BRIEF DESCRIPTION

The pressuremeter test is an in-situ testing method used to achieve a quick measure of the in-situ
stress-strain relationship of the soil. In principle, the pressuremeter test is performed by applying
pressure to the sidewalls of a borehole and observing the corresponding deformation.

The pressuremeter consists of two parts, the read-out unit which rests on the ground surface, and the
probe that is inserted into the borehole (ground).

The original Ménard-type pressuremeter was designed to be lowered into a performed hole and to
apply uniform pressure to the borehole walls by means of inflatable flexible membrane. As the
pressure increases, the borehole walls deform. The pressure is held constant for a given period and
the increase in volume required for maintaining the constant pressure is recorded. A load-deformation
diagram and soil characteristics can be deduced by measurement of the applied pressure and change
in the volume of the expanding membrane.

The major difference between categories of pressuremeter lies in the method of installation of the
instrument into the ground. Three main types of pressuremeters are:

 The borehole pressuremeter: The instrument is inserted into a performed hole.

 The self-boring pressuremeter: The instrument is self-bored into the ground with the purpose
of minimizing the soil disturbance caused by insertion.
  Displacement pressuremeters: The instrument is pushed into the ground from base of a
borehole. The soil displaced by the probe during insertion enters the body of instrument,
reducing the disturbance to the surrounding soil (see Cone-pressuremeter).

PARAMETERS

In terms of parameters to be used for design; requirements include strength, deformation characteristics,
in-situ horizontal stress and permeability determination of subsurface medium.

MATERIALS, TOOLS AND EQUIPMENTS

Menard Type Pressure meter

The Ménard pressuremeter (Control Unit), plastic tubing and 3-cell probe allows to perform in
situ Pressuremeter test in soils according to the ISO 22476-4 and ASTM D4719-07 standards.
From the test readings (volume variation based on controlled pressure), a stress-strain curve
can be obtained, in the case of plane deformation, which yields:

 the Ménard Pressuremeter modulus (EM)

 the creep pressure (Pf)
 the Ménard limit pressure (Pl)
Self Boring Pressuremeter
The instrument is a miniature tunnelling machine that makes a pocket
in the ground into which the device very exactly fits. The foot of the
device is fitted with a sharp edged internally tapered cutting shoe.
Self boring is effective in materials from loose sands and soft clays to
very stiff clays and weak rock. It will not operate in gravel and
materials hard enough to damage the sharp cutting edge. In principle
the probe can be made to enter the ground with negligible
disturbance. In practice, self boring results in a small degree of
disturbance that must be assessed before deciding a value for the
insitu lateral stress.

Pushed-in Pressuremeter
pushed-in pressuremeters are forced into
the ground so raising the state of stress in
the surrounding soil. A special case of
this approach is the Cone Pressuremeter
(CPM) where a 15cm2 cone is connected
to a pressuremeter unit of the same
diameter. The disturbance caused to the
material is total and the only parameter
that can be obtained from the loading
path is the limit pressure of the soil.
PROCEDURE/METHODOLOGY

INSERTING THE PRESSUREMETER

The interpretation of the pressuremeter test must take account of the disturbance caused by the
method used to place the probe in the ground. The least disruptive of the methods is self boring where
disturbance is often small enough to lie within the elastic range of the material and is therefore
recoverable. This is the only technique with the potential to determine directly the insitu lateral stress,
he major source of uncertainty when calculating the coefficient of earth pressure at rest.

PRE-BORING
A pocket is formed in the ground by conventional drilling tools and the instrument is subsequently
placed in the pre-formed hole. The major defect in this method is the complete unloading of the cavity
that takes place in the interval between removing the boring tool and pressurising the probe. The
material must be capable of standing open and so the method is best suited to rock.
The Ménard pressuremeter widely used in France is an example of a pre-bored device. In the UK the
High Pressure Dilatometer is available and is used in rocks, hostile materials such as boulder clay,
and dense sands.

73mm & 95mm High Pressure Dilatometer

73mm & 95mm High Pressure Dilatometer
The PMT is typically performed by inserting a cylindrical probe into an open borehole, supporting
it at the test depth, and then inflating a flexible membrane in the lateral direction to a radial strain
of as much as 40% depending on the probe design.

The PMT operator may expand the pressuremeter probe in equal pressure increments (stress
controlled test) or in equal volume increments (strain controlled test) typically stopping the test
when initial volume of the probe has doubled or when reaching the maximum allowable pressure.
Creep tests can be performed near the yield point of the test to evaluate time effects of the
modulus
Ideally the PMT provides an axisymmetric, plane strain test (the horizontal plane), typically
drained in sands and silts, and undrained in cohesive soils.
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TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS/ SPECIFICATIONS

BSI BS 5930 Code of practice for site investigations

In this code, the expression Site Investigation has been used in its wider sense. It is often used elsewhere
in a narrow sense to describe the exploration of the ground, which in this code has been termed Ground
Investigation. This code of practice consists of the following sections: — Section 1: Preliminary
considerations; — Section 2: Ground investigations; — Section 3: Field investigations; — Section 4: Field
tests; — Section 5: Laboratory tests on samples; — Section 6: Description of soils and rocks; — Section 7:
Reports and interpretation.
ASTM D4719 - 07 Standard Test Method for Prebored Pressuremeter Testing in Soils

This test method covers pressuremeter testing of soils. A pressuremeter test is an in situ stress-strain test
performed on the wall of a borehole using a cylindrical probe that is expanded radially. To obtain viable
test results, disturbance to the borehole wall must be minimized.
 SOURCES OF ERRORS

 The instrument will not penetrate gravels, claystones or the like, so generally pressuremeter testing
requires support from conventional drilling techniques.
 Failure planes and deformation modes are not always appropriate to those occurring in the final
design. An estimate of the anisotropy of the material will be required in order to derive vertical
parameters from lateral values.
 Many familiar design rules and empirical factors are based on parameters obtained from traditional
techniques. It is not always possible to use them with pressuremeter derived values, even if the
insitu parameters more accurately represent the true state of the ground.
 Only two stress paths can in practice be followed, undrained and fully drained.
 The instruments and their associated equipment are complex by conventional site investigation
standards and can only be operated by trained personnel.
 Use of an inappropriate analysis to interpret a pressuremeter test can result in seriously misleading
parameters.

CONSEQUENCES OF BAD DATA

The basis of every experiment is the acquisition of data. Errors are normally classified in three
categories: systematic errors, random errors, and blunders. Other factors such as the conditions
under which the measurements are taken may also affect the uncertainty of the measurements.

Errors in obtaining the data can affect the further procedure of a certain task such as:

Design of Shallow Foundations

With pressuremeter data, the engineer can design shallow foundations using bearing capacity
and settlement criteria.

Design of Deep Foundations

The design for vertical capacity of a deep foundation is based on the pressuremeter limit
pressure. Tip resistance and frictional resistance are computed separately using correlation
charts. Like shallow foundation design with PMT, deep foundation design uses empirical
equations and requires minimal borehole wall disturbance.

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