Application of Automation in

Geotechnical Testing

D R
Dr.
Rachid
hid H
Hankour
k
VP and Director of Lab Systems

Geocomps Brief
Introduction
Geocomp was founded in 1982
by Dr. Allen Marr a former MIT
researcher, and a student of Dr.
Lambe who co-wrote with Dr.
Whitman the world renowned
book on Soil Mechanics.
We are actively involved with
ASTM committee D-18
D 18 and its
many subcommittees, keeping
us current with changes of
existing standards and
proposed new standards.

Three Divisions
1. Products Division
2. Consulting
3. Services
S i
Di
Division
i i

Field Systems

High Tech Lab

S t
Systems

Central Artery Big

Big Dig
Dig Project

We are located outside Boston, MA the center of the largest

public work in the US (over $ 14 billion).

Central Artery
Artery-Tunnel
Tunnel Project

Project Facts:

13 million cubic yards of soil

Trucks lined end to end would
stretch from Fenway Park to the
Panama Canal
Nearly 4 million cubic yards of
concrete enough to build 4ft wide
sidewalk to Tokyo
Reinforcing steel would form 1
inch
h steell b
bar to wrap the
h earths
h
equator

Complex Excavation Support Systems

Constrained & Congested

g
Sites

One
Financial
Center
South
Station
SB

NB

Services, Utilities and Active Roadways

Slurry wall

New Construction Practices

Slurry Wall Construction

Jet Grouting

Deep Soil Mix and

Ground Freezing

Laboratory
L b t
T
Testing
ti Equipment
E i
t

Courtesy KS-DOT-1968

Modern Fully Automated Triaxial

(UU,CU, CD) and Stress Path

All phases run

automatically
All stress paths
possible
ibl iin a
triaxial cell

Chronology and Technological

Ad
i G
t h i lT
ti
Advances in
Geotechnical
Testing
Decade

Primary Advances

Role of Lab Testing

1920s: Development of fundamental concepts of modern soil mechanics.

Lab tests confirm and help extend theoretical concepts.
1930s: Application of fundamental developments to engineering practice.
Meticulous field observations explained with data from new laboratory tests.
1940s: E
Extrapolation
t
l ti off experience
i
tto more d
daring
i projects
j t
Use of laboratory tests to expand envelope of practice and to help interpret field
measurements.
1950s:Major advances in concepts of shear strength culminating in ASCE Boulder
Conference
Laboratory is center of geotechnical research.
1960s:Larger scale projects (massive dams) undertaken
Field measurements of deformation and pore pressure become a key part of
geotechnical engineering

1970s: Focus
F
on b
behavior
h i and
d measuring
i properties
ti iin situ
it
New lab devices are more complex. Variety of devices developed to measure
physical properties in situ.
1980s: Era of advanced modeling-risk, probability, constitutive relations
Models require more data and more sophisticated data but demand for lab
testing declines.
1990s: Specialized materials and methods like geosynthetics, reinforced soils,
flowable fills
Era of the computer-compute and display
Laboratory measurements help make use of these new materials and methods
possible
Decreased emphasis on site-specific, hard data
2000s: Automation
Remains to be seen.

Understanding Geo-Systems
Response-Behavior
Four major factors ( 4S):
1. Soil: sand and gravel vs. clay
and
d silt
ilt
2. Structure: particle
arrangement and shape
3. State: Memory of soils past
and present stress history
4. Stress System: load
condition from the environment
( quick, rapid, staged, drained
vs. undrained)

Geotechnical is a multi-disciplined
coordination of:
Mechanics: Response of Masses
to Forces
Material Properties:
p
Particle
size, Structure composition,
Index, Compressibility, and
Strength
Fluid Flow:
Seepage
p g of water thru p
porous
media
Environmental Effects:
Climate, rainfall, chemical
Geology, and Geophysics

Courtesy MnMn-DOT

Soil: a challenging material

Three-phased
material:
air
water
Solids
Highly spatial and
geological variability

Failure in Soils

Problem-Design Category:
A
l i M
i lP
Analysis-Material
Property
Embankments

Strength

How high/steep
g /
p?

