PET

Pile Echo Tester

User Manual

About this Manual

This is the user manual for the Pile Echo Tester (PET). You can connect your PET hardware to a
computer running one of the following operating systems: MS Windows XP, Windows 2000,
Windows 7, 8, or 10. The Bluetooth PET hardware can also be used with mobile devices running the
Android operating system. All data files are stored in an identical and fully interchangeable format in
both the Windows and Android versions of the PET software.
Note: This user manual is intended for both the USB and the Bluetooth PET hardware. The USB and
Bluetooth symbols in this manual indicate which feature is relevant for which model.

Structure of this Manual

The first part of this manual is the Getting Started / Tutorial section that will let you begin using your
equipment as soon as possible.
We have included a detailed explanation of every function in the Reference section of this manual.
You can directly access this section by clicking on the links provided in the text.
We have grouped features together in the Features by task section, to help you perform tasks more
easily.
Additional information such as the Theoretical Background section, is at the end of this manual in
the Appendix.

Glossary
Tap/Tapping - Use the hammer to hit the pile and create the sonic
Impact - The raw-data recording captured after every hammer tap on the pile
Reflectogram - The plotted trace of each impact - on screen, or on paper, after processing is
complete
Wave speed - This is the wave speed measured by our equipment. In the past we used the term
'Velocity' instead of wave speed.
Know your PET
USB PET connected to a Tablet PC (Not
Bluetooth-PET with an Android device
included)
Hardware Block Diagram
Getting Started
Setup
Software and hardware setup are independent of each other, and either can be installed first.

Software Setup
1. To install the software, use one of the following options:

 Either insert the USB flash-drive or CD provided, and click on 'PET'. You can also look for
the PETSetup.exe installer and double-click on that. The setup will begin automatically.
 Or download the latest PET software from the user community
website: https://piletest.com/uc_login.asp.

 To obtain your password please email our support desk using this email
address: support@piletest.com

 Or download the application (only for Bluetooth PET version) from: PET App, or search for
the Piletest application on Google Play.

2. For Windows based systems:

1. Follow the default setup to install PET (this typically takes less than 1 minute).
2. In case the setup does not start automatically, locate and run the PETSetup.exe file on the
CD / USB Flash drive provided.
3. The PET software is installed in the following location: [Start]-[Programs]-[Pile Testing]-[PET]

Hardware Setup

USB 

1. Plug the USB connector of the PET device into one of the USB ports of your computer (PC)
The ...Found new hardware... balloon, and the wizard with the same name should open
automatically
2. Follow the wizard's instructions
 3. Connect the USB flash-drive or insert the CD provided with the PET software and press
[next]
4. The Wizard will start copying the driver files from the CD or USB drive
5. Windows XP system may display a security warning - you can safely press [Continue
Anyway] PET's driver is fully tested and will not impair the stability of your system!
6. After the files have been copied, close the wizard by clicking [Finish]

Bluetooth   
There is no need to set up any hardware drivers for the Bluetooth version of PET
See Connecting the Bluetooth PET to Windows

Contacting Piletest
If you encounter problems setting up your PET, or testing, or interpreting the results please contact
us without hesitation
See: contacting Piletest

Instructions Specific to the Bluetooth PET

System
Batteries
The unit is operated by two alkaline AAA batteries. The combined minimal battery voltage is 2.1V -
Rechargeable batteries usually give lower voltage and cannot be used.
Ensure that you insert the batteries correctly (there is a '+' sign near the battery cover opening).
Use batteries only from a reputable manufacturer such as Duracell, GP, Energizer, etc.
Please note that there is a small length difference between AAA batteries of different manufacturers.
The Bluetooth PET sensor does not have a spring in the battery compartment (to prevent
mechanical noise interfering with the test) so slightly smaller batteries do not reach the contact plate.
Please make sure the battery '+' contact fits tightly in the battery holder - otherwise you may need to
use batteries from another manufacturer.
The batteries should typically last for 200-300 piles. This may vary depending on factors such as the
number of blows per pile, the length of the piles, the idle time between testing, and time in storage.
You can keep working with flat batteries until the unit is no longer responsive. The data sampling
accuracy is not affected by the battery level.
Never replace batteries in the rain or under conditions where water can enter the inside of the unit.
To protect our environment, please deposit used batteries responsibly in battery recycling bins.
The batteries should be removed when you are moving the system, especially when flying, to
prevent unintentional activation of the system.

General Operation
The unit has a built-in impact switch. To start the system, simply tap the unit lightly on the top of the
pile. The system will enter "discoverable mode" and will wait for a connection from the Bluetooth-
enabled device. (See LED Indications)
If the case is firmly closed and the O-Ring is intact, then the unit is fully waterproof. If the O-ring is
damaged you need to replace it (you can obtain this free of charge from Piletest).

