Actual Instrumentation on Site
No Instrumen Problems Description
Piezometer VW 1510 installation using
1 Piezometer push-in method
Calibration piezometer before
installation.
Sensitivity of vw piezometer sensor to
measure temperature of the soil.
Handling of vw piezometer
The use of ethylene glycol in settlement
Settlement Sensor sensors resulting on inacurate readings. To resolve the problem, we replace ethylene glycol with
2 There was a huge gap between morning distillated water.
and afternoon reading.
Air bubble appeared in the tube.
Lack of accuration of settlement sensor
in measuring settlement.
Solution applied on site
To simplify the installation process, installation method
that we used on site was push-in method instead of
inserted in bore hole. What we did was placing
piezometer inside a pre-made steel casing. That steel
casing then pushed until a certain depth using mandrell
that we used for PVD installation.
We are confused about zero reading that is used in
calcullation. Instead of using zero reading from the
calibration sheet, we did calibration before instalation to
obtain on site zero reading. What we did were: placing
the vw piezometer inside geotextile socket which had
already filled with saturated sand. on-site zero reading
that we used for calculation hereafter is the frequency
that was obtained during the submerging process of
socket and vw piezometer.
to resolve the problem, we did flushing process. The rest
of the bubbles that was still trapped inside the tube were
eliminated using syringe suction.
We were placing some settlement plates to find out how
is the settlement of the soil while we were waiting for the
flushing process. After that, we did 1 on 1 calibration of
settlement sensors by comparing settlement
measurement resulted from settlement sensor with
settlement plate. We found out that settlement sensors
readings were bigger than settlement plate readings. To
equate settlement sensors readings with the actual
settlement happened on site (which was obtained from
settlement plate readings), we changed the gage factors
of the sensors.
 The range of settlement sensors were
not stated clearly.

Settlement sensors handling

Due to unavailability of AC power source, we decided to

3 Multiplex Module Multiplex module power source use 12V DC Accu that is directly connected with the MUX.

The use of solar panel

Little Fuse of the MUX was broken when We connected a broken Litte fuse with a strain of cable
we directly connected 12V DC Accu to
fiber, and MUX finally turned on.
MUX.

After the direct use of Accu as power

source, one out of three MUXes was
damaged, so we decided not to use a
direct power source from Accu, we used After several trials and errors regarding this MUX power
a DC-AC inverter that is later connected source problem, we finally decided to use a direct power
to MUX adaptor instead. When we
finally used adaptor that was plugged in from a 12V Accu.
to a DC-AC inverter, the readings
resulted from the mux were inacurate
compared to handheld readout.

Temperature readings from MUX were

way different from handheld vw readout

There are several channels in the mux

that can't read temperature. Output To keep obtaining temperature datas, we finally decided
readings of the temperature are 99.9,
whereas in the beginning of installation to read temperature of the corresponding sensor
the channel can read tempertures just manually using handheld vw readout.
fine.

There are some channels that can not

read temperature on 3-hours period
basis. The channels on the other hand To obtain temperature data, we did measurement only
can read temperature if we do the on the problematic channel.
measuring process only in that certain
channel.

Maintenance
 We tried all means to make this data logger worked on
Data logger can not be used in airport site: expanding the signal using other antena, extend the
4 Data Logger area cable of the antenna. But nothing worked. The maximum
range was only 60 m.

Maintenance

GSM/CDMA connection using modem

4 Inclinometer Maintenance

Stability and reliability of inclinometer

readings

Apa perbedaan tipe2 pipa dan

5 Inclinometer Casing penggunaannya untuk di kondisi seperti
apa?

Telescopic section dipasang dimana?

Apabila terjadi lendutan yang besar,

berapakah nilai deformasi max yg
mampu ditahan pipa tanpa telescopic
section?
n Site

Comments/ Questions

Can we use push-in method as we described before for VW

piezometer type 1510? Is there any effects to the sensor if
we use push-in method instead of placing vw piezometer in a
pre-bored hole?