Cohesive, frictional, timedependent

Foundations
Load capacity &
settlements?

Excavation &
Earth Retaining
Systems
How deep, support,
water?

Deformations
Magnitude
g
Uniform vs. Differential
Instantaneous vs. Time
Dependent

Seepage
Rates
Pressures

Typical Sequence for a

G
h i lD
i P
j
Geotechnical
Design
Project
Soil Mechanics Concepts
(stress-strain behavior,
theoretical analysis of soil
masses)
Geology
gy and Exploration
p
(composition of actual soil
masses)
Testing
Experiences ( precedents what
designs
g have worked well
under what conditions)
Economics and Liability Issues

Why not test

We have lots of experience in the area
already.
We have used conservative estimates of soil
parameters for design.
II have some good values from the literature.
literature
I had three water content measurements that
I used to estimate the design strength.
We do not understand the lab results.
We dont have time to run tests.
The
The client wont
won t pay for testing.
testing

Why test?
Valid data are essential to any engineers
work. Analysis
y and design
g are based on
data.

Knowledge = Data
Experience = Knowledge
Wisdom = Experience

ROLE OF GEOTECHNICAL
TESTING
Establish baseline site conditions
Improve quality of analysis
Develop
l more cost effective
ff i d
design
i
Determine feasible ways to improve existing
conditions
Develop mix formulations
Show compliance with regulations
Provide manufacturing quality control and
qualityy assurance
q
Troubleshoot construction problems

ROLE OF GEOTECHNICAL
TESTING (Cont.)
Determine cause of unacceptable performance
Mi i i risk
Minimize
i k from
f
failure,
f il
surprises,
i
d
damages
and delays
Assist with claims and litigation
Develop new materials
Develop new methods
Improve our understanding of material behavior
Save time and money

Failure of Excavated Slope

p

Failure Mechanism - Global Stability

Contractor claimed $12,000,000
from delays

+60
60
+53
+53

+110

Fill

Clay
Till

ONE TEST IS WORTH ONE

THOUSAND EXPERT OPINIONS

Wh test??
Why
Terzaghi (1936)-----I came to the United States and hoped to discover
the philosophers stone by accumulating and
coordinating geological information....
information
It took me two years of strenuous work to discover
that g
geological
g
information must b
be
supplemented by numerical data which can only
be obtained by physical tests carried out in a
laboratory
laboratory.

Terzaghis First Consolidation

D i
Device

Istanbul, Turkey

Consolidation Testing
g

Terzaghi, 1925
USACE 1985

Triaxial Testing
g

A t
Automated
t d Testing
T ti E
Equipment
i
t
Today, we have an amazing choice of devices
with
i h which
hi h to equip
i our llaboratories.
b
i
The primary change in geotechnical lab in the
l t 30 years h
last
has b
been th
the iintroduction
t d ti and
d
use of electronics to run tests, collect data and
produce reports.
reports
Automated geotechnical equipment run tests
from start to finish, including final report.

Fully Automated Laboratory

Systems:
Helping
p g clients reduce their risk byy offering
g
The most advanced fullyy
automated laboratory
soil testing equipment
in the world
Expert technical
support and assistance
with
ith both
b th systems
t
and
d
testing

Automated Testing
g Equipment
q p
Data Acquisition ( Manual Device + DAQ)
Automated
d Testing
i
Unconfined Compression
CBR
Consolidation
Triaxial
Direct/Residual Shear
Asphalt
p
and Geosynthetics
y
Testing
g
Cyclic

Geocomp Standard Modular Units

ShearTrac-II
Fl T
FlowTrac-II
II
LoadTrac-II

LoadTrac II

Automated System
Machine
with Multiple
Capabilities

Triaxial ( UU,CU,CD)
Consolidation and Swell
Unconfined Compression
California Bearing Ratio
T i i l Cyclic
Triaxial
C li
Constant Rate of Consol.

a
Universal Solution

Stress Path
Resilient Modulus

ShearTrac II

TESTING CAPABILITIES

Direct Shear
Machine
with Multiple
Capabilities

Residual Shear
Consolidation
C
Constant
t t V
Volume
l
Swell

a
Universal Solution

Constant
Co
sta t St
Stress
ess
Swell

Modular Systems
Triaxial ( UU,CU,CD)
Consolidation and Swell
Unconfined Compression
California Bearing Ratio
Triaxial Cyclic
Constant Rate of Consol.
Stress Path
Resilient Modulus
Permeability

DAQ & Control: PCB Features

Common to all Geocomp Systems (

LoadTrac-II, FlowTrac-II, ShearTrac-II,..)