LED Indicators
LED Blinking Possible Reason
The system is Off
(Tap to switch it On)
The batteries are
dead
No blinking The system is
connected and
logging data. In this
case every
movement will
generate a short
blink.
10 blinks in succession The batteries have
been replaced
○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○●○○○○○○○
The cover was
opened and closed
2 fast blinks every 1.5 sec (heartbeat) Discoverable mode
The unit is waiting
●●○○○○○○●●○○○○○○...
for a connection by
a PC
If no connection is
made within 2
minutes the system
shuts down to
conserve battery life

The system is
1 blink every 2 seconds connected to your
●○○○○○○○○○○○○○●... computer, but is not
logging data
Impact data was
sent to the
1 short blink computer
●○○○○○○○○○○○○○ A command was
received from the
computer
LED light fades down and up again The battery power
is low
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●...
50 very frequent blinks Error, contact
 Piletest
●●●●●●●●●●●●●●...

Connecting the Bluetooth PET to a Windows Computer

Note: PET supports Bluetooth Ver. 1.0 or higher
To connect your Bluetooth-PET sensor to your Windows-based computer:
(You only need to run this setup procedure only one time for every computer)

1. Make sure the Bluetooth hardware is enabled in your computer

2. Make sure that there you have installed batteries in your Bluetooth PET sensor.
3. Bring the sensor to "discoverable" mode. See General operation
4. Right-click the Bluetooth icon on the taskbar and select [Add a bluetooth device]
5. Windows will locate your Bluetooth sensor and will display its' serial number
6. Click [Pair] and enter the following passcode: 1234

7. Windows will connect to your sensor. The status of the connector will now appear as:
[Connected]
Click on "More Bluetooth options"

8. Find the row listing the serial number of your sensor, and Direction 'Outgoing' as shown in
the screenshot here.
 Note the port number (COM 85 in this example).

9. Start the PET software, select [Tools]-[Data source], select Bluetooth and click [OK]

10.  Enter the Port number and click OK

11. Your Bluetooth device is now connected.

Tutorial
Take the Built-In Tutorial
The built-In tutorial will teach you some useful basic testing scenario features.
You do not need to connect the PET hardware to use the tutorial because it uses a simulated data
source.
Either start PET software in Tutorial mode ([Start]-[Programs]-[Pile testing]-[PET Tutorial]) or select
Tutorial from the [Help] menu

The tutorial will guide you through a simple, basic testing workflow, and serves as a brief introduction
to the PET software.

Testing a Pile
1. Start PET
2. [Start]-[Programs]-[Pile Testing]-[PET]
3. If you want to use Imperial (US or UK) units (Feet)

 Select [Tools]->[Options]
 Switch to the [Misc] tab
 Select ...English...
 [Close]
4. Select [File]->[New Project] and or click  to enter the name of the project

5. Locate the first pile in the site plan. Check that the pile head is clean.

6. Select [Pile]-[Add] or click the [+] button  

 7. Enter the name of the pile

8. Enter the planned length of the pile by dragging the top of the red triangle marker.

You can change this length later, however the length determines the sample size, and initial graph
scales, so it should be as close to the actual expected length as possible.

9. Change the scale by dragging the scale axis labels right or left. The scale should be large
enough to contain all the expected length with a few meters extra length spare
10. For now, leave the wave speed at the default 4000m/s. You can still modify it later
11. Connect / Start the PET Sensor,
12. Apply a small amount of putty to the bottom of the sensor.
13. Press the PET sensor against a clean spot on the top of the pile with a force of ~1kg (~2
pounds)
14. Click [Start] (See Troubleshooting)

15. Start tapping the pile. Hit the pile sharply but lightly (equivalent to dropping a hammer from a
height of 10-20 cm) and frequently (~2 times per sec)
 You can view a tutorial video of these test steps here
16. It will take some practice to get a good, clean hammer tap. If you were unable to collect any
good impacts, Press [Stop],  [Reset] and [start] again.

17. Start collecting data: You will need at least 10 very similar impacts, and up to 40 or 50
impacts in total. You will have the opportunity to sort them later in the office. We recommend
that you spend another minute at the pile collecting some redundant data than to have to
return again to the site.
Experienced users can sometimes collect just 3 similar impacts in very easy-to-test piles -
but this is the absolute minimum.
18. The average impact is displayed as the reflectogram (big graph) in the reflectogram window,
the individual impacts are on the right.
  

19. Select [Stop] to stop logging. You can continue logging and add impacts at any time later on,
even after saving the pile, or on another day.
20. Optionally modify the presentation parameters on the impact tab by dragging the black bars -
more details on Pile window
21. You may tentatively delete some irregular traces by clicking on the [X] icon next to them. The
effect on the average is shown immediately.
Deleted impacts are stored in the pile's "recycle bin" and saved with it
22. Click on the recycle bin icon to undelete the last deleted impact.
23. As part of the characterization of the pile you may use the Data tab and Info tab which are
described in detail in the Pile window section.
24. Tap [Save] to save the pile
25. You may now click anywhere on the pile row in the current project to re-open the pile.,

or click on  to test more piles

 26. You may also scroll between the piles using the left/right arrows beside the SAVE button 
27. Transfer the data to the computer for reporting and additional analysis

See also: Options 

Reflectogram Interpretation

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This chapter cannot, and is not intended to waive the need for
professional interpretation by a qualified engineer. Piletest.com Ltd. does not encourage
interpretation by unqualified personnel. The guidelines below should therefore be
regarded as informational background and not as a substitute for formal interpretation
training.