Based on description that we gave you, is it necessary to do

on-site calibration process? Did we do a right process or not?

Why is the temperature of vw piezometer generated from

the readout is relatively high? It can even reach 40oC, which
is relatively too high for deep soil.

How is the correct handling process for vw piezometer

sensors so we would not break the sensors?

Why is ethylene glycol made inacurate readings? What is the

consideration for the use of ethylene glycol aside from its
anti-freezing property? Is there any long term effect to the
tube if we use distilled water?

Why is ACE's settlement sensors has a bad accuracy until 10

times larger than actual settlement happened on site? Did
we do a correct method to calibrate the sensors on site? How
did you get the settlement gage and temperature coefficient
numbers?
During the first month after the installation of the sensors we
were confused because of lack of assistance from ACE's
engineers. We have no idea why did the sensors resulted bad
readings, even after we try to recalibrate the sensors. We
asked ACE what is actualy the range of the sensors, and we
get even more confused with the answer given. What we
actually want to know is: how is the accuracy of this
settlement sensor? Do ACE has a more accurate sensors?

How is the correct handling process for Settlement Sensors

so we would not break the sensors?

Is there any effects to the electrical circuits inside the MUX if

we used a DC power source directly instead of AC power? Do
we need any inverter to invert DC to AC then use the adaptor
if we are going to connect 12V DC Accu to MUX?

Is there any way we could use any solar panel as the main
power source for MUX? If yes, how to connect solar panel to
MUX? how is the durability of the power obtained from solar
panel?

Why is the little fuse broken when directly connected to 12V

DC Accu?

Why was the reading resulted from a direct Accu power

different from the reading resulted using a DC-AC inverter?
What caused that difference in readings?

Why are the temperature readings from MUX are way

different from the handheld readout? The difference even
reach 5oC

The last temperature obtained was 50.5oC, after that the

temperature read was 99.9 oC. Why is that happened? Is
there any temperature limit that can be read from MUX?

Why is that thing happened?

How is a good maintenance process to maintain the

condition of this MUX?
Because our project is conducted in aiport area and the
owner kept on insisting to use data logger, is there any
options that can be done so we can use this data logger in
airport area? If no, technically why data logger can not
accept signal in airport area?

How is a good maintenance process to maintain the

condition of this data logger?

The availability for the current module provided by ACE only

supported 2G, meanwhile it is so hard for us in Indonesia to
configure the network. Moreover we have no idea how to
use that type of modem. Could you tell us how to connect
the modem to data logger and make sure that the modem is
working properly? Can we use a more advance type of
modem that supports 3G/4G connections?

How is a good maintenance process to maintain the

condition of this device?

How to know if the reading of inclinometer is already stable?

Other brand (example: RST) use a checksum value to know if
the reading is stable or not. The readings from RST
inclinometer are considered stable if the readings ranged
between ±0.3mm.

What is the difference of each inclinometer pipe types and

when is the appropriate condition to use it?

Where do we suppose to install telescopic section and how

to install it?

If a high deformation is occuring, will the inclinometer pipe

be able to bear it? How many deformation that ACE
inclinometer pipe could withstand?
 Questions on new instruments

No. Instruments Questions

1. Can the water level probe withstand a high salinity environment?

How is the endurance of this water level meter?
1 Waterlevel Meter
2. How is the correct way to use the device and how to maintain it?
3. How to detect if this waterlevel sensor has some damage and how
to fix it?

1. How is the correct way to use the device and how to maintain it?
2. How to detect if this device is inaccurate and how to fix it?
3. How to fix damage on the inclinometer wheel?
2 Portable vertical 4. Do we need to periodically calibrate the device? How to calibrate
inclinometer probe this device?

5. There is a data logger for this type of vertical probe inclinometer.

How does it works? How is the capacity? How is the accuracy of the
data obtained from the data logger? How to maintain the
inclinometer data logger?