Surface Mount Technology

Logic programmable chips
Embedded controller with three (03)
CPU s
CPUs
Four analog channels with signal
conditioning and power supplies built-in
22 bit Data Acquisition
q
and Control
Front panel LCD and Keypad for true
manual controls
All in 100x100 mm2 PCB
Easily removable and Upgradeable

Control Board: All Software programmable

th
through
h the
th LCD/K
LCD/Keypad
d combination
bi ti

Measurements in Soil Testing

Volume and Pressure

Measurements
Manual panels with air
pressure supply and
pressure regulators
Pressures read off analog or
digital gages
Volumes read of graduated
burettes
Operator subjectivity, not
very accurate and time
consuming

Volume and Pressure

Measurements

Modern Volume Pressure Systems:

Micro-Stepper
i
S
d
driven
i
Flow
l
pump

Inside the FlowTrac-II

FlowTrac II
Micro-stepper Motor
PS and Drive
Pressure Sensor
Solenoid valves
Piston/Cylinder
Limit
i i switches
i h
Control Board

FlowTrac-II
FlowTrac
II Diagram

V = 5.363e-4 cc/step x Steps

FlowTrac-II Principle:
FlowTrac-II
Fl
T
II fl
flow pump utilizes
tili
:
A high speed, precision micro stepper motor to regulate
pressure and volume to the cell or specimen
A built-in microprocessor to control the micro stepper
motor, which drives a piston in and out of a sealed
cylinder.
A pressure transducer on the end of the cylinder provides
the feedback for control of pressure. The number of
steps of the motor is used to compute volume change.
change
Two two-way electronic valves are used to control the
direction of flow to the cell or sample (output valve), and
th manuall fill/d
the
fill/drain
i operation
ti ((supply
l valve).
l )

FlowTrac-II Capabilities
p b
Apply and maintain the desired
pressure within 0.35
0 35 kPa (0.05
(0 05 psi)
while monitoring volume changes
within 0.001
0 001 ml
Flow rates can b
Fl
be set to any value
l
between 0.000006 ml/sec. and 3.0
ml/sec.
ml/sec

Displacement Measurements

Diall G
Di
Gages
Strain Gages
LVDT
Position sensors

Latest Position Sensors

Position sensors employ
conductive-plastic
d i
l i
resistance and collector
tracks that provide direct
means of measuring
position,, without the need of
p
a solid mechanical coupling.

Position Sensors: Special

F t
Features
Long life 100 x 106 movements
Outstanding linearity up to 0.075%
0 075%
Repeatability= 0.002 mm
Double bearing
g system
y
on shaft
Insensitive to shock and vibration
Spring loaded
Price comparable or even less than
LVDTs for 10 times superior
performance

Pressure Measurements:
Mercury pots
Bourdon Gages

Pressure Sensors: Special

Features
Reliable semiconductor technology
Calibrated and temperature compensated
Small size, rugged, stainless steel
package
Zero drift with vent
FS ranges up to to 25000 kPa.
Pressure non-linearity: 0.1 %FSS
Pressure hysteresis: 0.015 %FSS
Repeatability: 0.010 %FSS
Temp effect on span: 0.5
Temp.
0 5 %FSS

Pressure Sensors: Vent

Load Sensor:
F
Features/Specifications
/S ifi i
Universal:Tension
Compression
Environmentally sealed
NTEP/OIML approved

Control and Communications

22 bit analog to digital conversion external to the system
controller, which operate over an ARC-Net network.
The ARC-Net network permits much higher speed
transmission of data and commands over a longer distance
than does a serial network such as RS232.
It also permits the system to be expanded to several load
frames and flow pumps operated from the same computer.
With our system several triaxial tests,
tests consolidation tests,
tests
etc. can be run from one computer with the Windows XP
or 2000 operating system. System can log data up to 2000
readings per second.
second

Daisychained up to 256 units with unique ID

numbers
b

ONE (01) PC controls several

stations

FlowTrac II
Pressure-Volume Controller

FlowTrac II
Pressure-Volume Controller

Esc

Ent.

