Abstract
Low strain pile integrity testing (LSPIT), due to its simplicity and low cost, is one of the most popular NDE methods used in pile foundation construction. While performing LSPIT in the field is generally quite simple and quick, determining the integrity of the test piles by analyzing and interpreting the test signals (reflectograms) is still a manual process performed by experienced experts only. For foundation construction sites where the number of piles to be tested is large, it may take days before the expert can complete interpreting all of the piles and delivering the integrity assessment report. Techniques that can automate test signal interpretation, thus shortening the LSPIT’s turnaround time, are of great business value and are in great need. Motivated by this need, in this paper, we develop a computer-aided reflectogram interpretation (CARI) methodology that can interpret a large number of LSPIT signals quickly and consistently. The methodology, built on advanced signal processing and machine learning technologies, can be used to assist the experts in performing both qualitative and quantitative interpretation of LSPIT signals. Specifically, the methodology can ease experts’ interpretation burden by screening all test piles quickly and identifying a small number of suspected piles for experts to perform manual, in-depth interpretation. We demonstrate the methodology’s effectiveness using the LSPIT signals collected from a number of real-world pile construction sites. The proposed methodology can potentially enhance LSPIT and make it even more efficient and effective in quality control of deep foundation construction.
Highlights
Assessing the structural integrity of deep foundation elements such as drilled or driven piles has always been a critical quality control task in the construction industry
We demonstrate the methodology’s effectiveness using the low strain pile integrity testing (LSPIT) signals collected from a number of real-world pile construction sites
Many nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods have been developed for reliably assessing the integrity of piles, for example, low strain pile integrity testing (LSPIT), high strain pile integrity testing (HSPIT), cross-hole sonic logging (CSL), single hole sonic logging (SSL), and gamma-gamma density logging (GDL) [1]
Summary
Assessing the structural integrity of deep foundation elements such as drilled or driven piles has always been a critical quality control task in the construction industry. Many nondestructive evaluation (NDE) methods have been developed for reliably assessing the integrity of piles, for example, low strain pile integrity testing (LSPIT), high strain pile integrity testing (HSPIT), cross-hole sonic logging (CSL), single hole sonic logging (SSL), and gamma-gamma density logging (GDL) [1]. Among these different integrity testing methods, LSPIT, called the sonic echo test, is probably the most popular one widely used in various parts of the world. ThePrinciple low strain pile integrity test is an echo method for qualitative evaluation of the physical dimensions, of a integrity pile, andtest consistency the pile
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