D/MTRCL/SCL/1108/PS/001/A1

Contract 1108 - Particular Specification

Appendix N
Appendix N Instrumentation and Monitoring
N1.0

The contractor shall provide, install, maintain, calibrate and where necessary
reinstate instruments and monitor all of the works, including temporary works
as shown on the drawings and as summarized in Table N1. The contractor
shall also make all necessary alterations to suit his proposed method of
construction and site condition as agreed by the Engineer.

N2.0

Any instrumentation and monitoring scheme suggested by the Engineer is the

minimum requirement, regardless of the temporary works and construction
methodology proposed by the Contractor. The Contractor shall establish his
own plan with reference to this minimum requirement to the Approval of the
Engineer. In this respect, the Contractor shall submit for Engineers
approval an Instrumentation Schedule indicating instrument locations and
types (i.e. manual and automated). The schedule shall indicate the monitoring
frequency and the movement / vibration limits agreed by all relevant
stakeholders. Where no limits have been agreed by the relevant stakeholders,
the Contractor shall propose such limits with the understanding that he shall
be responsible for the protection of all EBS and utility services likely to be
adversely affected by his works.

N3.0

The Contractor shall adopt a unique referencing system for the instruments
that is acceptable to the Engineer, such as :
XXX-XXXXXX-XXXXX-XXX-XX
Instrument number
Instrument type
Structure number, if any
SB chainage
Contract number

N4.0

The instrument types, purpose and depth are summarised in Table N1.
Locations of the proposed instruments are shown on the Drawings.
Table N1 : Proposed Instrument Types, Purpose and Depth

Instrument Type
Open Standpipes /
piezometers /
Observation Wells
Inplace / vertical
Inclinometer

Ground settlement
point
Building movement
point
1108 PS

Purpose
To monitor change in
groundwater level and
piezometric heads in soils /
rock
To monitor the temporary
retaining wall deflection / To
monitor subsurface lateral
ground movement

Depth
Temporary retaining
wall toe level / To be
determined on site
Temporary retaining
wall toe level / In rock /
within stable ground as
determined by the
Engineer on site
On ground surface

To monitor vertical and

horizontal ground settlement
To monitor lateral movement On selected buildings
and settlement of building
and structure
App. N 1/6

October 2012

D/MTRCL/SCL/1108/PS/001/A1

Contract 1108 - Particular Specification

Appendix N
Instrument Type

Purpose

Tilt plate

To monitor building tilt

Utility monitoring
point
Vibration monitoring
point

To monitor utility settlement

Magnetic probe
extensometer

To monitor velocities and

pressures of ground
vibrations
To monitor subsurface soil
settlement

Tell-tale

To monitor any cracks

Strain gauge

To monitor strut force

Real-time monitoring
using ADMS

To monitor structure
movement when soft ground
tunnel / adit construction is
in progress
To monitor convergence
when tunnel / adit
construction is in progress
To monitor the accuracy of
installation and performance
of ground freezing works

Tape extensometer

Instruments*
associated with
ground freezing (e.g.
thermocouples for
freeze body
temperature,
precision gyroscope
for freeze tubes
position, etc.)

Depth
On selected buildings
and structure
On selected utilities
On ground surface

Temporary retaining
wall toe level / In rock /
within stable ground as
determined by the
Engineer on site
On buildings and
structures
On Temporary strut /
ring beam
On selected buildings

On exposed rock face

at underground
opening
Within soft ground adit
excavation

* to be designed and proposed by the Contractor and agreed by the Engineer

N5.0

The Contractor shall review the existing instruments installed by the Employer
and shall take over and maintain the instruments. For each of the existing
instruments, the Contractor shall identify the location, check that the
instrument is still in working condition and indicate it on the instrument
location plan as required under Clause 23.11 of the M&W Specification.

N6.0

The Contractor shall monitor the relevant instruments as summarized in Table

N1 (and any other types agreed with the Engineer) with due regard to the
construction activities, ground conditions, anticipated ground movements,
adjacent structures, method of construction and any other construction
constraints.
The monitoring phases are defined as follows:

1108 PS

App. N 2/6

October 2012

D/MTRCL/SCL/1108/PS/001/A1

Contract 1108 - Particular Specification

Appendix N
(a)

Background Monitoring - monitoring carried out over an initial phase

to establish the existing conditions of the ground, feature or facility
prior to commencement, in the vicinity of works which are anticipated
to affect those conditions. It is to be carried out also when the
likelihood of significant changes in conditions is remote. Background
monitoring also allows the natural variations and repeatability of the
monitoring to be established.

(b)

Active Monitoring - monitoring during active construction works within

50m of the instrument. Active construction works that require active
monitoring are those that could potentially lead to significant changes
in the conditions of the ground, feature or facility; these include
dewatering, excavation and backfilling activities, and construction of
piles or diaphragm wall panels.

(c)

Standard Monitoring - monitoring during times which do not require

background monitoring or active monitoring, e.g. if active
geotechnical works are further than 50m away and within 100m, or
works taking place within 50m are, in the opinion of the Engineer,
minor activities that are considered likely to lead to insignificant
changes in the conditions of the ground, feature or facility.

N7.0

After agreement with the Engineer of the formal initial readings, the
Contractor shall initiate background monitoring or completion of installation of
new instruments, which shall, for the latter, be within 60 Days of the Date of
Commencement. During background monitoring the Contractor shall not carry
out any active construction works within 100m.

N8.0

After the Engineer has accepted that the background conditions have been
established, regular monitoring shall commence. The requirements for the
different phases of regular monitoring for each instrumentation type are
shown on the drawings. Unless shown otherwise, these requirements shall
be followed throughout the monitoring of the instruments. Based on the
Contractors construction methods, he shall indicate in the Instrumentation
Schedule the construction activities that require active monitoring. The
Engineer will advise and may amend the list of construction activities that
require active monitoring and the stages that will permit background
monitoring to be undertaken.