Menu

Alt

Esc

Ent.

Menu

Motor Power
CPU Power

Alt

Limit Empty
Flow Out

Motor Power

Limit Empty

CPU Power

Net Tx

Flow In

Net Rx

Limit Full

Net Tx

Flow In

Output Valve

Net Rx

Limit Full

Geocomp

Flow Out

Supply Valve

Terminator

Output Valve
Supply Valve

Geocomp
Corporation

www.geocomp.com

Geocomp
Corporation

To PC

www.geocomp.com

Additi l units
Additional
it

Network line
Terminator

Act al SetActual
Set-Up

Remote access and control through

Virtual Network Computing (VNC)
VNC can substantially
improve:
Time management
Efficiency
Cost-effectiveness

Fully Automated Triaxial:

E
Example
l off Automation
A
i Benefits
B fi
The program takes into
account the following
g when it
applies the vertical stress:
Axial load (+)
Uplift force due to the
confining (cell) pressure ((-)
Weight of the piston (+)
Piston friction ((--)

Full Automation throughout all phases

of a test until final report
S t
Saturation
ti
Ph
Phase

Consolidation Phase

Shear Phase

Capabilities of Automated
Systems
Sys
e s from
o the
e Basic
as c to
o the
e Most
os
Advanced Geotechnical Test
UC
CBR
Incremental
Consolidation
Consol. with Ko
Constant Rate of
Strain
Rowe cell
consolidation

CU
C
CD
CKoU(L)
CKoU(U)
CKoD(L)
CKo D(U)
Triaxial stress path
Cyclic Triaxial
Resilient Modulus

Typical Outputs: CU & CD

Ti i lT
Triaxial
Tests
t

Typical Stress Paths

Stress Paths from Ko = 1 Condition
Unloading

Loading

60

v increasing

Compression

h decreasing

40

q,, kPa

20

-20

v decreasing

h increasing

-40
Extension

-60
0

20

40

60

p, kPa

80

100

120

Stress Path applications in the real

world
ld

Stress Paths
Ko Consolidated
Extension Test (CKoE)
Stress Paths from Ko = 0.67
0 67 Condition
Unloading Loading

60
Compression

40

5
20

q
q,
kP
a

7
-20

-40

Extension

-60
0

20

40

60

p, kPa

80

100

120

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

dewatering, consolidation
Ko loading
foundation loading
pure shear
active wall
pore pressure buildup
excavation unloading
pure shear
jack reaction

Consolidation with LoadTrac-II

Incremental
Swell: free and constant
volume
Fixed Ring
Floating Ring
With Excess Pore Water
Measurements

Consolidation with MiniLoadTrac III

LoadTrac-III

Incremental
Swell: free and constant
volume
Fi d Ri
Fixed
Ring
Floating Ring
With Excess Pore Water
Measurements

Constant Rate of Consolidation

Hydraulic Rowe Cell

Consolidation
Specimen diameters up
to 250 mm
Consolidation with
vertical, horizontal and
combined drainage

Cyclic
y
Triaxial

All phases run

automatically
t
ti ll
Isotropic and
anisotropic
consolidation

Resilient Modulus

All phases run

automatically
according to the
latest AASHTO
specifications

Application of Resilient Modulus

in Pavement Design

Fully Automated
Direct/Residual Shear

All p
phases run
automatically
Capable of running
repeated shear for
residual strength and
creep tests

Fully Automated Direct

Si l Sh
Simple
Shear (DSS)

Universal Shear System

Based on the DSS type
developed by NGI
All phases run automatically
Capable of running both drained
and undrained ( constant
volume) shear tests

Fully
u y Automated
uto ated Permeability
e eab ty
All phases run
automatically
Capable
p
of running
g both
constant gradient and
constant flow rate
fle ible wall
flexible
all
permeability tests