1. How is the correct way to use the device and how to maintain it?
2. How to detect if this device is inaccurate and how to fix it?
3. How to fix damage on the inclinometer wheel?
Portable horizontal 4. Do we need to periodically calibrate the device? How to calibrate
3 inclinometer probe this device?

5. There is a data logger for this type of horizontal probe inclinometer.

How does it works? How is the capacity? How is the accuracy of the
data obtained from the data logger? How to maintain the
inclinometer data logger?
1. How to install this VW multipoint inclinometer?
2. How to obtain the data dan how will the output data be like?
3. Will it be one cable for each sensor or will it be an intergrated cable
connecting all sensors?
VW vertical Mulipoint 4. Up to what depth could we install this type of inclinometer?
4 Inclinometer
5. Is there any movement limitation that this device could bear so it
wouldn’t be broken?
6. Will this device be affected by the vibration of construction process
nearby?
7. How to detect if the sensor is broken?
1. Where can we use this crack meter? Where is the right point to
install this device?
5 FSG Crackmeter 2. How to detect if this device is inaccurate and how to fix it?
3. How to install this device correctly?
4. How is the durability of this device?
 1. What is the difference between this vibrating wire crackmeter and
FSG crack meter?

6 VW Crackmeter 2. Which one is more acurate, VW crackmeter or FSG crackmeter?

2. How to detect if this device is inaccurate and how to fix it?
3. How to install this device correctly?
4. How is the durability of this device?
1. How is the configuration of more than one convergence meter
sensor?
VW
7 Convergencemeter 2. How to install this device for slope and tunnel purposes?
3. How to detect if this device is inaccurate and how to fix it?
4. How is the durability of this device?

1. If there is no instrumentation plan given from our customer, could

you tell us how far the space between each convergence monitoring
Tunnel Convergence system usually installed?
8 Monitoring System 2. How to install ACE-TCS-E
(ACE-TCS-E)
3. How well this device on withstand impact from construction work?
4. How to detect if this device is inaccurate and how to fix it?
1. This device is said to be waterproof. How mH2O (how deep) it can
withstand?

Magnetic 2. Can I use PVC pipe? Because from the brochure I saw that the
9 probe has no reel as inclinometer has
Extensometer
3. how to install ring/spider/plate indicators?
4. ring/spider/plate depth standard?
5. How to detect if this device is inaccurate and how to fix it?
1. how to install this device?
VW Earth Pressure 2. What is the consideration on using 230 mm or 150 mm diameter
10 Cell type pressure cell?
3. How to detect if this device is inaccurate and how to fix it?
1. how to install this device?
FSG Earth Pressure 2. What is the difference between FSG earth pressure cell and VW
11 Cell. earth pressure cell? Which one is more accurate
3. How to detect if this device is inaccurate and how to fix it?
1. How to install this device?
2. How does this device work?
12 VW Load Cell

3. How to detect defect in this device befor we are going to install it?
1. How to install this device?
2. How does this device work?
13 FSG Load Cell
3. How to detect defect in this device befor we are going to install it?
4. What is the difference between FSG load cell and VW load cell?
Which one is more accurate
1. How long is the battery life of this logger?

8 Smart Mini Logger

 2. What is the difference between this smart logger and the regular
one?
8 Smart Mini Logger 3. How many Bytes of storage are available on this device?

4. If we are going to use an SD card, how to insert that SD card into

smart mini logger? What is the maximum capacity of SD card that this
device could read?
1. How to measure the output? What kind of logger can I use to
measure it? Readout unit or is there another readout?
2. Do we need a certain cable to connect readout to universal
terminal box's port?
Universal Terminal
9 Box 3. Will universal terminal boxes affected the reading result? Will the
result be different compared to directly read through a handheld
readout?

4. If there is one or some channels broken, what can we do to fix it?