Signal Handling
To turn the raw data into an acceptable reflectogram, the PET software performs several operations.
Some of these are performed automatically (marked ...Auto...), while others are done interactively by
the operator (marked ...User...):
User defined presentation parameters:

1. Filtering: To eliminate high-frequency noise and obtain a smooth curve the program uses a
numerical low-pass filter (User).
2. Amplification: Because of friction damping, the stress wave is weakened as it progresses
along the pile. To obtain a legible reflectogram, it has to be compensated for damping,
usually exponentially. In a well-balanced reflectogram, the impact from the top and the
reflection from the toe should have approximately the same amplitude (User).
3. Sharpening: This function emphasizes significant features of the reflectogram and down
tones smaller ones. Do not overuse this function as it might hide data that you want to show.
Use the minimal possible value.
4. End-of-Line: Changing this mark, affects the maximal amplification point. It should be
positioned just beyond the measured pile length (toe)

Automated presentation parameters:

1. Integration: The PET sensor contains an accelerometer, but the graphical output presents
particle speed. For this reason all signals must be converted from acceleration to speed
(Auto).
2. Shift-Rotate: The curve is rotated and shifted towards the horizontal axis. This prepares the
reflectogram for the next step (Auto).
3. Normalization: No two impacts are equal in intensity, and for this reason the resulting particle
velocities are also different. In order to help you interpret the results, the vertical scale is
 adjusted so that the maxima and minima of the reflectogram occupy all the available vertical
space (Auto).
4. Averaging: A typical reflectogram will include a consistent component (signal) and a random
component (noise). As a result, no two impacts will yield the same reflectogram. To improve
the Signal/Noise ratio, the PET software automatically averages successive impacts as they
arrive (Auto).

See also: Appendix 2 - Beginner's guide to PET Analysis

After completing these steps we hope you now have a neat reflectogram, and are interested to know
what it can teach us about the pile. In fact, this is the inverse problem of taking a given pile shape
and drawing the characteristics and the reflectogram. Like many inverse problems, it has no unique
solution so that to get a reasonable approximation we have to make several assumptions. The first
and most important assumption is that we are indeed testing a pile with an essentially cylindrical or
prismatic shape.  To that we have to add additional information: The piling method, the soil profile
and the supervisors' field notes.
Actual testing with the PET can be learned fairly quickly by qualified personnel. Interpretation, on the
other hand, should be left to experienced geotechnical engineers with thorough knowledge of wave
propagation theory, soil mechanics and piling technology. Of course, experts may make a few
learned mistakes from time to time, but the ignorant make a lot of mistakes all the time. Hence,
expert interpretation is the key to successful sonic testing.

Typical Pile Issues

The first step in analyzing the reflectogram is done on site, immediately following each test. This is
done by comparing the graph to a mental picture of various pile shapes and their respective
reflectograms. Some typical cases are presented in Table 1.
Note: Piles are drawn horizontally for ease of presentation.

Table 1: Typical reflectograms

PILE PROFILE DESCRIPTION REFLECTOGRAM

Straight pile, free end, length as
expected

Straight pile, fixed end,  length as

expected
Straight pile, free end, shorter than
expected

Increased impedance

Decreased impedance
 Locally increased impedance
Locally decreased impedance
Multiple reflections from mid-length
discontinuity - toe reflection
indiscernible
Irregular profile - irregular
reflectogram

If our reflectogram falls into one of these categories (except for the last one, of course), it means that
we can explain the significance of what we have in hand. If the opposite is true, we have to try
another spot on the pile (this often helps). If all our attempts fail, either the pile top was not
sufficiently prepared for testing, or the pile profile is just not amenable to sonic testing.

Capabilities
Since the sonic method is based on the use of stress-waves, it can identify only those pile attributes
which influence wave propagation. The following items may in many cases be detected:

1. Pile length.
2. Inclusions of foreign material with different acoustic properties.
3. Cracking perpendicular to the axis.
4. Joints and staged concreting.
5. Changes in cross section.
6. Distinct changes in soil layers.

Limitations
All physical measurements, including the sonic method, have limitations. For instance, the sonic test
normally does not detect the following items:

1. The toe reflection when the pile's L/D ratio roughly exceeds 20 (In hard soils) to 60 (In very
soft soils).
2. Gradual changes in cross-section.
3. Minor inclusions and changes in cross-section smaller than �25% .
4. Impedance changes of small axial dimension.
5. Variations in length smaller than �10%.
6. Features located below a crack or a major (1:2) change in impedance.
7. Debris at the toe.
8. Deviations from the straight line and from the vertical.
9. Load-carrying capacity.

A schematic summary of the above list appears in Table 2.

Table 2: Limitations
 High L/D ratio and/or high skin
friction
- no toe reflection

Progressive changes in cross-

section

Minor inclusions

Deviations from the straight line

Deviations from the vertical

Producing a Report
The report is a RTF (Rich Text Format) file which is readable by all modern word processors.
To produce a report:

1. Open your project,

2. Modify all piles to the way you would like them to appear in the project by
changing parameters, adding notes, etc.
3. You may bulk-edit some parameters using [Pile]-[Modify all]
This is especially useful for getting the desired number of piles per page by changing the
[Row height] to a typical 200% value
4. Edit the project's title and subtitle
5. Select [File]-[Page setup] to change the page margins
6. Select [Tools]-[Options]-[Logo] to select your logo.
7. Select [File]-[Report]
8. Modify the report parameters and press [OK]
9. It is better to change the report parameters at the source (in PET) and not in the generated
file. If changes are needed, close the file, make the changes to the piles in PET and create
another report.
10. The report is a document, and may be printed, emailed, faxed, converted to PDF or DOC
formats, saved to other locations, merged with your final report, etc.