Geolog6:
g Data Acquisition
q

Designed as
low cost way
y to
add data
acquisition to
existing
equipment

Customized Systems

Large consolidometer up to
280 mm (11in.) diameter
Elastic Modulus and Poisson
Ratio Testing of Soft Rock
Resilient Modulus of Asphalt
p
Cores
Fatigue Life Testing
Consolidation with Lateral
Pressure Measurements
Rowe-Barden Consolidation

Calibration Chamber
Diameter = 50 cm ((20 in.))
H:D ratio = 1:1 and 2:1

Labor saved with Automated

C
Consolidation
lid ti Testing
T ti
Soil Type

Test Time, days

Labor, hours

Conventional

Automated

Conventional

Automate
d

Silty sand

16-18

0.5-1

4-12

Silty Clay

16-18

1-2

8-16

Plastic Clay

16-18

2-3

12-32

Includes 12 load steps with one log cycle of secondary compression. Times include preparing specimen,
running test and reporting results. Times for conventional tests assume standard practice of applying each
increment for 24 hrs.

Labor saved with Automated

Triaxial Testing
Soil Type

Test Time, days

Labor, hours

Conventional

Automated

Conventional

Automate
d

Silty sand

0.5

6-8

Silty Clay

10-16

Plastic Clay

12-24

Times include preparing specimen, running test and reporting results.

First Automated Triaxial System~1988

700+ Visitors

Innovation and Success Through Partnership

Iowa State University: HighHigh-Tech Mobile

Geotechnical Lab

Iowa State University High-Tech Mobile

Geotechnical Lab

Iowa State University High-Tech Mobile

Geotechnical Lab

Iowa State University High-Tech Mobile

Geotechnical Lab

A special application of the LoadTrac-II unit for

Volcanological Studies

University of British Columbia, Canada

A special application of the ShearTrac-II unit for

Oceanographic Studies

Scripps Institution of Oceanography: UCSD

Research on hydraulic properties of swelling

clay sand mix at the university of Idaho
clay-sand

Advantages of Automated
Lab Equipment
Eq ipment
Maintain and Manage Information Flow
Finish Tests Faster
Provide Consistency
y in Test Procedures and
Results
Give More Data on All Phases of Test
Permit More Detailed Analysis of Test
M k M
Make
More S
Specialized
i li d T
Tests Possible
P ibl

Advantages of Automated
L b Equipment
Lab
E i
Utilize Facilities Better
I
Improve
Q
Quality
lit
Present Data to Meet Specific Client Needs
Electronically Submit Results
Make Lab Work More Interesting for the
Technician
Improve Image of Lab to Clients
Save Money:Only
y
y ONE PC Run Several Testing
g
Stations

Problems with Automated

Systems
High up
up-front
front costs of equipment and startup
Longer time to train new users
Hi h knowledge
Higher
k
l d level
l l off technicians
t h i i
Problems if staff turn over
Too much reliance by technician on the
computer

Problems in Lab Testingg

Shortage of people with interest in the lab and hands-on
knowledge of soil behavior
Decreased appreciation of importance of soil behavior
by practitioners
L level
Low
l l off interest
i t
t in
i quality
lit tests
t t
CKoU triaxial tests should be SOP
CRS consolidation tests best type
stress path closest to reality
Treatment of testing as a commodity service

Future of Geotechnical Testing:

on the dark side
Gross imbalance between what is taught in
universities and was it is written in papers
universities,
and what is actually done in practice
Perception of geotechnical testing as a
commodity service
Bad past experiences: slow results,
confusing and contradictory, expensive,
resulting in practice alterations to avoid
testing

O th
On
the bbright
i ht side
id
Rapid demand for test results
More complex designs
requiring more detailed
models, and input parameters
Protecting against claims,
claims and
legal action
Answering publics demand for
min. negative impact from
constructions

Strain contours from failure analysis

for reinforced slope

Guiding Principle for Test

Conditions
Have the
laboratory test
duplicate the field
conditions
assumed in the
design as closely
as possible

Thank y
you for yyour attention