

WORK PROCEDURE

FOR

PRESSUREMETER TEST

DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION OF UNDERGROUND STRUCTURES

(TUNNELS AND STATIONS) OF LENGTH 3.655 KM (APPROX.)

FROM SOUTH RAMP (INCLUDING) TO VELLARA JUNCTION

STATION (EXCLUDING) (CH. 7521.162 M TO 11176.615M)

INCLUDING ALLIED WORKS AND 3 NOS OF UG METRO STATIONS

VIZ; DAIRY CIRCLE, MICO INDUSTRIES AND LANGFORD TOWN IN

REACH-6 LINE OF BANGALORE METRO RAIL PROJECT –RT01,

PHASE -2.

DOCUMENT NO.: SRGeo/BVIPL/01

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WORK PROCEDURE FOR DILATOMETER/PRESSUREMETER TEST

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………………………………….…4
2. Scope ………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………...4
3. Purpose …………………………………………………………….……………………………………………..4
4. References ………………………………………………….…………………………………………………….4
4.1 Indian standard code …………………….…………………………………………………………4
4.2 Drawings …………………………………………….……………………………………………………4
5. Equipment required ………………………………….………………………………………………………4
6. Test Procedure………………………………………………..……………………………………………….....6
7. Interpretation of results ……………………………………………………………………………….……7
8. Acceptance criteria ………………………………………………………………………………………..….8

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WORK PROCEDURE FOR DILATOMETER/PRESSUREMETER TEST

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this document is to describe the work procedure to be adopted for conducting the
pressuremeter test in soil for geological and geotechnical sub-surface work. Pressuremeter test will be
carried out to determine the Stress strain response of in-situ soil. Pressuremeter modulus and limit
pressure will be obtained for use in geotechnical analysis and foundation design.

2.0 SCOPE
 Drilling of boreholes.
 Mobilization of pressuremeter test equipment.
 Conducting pressuremeter test at different depths below the founding level.
 Preparation of test report.

3.0 PURPOSE
The aim of the Menard Pressure meter tests is to determine
 In-situ Stress Strain response of soil
 Menard pressure pressuremeter Modulus
 Creep Pressure (The Menard limit Pressure)
The in-situ Stress Strain response of soil using an inflatable cylindrical probe to exert pressure on the
wall of a drill hole. The resulting deformation will be determined from measurements of the
volumetric expansion of the probe. Deformability characteristics of the Soil at the pressuremeter
location will be calculated from the relation between pressure and Change in volume.
4.0 REFERENCE DOCUMENTS
4.1 Indian Standard Code
 IS 12955 (Part I):1990 In situ determination of rock mass deformability using a flexible
dilatometer (with Volume Change)
4.2 Drawing/Technical Specification
 _____________________________
5.0 EQUIPMENT DETAILS
5.1 Equipment Specification
APAGEO Menard Pressuremeter of capacity 80 Bar (figure 1) conforms to the ASTM Standard D-
4719-00 and AFNOR Standard NF P 94-110. Probe (Bx) having the following dimensions;
Diameter = 60 mm

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WORK PROCEDURE FOR DILATOMETER/PRESSUREMETER TEST

Length = 600 mm
The basic three components of Pressuremeter namely are as follows;

5.1.1 Probe
The probe consists of rubber membranes stretched over a core and contain three
independent cells, two guard cells at both end and a central measuring cell. The central
measuring cell contains liquid under gas pressure whereas guard cells are pressurized under
gas pressure only. The guard cells serve merely to avoid end convergence over the measured
portion.

5.1.2 Control Panel

The case houses all the regulators and valves required to reduce and control the pressure
applied to the probe cells. It also contains a reservoir which supplies the flow of water to the
measuring cell. The volume variations during a test are read on a sight tube.

5.1.3 Tubing
A coaxial outlet with quick release nipples for connecting to the water and gas outlets meant
for measuring cell and guard cells respectively is connected to the one end of coaxial tubing.