See Customizing PET Reports

Reference
This section explains each function available in the PET software in detail.

Project Window
 The project window displays all the information related to the project folder.
 The project title and subtitle appear in the final report, and in the ...Open project... dialog.
 The piles table displays the table as close as possible to the way it will be printed.
 The table is highly customizable: See Customizing PET reports.
 Click on any pile row to analyze the pile, edit the reflectogram, or to add tests the pile.

Top Main menu

File menu

[File]-[New Project] 

Opens the ...create a new project... dialog.

[File]-[Open project] 
Opens the ...Open a project... dialog.

[File]-[Browse for a project]

Opens a standard windows ...open... dialog. Let's you open projects that are not in the standard
folder, including network drives and CDs.
[File]-[Open project folder]
Opens the Windows folder where all the project files are stored. Useful for copying/archiving the
whole project
[File]-[Project Summary]
Shows the current project summary:

 The project title

 The number of sub-sites
 Total number of piles
 Total number of tested piles
 A summary for each sub-site: Name, number of piles and number of tested piles

[File]-[Sub-Sites]
Opens the Sub-Sites dialog, for renaming, deleting, and merging sub-sites
[File]-[Open project folder ]
Opens Windows Explorer on the project folder
[File]-[Pack project for mail (ZIP)]
Use this option to zip (compress) the whole project. The zipped project file may be sent to Piletest
experts and support as part of our SOS (Second Opinion Service), complimentary service for PET
systems under warranty.

1. Select if you must include the photos in the project folder (this will make the ZIP much larger)
2. Add free text as needed. We have created basic information to help you create an
informative SOS request.
Click [PACK] to create the ZIP file and open the project folder.
Send this ZIP to support@piletest.com for consulting,

Important Note: Piletest provides this service to support new users and for unusual cases, and relies
on the completeness of the information we receive from you. Therefore ensure that you send as
detailed information as possible that explains the issues you are encountering when asking for the
SOS service, and also include as much site data as possible.
[File]-[Report]
PET does not print directly to the printer; instead, it generates an RTF (Rich Text Format) file and
opens your word processor. Most word processors (including MS Word) recognize this file format.
This approach gives you the option to:

 Add final customizations to the report, change fonts, colors, add a preface, etc.
 Preview the report using the strong preview capabilities of the word processor
 Save the report together with the logged data
 Email the report, or Fax it directly from the computer

You have the following options which affect the visibility of the report.
See also Appendix # - Customizing PET reports
Sub-Sites
All: Print report for all sub-sites.
Current: Print report for the current sub-site only.
Options
New page for each sub-site: When this option is checked, PET will add a page-break after each sub-
site
One page per pile: This changes the report table format, each pile is printed in one page, the
reflectogram column will be printed as a separate table cell using the full width of the paper.
A photo, if available, will be added below the table.
Skip non-tested piles: If unchecked, the report will include even piles which were added to the
project, but not tested.
Print planned length mark: Adds the red triangle to the report.
Print all impacts: Prints all the impact reflectograms, stacked.
Row Height
As seen on screen: The row height of each pile will match the height on screen.
Override with: Overwrites per-pile row height, and instead prints all piles using the same row height.
Dates
All: Print report for all piles.
Monthly: Print report for all piles tested during the current month.
Daily: Print report for piles tested today.
Last opened:  Prints just the most recently opened pile.

Word97 format (Deprecated)

For backwards compatibility - When checked, the generated file will be readable by Word97, but not
by later versions.
See also:
Sub-Sites  Modify-All  Customizing PET reports

[File]-[Printer setup]
Opens the printer setup dialog (depends on your printer hardware). Use this to select paper size and
orientation, as well as other printer specific options (such as quality, color, etc.).
[File]-[Page Setup]
Opens the page setup dialog, allows setting paper margins.
[File]-[Exit]
Closes PET.
Note that there is no need for a ...Save... option. Projects and files are always saved to disk.
[File]-[1...9]
A quick way to open one of the most-recently-used projects.

Pile menu
[Pile]-[Add]
Opens the ...New pile... dialog. Also available with the direct button 
[Pile]-[Add Multiple Piles]
Opens a dialog with which you can add a series of pile numbers with desired prefix, suffix, length
and wave speed.

[Pile]-[Remove]
Removes the currently selected pile from the project. If the file contains data, a confirmation
message box appears.
Removed pile files are moved into the Windows recycle bin. To restore a removed pile into the
project, locate it using Windows Explorer, right-click it and select [Restore]. You will than need to
close and re-open the project to make PET software register the added file.
[Pile]-[Sort]

Also available with the direct button 

Opens the pile-sort dialog, which allows you to define the sort priority.

