BIM is an acronym of the moment in the construction industry. But how far has it penetrated into routine geotechnical engineering practice? This presentation shows what can be done and sets some challenges for the foundation construction industry.

1. Digital Data
Its use in geotechnical design
&
execu2on
Dr Derek Egan
Director
Remedy Geotechnics Ltd
www.remedygeotechnics.com

2. Digital Data - Use in geotechnical design &
execu2on
• Introduc7on
• Aims of the presenta7on
• Down amongst the data

3. Digital Data - Use in geotechnical design &
execu2on
BIM – Building Informa7on Modelling
• Possible due to the digital revolu7on
• But how far has it penetrated into geotechnical design
• How far has it penetrated in geotechnical execu7on?
Aim – to consider the geotechnical data journey
• How far does it currently go?
• How far could it go?

4. Digital Data - Use in geotechnical design &
execu2on
The geotechnical data journey …
Chandler & Hutchinson (1998)
But even now the model does not cover the full geotechnical process
Child et al. (2014)

5. Digital Data - Use in geotechnical design &
execu2on
The geotechnical data journey … extended
SI Field
Logging
SI Lab
tes7ng &
repor7ng
Geotechnical
Design
Scheduling
Geotechnical
Works
Construc6on
Records
Archive for As Builts
& Future Use
Feedback
Chandler & Huchinson
And
Childs et al.
Construc6on
Control

6. Digital Data – Geotechnical design
What are the barriers?
• Ignorance of the benefits of ags data outside of the geotechnical world
• Concerns over liability over a long/convoluted supply chain
• SoWware & training expense if rarely used
Design Data
• FPS pile schedule – rarely used – why?
Analysis & visualisa7on tools
• ags data + soWware – interac7ve 3D ground models
• Soil parameter deriva7on
What digital data is useful for the founda7on designer?
SI data
• FPS survey (Egan, 2008) – zero/221 had ags data files provided
• Experience suggests the situa7on no beer now

7. Digital Data – Scheduling & execu2on
Rig operator guided to undertake execu7on, such as:-
• Loca7on coordinates by GPS
• Pile or column length, liW speed, etc. displayed
• Rig computer screen shows ‘tram lines’ to assist operator, or can use autobore/
autoconcrete (CFA) or other automated execu7on processes
Telemetry allows:-
• near ‘Real Time’ review in remote office – useful for say undertaking trial drives
in driven piling
• Safe remote storage of data

8. Digital Data – Execu2on records
Rig instrumenta7on systems collects execu7on data
• Date, 7me, rate of penetra7on, mast inclina7on, crowd force, concrete/
binder supply, number of hammer blows and pile penetra7on etc.
depending on founda7on technique
• Nice graphical plots rou7nely provided
Telemetry/internet allows:-
• Third party access to ‘As Built’ data (some7mes viewed with suspicion
by the contractor)
• Could even have a trigger warning when something is not right
Enables further analysis of As Built data/incorpora7on into BIM model, for
example:-
• Plogng contours of driven pile depths
• Reviewing jet grout column layouts

9. Digital Data – Execu2on records
Made Ground
Alluvium
River Terrace
Deposits
(a) (c)(b)
Egan (2014)

10. Digital Data – Plant instrumenta2on
A number of branded systems available.
Challenges include:-
• Harsh working environment – robust sensors and cabling required
• Calibra7on – how oWen is this actually done? …. and recorded?
• What happens when instrumenta7on fails – does the rig have to stop
& the dilemma this imposes
• Cultural shiWs ….. residual Luddite thinking occasionally emerges
• Cost & 7me investment
Benefits include:-
• Consistent and reliable data collec7on and storage
• More efficient execu7on (faster, more controlled, less waste, more
sustainable, easier QA)
• Easier dissemina7on of data around the project team and
stakeholders (including into BIM model)

11. Digital Data – The feedback loop
Comparing the As Built data with the
design informa7on.
Example – Victoria Sta7on Upgrade – Jet
Grou7ng

12. Digital Data – The feedback loop
Comparing the As Built data with the design informa7on.
Example – Victoria Sta7on Upgrade – Jet Grou7ng