Fig. 1 Pressuremeter Test equipment

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WORK PROCEDURE FOR DILATOMETER/PRESSUREMETER TEST

6.0 TEST PROCEDURE

The following procedure constitutes one test at a given depth.
6.1 For conducting Pressuremeter tests each bore hole of Nx/Bx size was made up to the required
depth by rotary drilling machine.
6.2 Borehole shall be drilled in soil by using Nx Size Casing above 300 mm test section. After drilling
to desired depth, the drilling will continue by using Bx size 600 mm barre for a run of 600 mm.
6.3 Before starting use of new Bx size probe air calibration was done.
6.4 The probe was attached to the drill rod and lowered into the bore hole and held at test depth.
6.5 All valves were opened enabling the system to attain equilibrium under atmospheric pressure.
6.6 Water table of the measuring cell reservoir was noted.
6.7 The instrument was set ready for test by closing or opening the relevant valves.
6.8 Then from a compressed gas cylinder a little amount of pressure (say 5 to 10 kg/cm2) was
applied to the system. This pressure caused the probe to expand and consequently the water
level to fall. The pressure was maintained constant for that step and the measuring cell volume
change readings were noted at 30 and 60 seconds.
6.9 After the step (7.8), the next increment of pressure (say 10 to 20 kg/cm2) applied and
observations continued as before.
6.10 The test should be carried out with ten equal loading increments (5 to 14 increments will be
tolerated) up to the point of failure.
6.11 Then the pressure was released. Probe was allowed to contract to its original size and
withdrawn to the ground level.

Fig. 2 Steps involved in Testing

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WORK PROCEDURE FOR DILATOMETER/PRESSUREMETER TEST

7.0 INTERPRETATION OF RESULTS

7.1 CORRECTIONS
From the field test data recorded as per step 6.0, the following three corrections are applied to plot the
Pressuremeter curve i.e., applied pressure versus volume curve
(Baguelin et al 1978)
7.1.1 HYDROSTATIC CORRECTION
The hydrostatic pressure due to the difference in elevation between the pressures gauge in the
control and the mid-height of the measuring cell must be taken into consideration in the
Pressuremeter plot. The real pressure in the probe is calculated from the following equation:
Pr  Pm   w  h 0

Pm = gauge pressure
w= unit weight of water
h0 = difference in elevation between the pressure gauge in the control and the mid-height
of the measuring cell.
During the tests, head of water between the control unit and the probe is maintained constant
throughout the test with the gauge height of 1.0 m.
7.1.2 VOLUME CORRECTION
Due to the expansion of the tubing which connects the control unit to the probe, compression of
the rubber membrane and compression of water, volume loss occurs and the volume correction
is applied. It is measured by inserting the probe vertically into a close fitting, thick walled steel
tube and inflated to seat against the sides of the tube. Then the pressure is applied in
increments and the corresponding volume change is noted. From the pressure versus volume
curve the volume correction for each increment of pressure is calculated.
7.1.3 PRESSURE CORRECTION
As the probe inflates, a certain amount of pressure is necessary to overcome the resistance of
the rubber membrane. Thus the pressure applied is less than the pressure in the probe. The
probe is inflated in increments of pressure until it is extended to its maximum working volume
and the pressure correction curve is plotted between the pressures versus volume.

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WORK PROCEDURE FOR DILATOMETER/PRESSUREMETER TEST

7.1.4 ANALYSIS OF TEST RESULTS:

For various Pressuremeter tests conducted at different depths at the specified locations
the plots of applied pressure and volumetric deformation are plotted. From these plots
the values of pressure at rest (Po), limit pressure (Pl) & Creep pressure (Pf) were read.
These values were corrected for Probe Air Calibration Pressure at corresponding volume
& Head due to water column.
Calculation of Modulus of Deformation:
The modulus of deformation ‘E’ of the rock is calculated from the following relationship:
E  2(1   ) V ( P / V )

V  Vc  Vm

V0  Vf
Vm 
2
Therefore,
E  1     2  Vc  ((V0  Vf ) 2)   Pf  P0  / Vf  V0 
Where
 = Poison’s ratio (0.26 for rock as determined by CWPRS tests)

P = Change in Pressure (
Pf  P0 )

P0 = At rest pressure in Kg/cm2

Pf = Creep pressure in Kg/cm2
E = Modulus of deformation in Kg/cm2

V = Change in Volume
Vf  V0 
V0
= Volume corresponding to pressure Po in c.c.
Vf = Volume corresponding to pressure Pf in c.c
Vc
= Cavity Volume (790 cc for Nx probe)

By substituting all the relevant values in the above relationship from the plot between
applied pressure against volumetric deformation, the values of limit pressure & modulus
of deformation can be arrived.

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WORK PROCEDURE FOR DILATOMETER/PRESSUREMETER TEST

8.0 ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

Submission of observations along with the report with deviations if any.

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