 Sub-Site
 Month/Day/None
 Pile's name

[Pile]-[Modify-All]
Opens a dialog where you can do bulk-editing of pile parameters.
Using this dialog you can bulk-edit all piles in the current sub-site or project.
Tip: "Modify-All" is one of the many Labor saving features in the PET software.
There are seven fields that can be used for bulk-editing. You can adjust these fields by dragging the
black bar to the desired value.
Note: if you leave a field unchecked - no changes will be made
Drag the black bar to set the value of the desired parameter
Row Height
Use this option to control the height of the printed rows in the report.
To print 10 piles per page, set the row height to 200%. This number may change according to your
paper size, margins and printing preferences.
Length Scale
Enter the graph scale (X-axis value where the graph ends). Your report will look better, and it is
easier to compare reflectograms of different piles if all are at the same scale.
Wave Speed
Wave speed of all piles cast of the same age is likely to be identical.
Amplification
Change the amplification to compensate for the soil friction until the toe reflection appears the same
size as the hammer impact.
Filter
Choose a filtering value, to eliminate high-frequency noise and obtain a smooth curve. The program
uses a numerical low-pass filter. Here it is useful if there is a common noise which is associated with
the site location.
Sharpness
Use sharpening to enhance some features (do not overuse it).

Planned Length
Enter the piles planned length. This is useful if this piece of information only becomes available
AFTER the piles have been tested speed
Apply To
Select whether to limit the scope of changes to the current sub-site, or to the whole project.
[Pile]-[Match]
Background:
Signal matching is an advanced analysis technique that helps you find a synthetic pile profile shape
that would, theoretically and simplistically, produce a reflectogram that matches the recorded one
with good proximity. The assumption that two profiles producing similar reflectograms are also
similar isn't always correct. However, this method helps by providing secondary advice.
You may change the friction/impedance profiles manually to maximize the ...match quality....

 Move a point by dragging it

 Add a point by clicking between two existing points
 Delete a point by right-clicking on it
To match automatically - Choose the Match Range and press [Match].

 You may set a limit to the number of points that make up the profile
 You may stop at any stage to change the friction profile and/or the impedance profile and
then resume the matching process until a good fit is obtained.
 [Match Quality %] is a numeric indication of the similarity between the measured and the
calculated reflectograms.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:

Since this is an inverse problem, it has no unique solution. The impedance profile
obtained is just one solution. It must be analyzed by an experienced engineer based on
the soil profile and construction method before it is included in the report.

[Pile]-[Show Pile Counter]

Shows/Hides a simple counter that gets incremented on each pile tested. Double-click the counter to
reset it.
This can be used when there is a request to test just a certain number of piles, or as a general way
to track your progress.
Tools Menu

[Tools]-[Options]
Opens the Options dialog, where you can customize the report columns and fonts, screen keyboard,
logo, unit code and logger ID.
Columns Tab
Check each of the possible report columns that you want to appear in the main window and in the
report.
Change the caption of the column to customize it (for example you can use the term ...Shaft...
instead of ...Pile..., or use a localized name)
Fonts Tab
Click to select the font of each report item.
Click [Default] to return to the default ...factory settings....
Tip: Use consistent font styles in the report to achieve a professional-looking report.
Logo Tab
Enter the FULL path of your logo file to make it appear in the final report which comes in RTF format
and can be used by most work processors including MS WORD.
The logo file may be saved in most graphics formats. Recommended size is 600 pixels wide and 300
pixels high.
Note: Actual Logo size is calculated for 300 DPI.
For example: your logo is 600 pixels wide X 300 pixels high, it will print as 2... X 1..., regardless of
your printer resolution.
Tip: If you plan to send your reports by fax, use a logo design that looks good in Black & White, not a
color logo.
Misc. Tab
Unit Code

Note - Only applicable if you have more than one PET unit
This is the prefix of the pile's file name. Use a unique prefix for each unit to avoid conflicting names.
Logger ID

Click to enter the Name/ID of the person doing the field testing.
This will be the default for each new pile
When you select the ...Show this message at startup... option, you will be prompted for the logger ID
each time you start the PET software.
Units

Choose to use Metric (SI) or English (Imperial) units

Advanced Tab
This tab allows you to select the colors of the following lines and markers (scroll down for all
options):
Average impact line, Grid lines, Length marker, Planned length, Stacked impact lines, Compared
pile lines, FFT line, Signal matching calculated pile line, Highlighted Impact color, Amplification line
Scroll down to the bottom to select a virtual keyboard for use with pen driven devices. There is no
need to select this option for other touchscreen based devices.
       
[Tools]-[Signal Options]
Opens the multi-tab Signal options dialog, where you can modify the trigger options, signal
convergence, display convention and additional settings.
Trigger tab

This shows the basic impact trigger parameters.

Level in milli-g (mg)
Enter the hammer-tap amplitude [mg] needed to trigger sampling. Only impacts with amplitude
higher than this value will be passed to the PET software.
Note: Please do not change this value.
Pre-trigger
Enter the length of the curve before the top of the trigger pulse.
Sets the amount of data that is kept before the trigger point. The recommended value is 200 cm (2
meters).
Note: Please do not change this value.
Beep at each blow
When checked, the computer will play a short beep sound on each recorded impact.

Trigger + tab

This option shows advanced impact trigger parameters.