1108 PS

App. N 3/6

October 2012

D/MTRCL/SCL/1108/PS/001/A1

Contract 1108 - Particular Specification

Appendix N
N9.0

Based on his Programme, the Contractor shall submit to the Engineer on

monthly basis (in all cases at least 2 weeks in advance of related works)
updated Instrumentation Schedule indicating instruments that are under
Background, Standard and Active monitoring phases.

N10.0 In addition to the instrumentation specified herein, the Contractor shall

propose and install instrumentation to monitor Temporary Works.
Installation of instruments shall be carried out at the earliest opportunity.
N11.0 Results from instrumentation installed to monitor the performance of
temporary support and new excavations shall be assessed in conjunction with
a visual examination of the structure to record signs of distress such as cracks
and sections of splitting and falling rock or a loosening of ground support
material. Subject to the findings of both the deformation results and any
signs of distress, any adjustment to the existing level of support shall be
determined and installed by the Contractor.
N12.0 The Contractor shall develop procedures for prompt data collection and
interpretation as well as communication with the Engineer and Independent
Monitoring Consultant (IMC) of any critical readings and implementation of
immediate remedial measures as agreed with the Engineer. The procedures
shall be comprehensive in nature clearly defining individual responsibilities for
installation, readings, maintenance, recording, assessment and criteria for
action.
N13.0 The Contractor's instrumentation personnel shall be responsible for taking all
readings and their proper recording. Monitoring results shall be reported as
required under Section 23 of the M&W Specification.
N14.0 Following the decommissioning of the geotechnical instrumentation, the
Contractor shall backfill all drill holes, wells, etc. in accordance with the M&W
Specification (Civil).
N15.0 Summary tables indicating changes of readings comparing with the last 14
days, last month and initial readings shall be included in the monitoring results
prepared by the Contractor.
N16.0

The Contractor shall carry out daily visual inspection on the ground and
structures around the active monitoring zone. The Contractor shall inform the
Engineer and the IMC immediately for any new sign of distress observed
during the inspection.

N17.0 The Contractor shall take over the instrumentation as set out below upon
commencement of the Contract.

1108 PS

App. N 4/6

October 2012

D/MTRCL/SCL/1108/PS/001/A1

Contract 1108 - Particular Specification

Appendix N
Table N2 : Existing Groundwater Level Monitoring Installation to be Monitored
Hole No.
Installation Device
Piezometer Tip Depth
Standpipe Tip Depth
11202/
(m below existing ground level) (m below existing ground level)
SCL/DH073(P)

30.00

10.00

SCL/DH073a(P)

30.00

10.00

16.45

6.00

SCL/DH076(P)
2209/

Piezometer Tip Depth

Standpipe Tip Depth
(m below existing ground level) (m below existing ground level)

SCL/DH067(P)

20.00

NA

SCL/DH070(P)

NA

21.00

SCL/DH072(P)

NA

20.50

SCL/DH075(P)

28.00

NA

SCL/DH078(P)

26.00

NA

SCL/DH0303(P)

36.14

NA

SCL/DH0304(P)

40.50

NA

N18.0 Movement shall be monitored against Alert, Action and Alarm trigger levels
(AAA trigger levels) in accordance with MTRC M&W Specification Clause
2.18 and are set as follows:
-

Alert Level set at 0.5 times the Serviceability Limit

Action Level set at 0.8 times the Serviceability Limit

Alarm Level set at the Serviceability Limit.

N19.0 On reaching the Alert Level, the Contractor shall inform the Engineer within 24
hours. The contractor shall review the movement, assess the effects on
adjacent structures and predict further movements. A Detailed Plan of
Action shall be proposed by the Contractor to the satisfaction of the Engineer.
The Contractor shall implement the Response Actions identified in the
Detailed Plan of Action for reaching the Alert Level.
N20.0 On reaching the Action Level, the Contractor shall immediately implement the
Response Actions given in the Detailed Plan of Action for reaching Action
Level. Work may then only proceed if the remedial measures have been
implemented and are, in the opinion of the Engineer, shown to be effective.
The Contractor shall make appropriate amendments to the Detailed Plan of
Action where necessary.
N21.0 On reaching the Alarm Level or if any undue settlement or damage to
adjacent roads, buildings, structures or utilities are observed, the Contractor
shall notify the Engineer immediately. The Contractor shall implement
emergency response actions including suspending all construction activities
within 50m of the instruments, unless otherwise agreed by the Engineer.
The Contractor shall provide a report detailing the full history of movements
and remedial measures adopted in relation to the actual construction
1108 PS

App. N 5/6

October 2012

D/MTRCL/SCL/1108/PS/001/A1

Contract 1108 - Particular Specification

Appendix N
sequence. The report shall be reviewed and interpretation of events given to
the Engineer with recommendations for enabling work to proceed. Work
may only resume upon the written instruction of the Engineer.
N22.0 The AAA trigger levels as shown below and on the Drawings, whichever is
more stringent, shall be followed:
Table N3 : AAA Trigger Levels for Monitoring

Structure /
Monitoring Point
Utilities settlement
Vibration induced by all
vibration-producing
construction activities
Existing buildings
settlement
Groundwater
drawdown with
reference to lowest
historical groundwater
level

1108 PS
Tender Addendum No. 1

Alert

Action

Alarm

12mm
7.5mm/sec

20mm
12mm/sec

25mm
15mm/sec

20mm

30mm

40mm

500mm

800mm

1000mm

App. N 6/6

November 2012