13. Digital Data – Design
Reference Pile Geometry EC7 Ver7cal Ac7ons EC7 Horizontal Ac7ons Pile Design
Pile
Ref
Loading
Ref
Drawing
Ref
Pile
Type
Pile Cap
Ref
Cut-off
Level
(mOD)
Piling
PlaHorm
Level
(mOD)
Pile
Diameter
(mm)
Design
Eas6ng
(m)
Design
Northing
(m)
Ver6cal/
Raking
Angle (°)
Gk
(kN)
Qk, l
(kN)
Qk, wind
(kN)
Qk, i
(kN)
Qk, j
(kN)
Tk
(kN)
Ad
(kN)
Gk,m
(kNm)
Qk,m
(kNm)
DA1
Comb1
(ULS-STR)
Ed, max (kN)
DA1
Comb1
(ULS-STR)
Ed, min (kN)
DA1
Comb2
(ULS-GEO)
Ed, max (kN)
DA1
Comb2
(ULS-GEO)
Ed, min (kN)
Gk
(kN)
Qk, l
(kN)
Qk, wind
(kN)
Ad
(kN)
DA1
Comb1
(ULS-STR)
Ed, max (kN)
DA1
Comb2
(ULS-GEO)
Ed, max (kN)
Pile Toe
Level
(mOD)
Min Steel
Projec6on
above COL
(m)
Top of
Steel
Level
(mOD)
No of
Main Bars
Main Bar
Diameter
(mm)
Main Bar
Length
(m)
Shear Bar
Diameter
(mm)
Shear
Pitch
(mm)
Shear Type
(Helical/Link)
CFA piling example:-
i. Pile schedule passed from scheme designer to pile designer digitally (e.g. FPS
Electronic Pile Schedule – pile No., loads, coordinates, cut-off level etc)
ii. Designer updates with output from design (length, diameter, rebar etc)

14. Digital Data – Scheduling
CFA piling example:-
i. Pile schedule passed from scheme designer to pile designer digitally (e.g. FPS
Electronic Pile Schedule – pile No., loads, coordinates, cut-off level etc)
ii. Designer updates with output from design (length, diameter, rebar etc)
iii. execu7on data extracted and sent to rig in excel format

15. Digital Data – execu2on control
CFA piling example:-
i. Pile schedule passed from scheme designer to pile designer digitally (e.g. FPS
Electronic Pile Schedule – pile No., loads, coordinates, cut-off level etc)
ii. Designer updates with output from design (length, diameter, rebar etc)
iii. Construc7on data extracted and sent to rig in excel format
iv. As rig constructs the pile the data file is updated with construc7on parameters to
give ‘As Built’ record (date, 7me, boring & liW speed, auger rota7on, concrete
supply etc)
{could even have rebar tagged/bar coded and scanned into data file}

16. Digital Data – execu2on records
CFA piling example:-
i. Pile schedule passed from scheme designer to pile designer digitally (e.g. FPS
Electronic Pile Schedule – pile No., loads, coordinates, cut-off level etc)
ii. Designer updates with output from design (length, diameter, rebar etc)
iii. Construc7on data extracted and sent to rig in excel format
iv. As rig constructs the pile the data file is updated with construc7on parameters to
give ‘As Built’ record (date, 7me, boring & liW speed, auger rota7on, concrete
supply etc)
{could even have rebar tagged/bar coded and scanned into data file}
i. As Built informa7on then available for ‘real 7me’ review and download into BIM
model (can add further informa7on – e.g. As Built coordinates etc).

17. Digital Data – execu2on records

18. Digital Data - Use in geotechnical design &
execu2on - Summary
The geotechnical data journey
SI Field
Logging
SI Lab
tes7ng &
repor7ng
Geotechnical
Design
Scheduling
Geotechnical
Works
Construc6on
Records
Archive for As Builts
& Future Use
Feedback
Chandler & Huchinson
And
Childs et al.
Construc6on
Control
…. extended

19. Digital Data - Use in geotechnical design &
execu2on
The challenge …… how do we break down the
barriers and extend the journey???
BIM – Building Informa7on Modelling
• But how far has it penetrated into geotechnical
design & execu7on?

20. www.remedygeotechnics.com
Thank you for listening
Derek Egan
Remedy Geotechnics Ltd
This presenta7on is available
on slideshare

21. Remedy Geotechnics Ltd.
WHO WE ARE
- Specialist geotechnical design consultancy
WHAT WE OFFER
• 25 years experience
• Contrac7ng, consul7ng & academia
• Bias to prac;cal geotechnical design.