All advanced impact trigger options are highly recommended in routine work as they can save
considerable amount of labor.
You should however disable these options in hard-to-test cases, where you want to collect any
impact, and sort it later in the office.
All features in this tab are Labor saving features
Use smart options
This feature disables all advanced impact trigger options.
Use Smart-Trigger� quick-reject
When checked, PET will apply an algorithm on each triggered pulse to determine if it is a valid
hammer impact, or noise from an unintentional movement of the sensor. The algorithm usually
rejects more than 80% of the noise pulses, and accepts 80% of the good ones, so it is
recommended to use this feature unless the pile top is badly prepared, and it is hard to get a good
hammer impact.
SmartTrigger� examines the shape of the impact and not just the amplitude. It searches for a
trigger shape that is not too wide/narrow and roughly symmetrical. This feature permits PET to use a
low and very sensitive trigger level and still ignore random movements and noise.
Auto sort
Check this option to limit the number of collected impacts. When an additional impact is taken, the
impacts are sorted and the most irregular one is removed. Using this option will allow you to reduce
the amount of post-processing effort in the office later.
Convergence
Convergence is an indication that enough impacts have been collected, and that additional impacts
will not have a significant effect on the average. You can control the accuracy of the convergence in
this tab.
Once convergence is reached, a ...Convergence... message will flash across the graph. The
message is informational: it does not set a mandatory requirement and you may stop testing before
this message appears or continue after it appears.
Average change %
Use this option to select the convergence accuracy. A smaller value means more similar impacts
must be collected in order to reach convergence.
Good values to work with are typically in the range of 5-15%.
Number of impacts
Select the minimal number of impacts that must be collected before a convergence can be declared.
(3-20)
When sending a less experienced technician to the site, you can set this value to high (for example
30) and ask the technician to collect impacts until convergence is reached. It is always easier to
remove bad impacts in the office than to have to go back to the site.
Up / Down tab

There are two popular presentation methods, regarding the polarity of velocities. After getting used
to one, it is hard to analyze the others.
There is NO theoretical significance to the direction of presentation; it is simply a matter of habit. The
PET software supports both methods.
Down
Down velocities are plotted down - this is recommended as is makes more physical sense.
Up
Up-velocities are plotted on the positive Y-axis
Standards tab

Check this option when operating according to Chinese standards.

[Tools]-[Data Source]
Opens the data source selector dialog, where you can select whether PET uses USB, Bluetooth or a
simulated data source. This option is intended for education, demonstration and practice purposes.
See: Connecting the Bluetooth PET to Windows
[Tools]-[Language]
Choose the User Interface language. We currently fully support English and Spanish, and have
partial support for additional languages.
Your language - The software was designed to enable multilingual support. You can add support for
your own language by translating a terminology table (the GUI strings). Piletest can compile this into
your version of the software - please contact support@piletest.com for details.
[Tools]-[Calc and add average pile]
Add a virtual pile to the current sub-site called ...Average.... This ...pile... includes the average
impacts of all the piles in the sub-site and it provides an ...average of averages.... This can be
processed just like any other pile.
The average piles number is useful for finding project, or sub-site wide features, such as common
soil layer interaction or ground-water table interference. You can also use this feature with the
'Compare' option, to compare this average with any other pile reflectogram.
Average only works if all piles in the sub-site are uniform (similar length and age).
[Tools]-[Wave speed Calculator]
Opens the Wave Speed Calculator dialog that allows you to obtain an initial wave speed value,
based on concrete age and grade.
See also ...Wave velocity in young concrete...

[Tools]-[ Edit configuration file (advanced)]

Warning: Contact Piletest support before using this option.

Help Menu
[Help]-[About]
Shows PET version number and legal information.
[Help]-[Contents]
Opens the PET User Manual.
[Help]-[Tip of the day]
Shows the tips dialog.
Note: You are welcome to submit more short tips to info@piletest.com for the benefit of the PET
users community.
[Help]-[Tutorial]
Teaches you how to operate the PET. read more...
Additional Features and Buttons in the Project Window
Toolbar
The toolbar provides one-click control to perform common actions:

   New project

   Open project

   Add a pile to  the currently open project

   Remove the selected pile

   Sort piles

   Options 

   Show help

Pile window
Pile Name
Change the name of the pile, up to 40 characters. You can use localized names.
Note: Two piles in the same sub-site cannot have the same name.

Sub-Site
Select the sub-site to locate this pile.

Planned length
Drag the red triangle right or left to set the planned length.
Start / Stop
This is a dual mode button. When the accelerometer is positioned on the pile, press Start to begin
collecting hammer impacts.
The impacts will appear in Impacts section in the Pile window below. When you have collected
enough hammer impacts press Stop.

Impact tab

 Amp - to compensate for soil friction until the toe reflection appears the same size as the
hammer impact.

 Auto - Click [A], to set the amplification value automatically

 Filter - Apply smoothing using the filter (be careful not to overuse this feature)
 Scale axis - Change the scale of the graph by dragging the scale axis right or left.
 Sharp - Use sharpening to enhance some features (be careful not to overuse this feature)
  Length marker - Change the position of the suggested length mark (red marker on the
reflectogram axis) by dragging it.
The PET software automatically sets the length marker at the lowest point of the average
reflectogram after each recorded impact.
 Planned length marker - Drag the top of the Red triangle to mark the planned length of the
pile for reference.
 End-Of-Line Mark - Drag the red square to change the total length of the reflectogram (up to
3 times the initial planned length, but not less than 2 m). The position of the End-Of-Line
marker is where the maximal amplification is applied.

View
Press View to select viewing:

 Stacked view of impacts.

 FFT curve - the plot is shown below in green in the reflectogram.
 Amplification curve - the plot is shown below in light blue in the reflectogram.
 Impacts panel on the right of the reflectogram.
 Open the Signal options dialog

Compare
Press Compare and select a pile (by pile name) to present. The pile is represented in the
reflectogram as a light dotted line (red-colored dotted line in the reflectogram below).
Data tab
When you have finished analyzing the pile test results use the Data tab to classify the pile.
You can set both the certainty of the pile length measurement, and add free text notes to describe
the measured results of the pile. You can add additional notes to the notes list (+Add to list) and also
remove old notes (-Remove from list)
Length certainty
Click the button to change the reported length. The options are:

 Normal (a number)
 Uncertain (a number with a question mark), or
 Unknown (a question mark only)

For example: (12.3 --> 12.4? --> ?)

This is used to express the uncertainty of the reported length. Any method has limitations, and a
good tester is aware of those limitations and uses the certainty tag to show cases where the method
is unable to provide results with a high degree of certainty.
Pile Notes
Enter notes which are specific to the pile, for example "Head needs trimming", "Anomaly at 6 m" or
"Cannot see toe reflection"
Enter pile notes, or select notes/comments for this pile from the history.
TIP: When editing pile notes, click on the reflectogram to insert the length into the Notes.
Stored Notes

You can store a list of typical notes as templates, to save re-typing them each time.
[+Add to list]
Add the current note to the stored notes list.
[-Remove from list]
Remove the currently selected note from the stored notes list.
TIP: Enter the hash (#) character into a stored note to represent length. This hash character will be
replaced by the length you clicked on the reflectogram.
For example: enter and store the note ...Possible necking at #.... Click on the reflectogram at 5.2 m,
the text will change to ...Possible necking at 5.2 m...
See additional Labor saving features

Info tab
Use this tab in the pile window to view all the information which identifies this pile.
Press [Export] to export this data to a CSV file for general use, and for documentation and follow up
later in the office.
If the pile was tested using the Android app (V2.0 or later) it may contain GPS location and / or a
photo of the pile.
Press [Photo]* to view it. You can also insert the photo in the final report. See Customizing PET
reports.
Press [Map]* to open the maps application in your Internet browser and show the (recorded) location
of the pile.
* This option is only available when the pile was tested using an Android device equipped with a
GPS receiver and a camera.

Features by Task
Projects, Sub-sites and Files
Background
PET uses one dedicated folder to store projects. ...Home folder... is the software term for ...A root
folder that holds all projects...
...<documents\Pile Testing... is the default path for the home folder.
Projects are stored as sub-folders of the home folder.
Each pile (all impacts and metadata) is stored a separate file (with the extension .PP) under the
project folder.
A project folder also contains a file called ...PROJECT.INI..., which is a text file storing the project's
titles and other miscellaneous settings
A pile's filename is made up of a unit code, a system-wide unique number and the extension
....PP....
For example: B0000059.PP
  B is the unit code (Only relevant for users with more than one PET unit)
 000059 means this is the 59th pile stored on this system
 .PP is the file extension

This naming scheme ensures that no two piles will ever get the same file name, and no test work will
get overwritten and lost.
For example:
C:users\john\documents\PILE_TESTING   <-- The ...Home folder...
├───1003                              <-- A project
│   ├───A00059.PP                     <-- A pile
│   ├───A00060.PP                     <-- Another pile
│   ├───A00060.JPG                    <-- A photo of the above pile
│   └───PROJECT.INI                   <-- The project settings
│  
│  
├───1004                 <-- Another project
⋮

Sub-Sites
Sub-sites are a way to ...break up... a project into smaller parts that are easier to manage and can
produce a clearer report.
For example, if the project contains several buildings, each building can be used as a sub-site. Piles
on different buildings may then have the same designation.
Sub-site names are stored in each pile's file. When you open a project, piles are grouped by sub-
site.
When the last pile of a sub-site was moved to a different sub-site or deleted, the sub-site is removed.
There can be no empty sub-sites.
A new pile in a new project is created in the ...default... sub-site. This name will not appear in the
report. If you create a new pile in a new sub-site, PET will suggest that you rename the ...Default...
sub-site to a more meaningful name, to avoid confusion.

Tasks
Starting a new project
1. From the Main Menu, select [File]-[New project]
2. Verify that the ...Home folder... points to the correct path
3. Enter the name or number of the project and click [OK]

PET will create a new folder under the home folder, and will create the file PROJECT.INI
TIP: Use project numbers, rather than names. This makes it easier to find and manage many
projects.

Opening an existing project

If the file was created or opened recently, you can find it in the ...most recently used... list under
the ...file... menu

1. From the Main Menu, select [File]-[Open project]

2. Verify that the ...Home folder... points to the correct path, or click [Home Folder] to change it
3. Select the project and click [OK]

TIP: The title you give the project is displayed when you look for a project to open.

Deleting, renaming & merging sub-sites

From the Main Menu, select [File]-[Sub-Sites], select the appropriate sub-site and the proper action.

Saving a project
There is no option and no need to save a project as all changes are saved automatically.

Transferring project files to another computer

After the first (or only) visit to the site, copy the folder of the whole project to the target. You can
normally do this by dragging the project's folder to the target.
On future visits sort the source folder by date and only copy the latest added files to the target
computer.

Sending piles by email

If you only intend to send a small number of files then you can send them all as a single attachment.
We recommend that you compress the files using WinZip or a similar file compression program.
Note: Email cannot send or receive large attachments.

Exporting Pile Data to CSV format

After testing a pile, the pile data can be exported to a CSV (Comma Delimited text format) which is
readable by most spreadsheet software and text editors. This can be used for research and for
exporting to alternative analysis software.
To export the data, first select a pile. In the Pile window, select the Info tab. Click on ...Export...
to export the full pile information to CSV format and open your assigned spreadsheet application
(such as MS Excel).

PET will create a CSV file by adding the ....CSV... extension to the name of the pile.
An example of the CSV format is shown here:

Pile
Foo-45
name:
Subsite: Tower 2 / PC2
Filename: C:\Pile Testing\foobar - 2nd\A0000110.pp
Created: 7-22-2004
Samples: 20 impacts
each of 576 samples
at 50.0KHz
Impacts:
Avg Impact1 Impact2 Impact3 ...
-1 43 -33 -29 ...
4 89 -20 22 ...
-3 -31 18 -43 ...
5 6 -17 2 ...
1 -28 11 58 ...
-8 -1 14 -25 ...
-5 17 58 36 ...
-11 20 17 21 ...
... ... ... ... ...
The first seven rows contain general data about the pile. The following rows show the average data,
and each impact value.
Each row is a sample value, with equal time differences defined by the sampling rate (32KHz here).
Sample values are integers. To convert the values to acceleration [g] multiply by 0.000244140625
(=1/1000 hex).
To plot the raw data, select a column, and click the chart icon.
Note: To convert this to a PET-like plot, you will need to implement your own algorithms for example
for filtering, and integrating the raw data.

Using the FFT curve

[X] Check the FFT checkbox (in the View Popup menu in the Pile window) of an existing tested pile
to show/hide the green FFT curve.
Background
The FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) is a frequency-domain analysis of the time-domain signal.
For simplicity, PET converts frequencies to length (using the current wave speed)
For example, if the wave speed is 4000 m/s, a frequency of 1 KHz is displayed at 2 m.
Usage
The FFT curve is usually smooth (with several peaks resulting from the signal shape, and the FFT
algorithm).

The FFT curve can sometimes help quantify the location of shallow anomalies. For example, a
reflectogram is shown below, with some periodic noise, a sharp peak in the FFT curve is clearly
visible, and a possible analysis is a necking at ~2.8 m (which is hard to quantify from the time-
domain curve).
Wave speed calculator
From the main menu select [Tools]-[Wave speed Calculator], or, when adding a new pile click on the

[Calc] button  from the impact tab in the Pile window.

Grade - Drag the black bar to set the specified grade of concrete strength.
Concrete age - Drag the black bar to set the known concrete age.
These two parameters set the expected wave speed in the concrete.
When adding a new pile, the calculated wave speed is automatically used as the wave speed.

Background
Wave speed in a rod is given by c=√(E/ρ). The mass density ρ is determined at the moment of
concreting and hence does not change. Young's Modulus E, however, tends to increase as the
concrete hardens, albeit at a decreasing rate. As a result, c increases with the age of the concrete.
The relationship between the wave speed (in m/sec) and age for 30 MPa concrete is given by (Amir,
1988):
where t is the concrete age in days. The wave speed c for other concrete grades fc is given by:

It appears that from the age of one week onwards, c lies around the rather narrow limit of 4000m/sec
+/- 10%.

Summary of Advanced interpretation

techniques
FFT
The FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) is a frequency-domain analysis of the time-domain signal - read
more...

Average pile
Add a virtual average pile - read more

Compare
TODO: brief description - and link to reference

Signal Matching
Signal matching is an advanced analysis technique that helps you guess a possible pile profile. read
more...

Customizing PET reports

The PET software provides many different options that enable you to customize your report.

Add your logo

[Tools]-[Options]-[Logo]
Most graphics formats are accepted
Titles
Add a title and a sub-title,
The titles are saved in the project.ini file, in the project folder.

Column width
Modify the column widths by dragging the column separator so that (for example) the ...Details... and
the "Date" columns don't wrap to two lines, and so that the chart is as wide as you need it to be.

Row height
[Pile]-[Modify all]
Change the row height to 200-300%
You may also select specific piles to get a higher row by dragging the separator between rows.
Row height may be overridden just before printing, in the print dialog [File]-[Report].

Chart options
[Tools]-[Options]-[Advanced]
This option enables you to change the colors and pen width of the chart lines.

Hide unused fields

[Tools]-[Options]-[Columns]
If you do not have any comments, you can leave out and hide the ...Remarks... column altogether.
You can do this with any other column as well.
This option also allows you to select which details you want to include in the report "details" column.

Fonts, Captions
[Tools]-[Options]-[Fonts]
This option enables you to change the column captions and their fonts.
This option also allows you to localize (translate) the captions if you need to localize the report to
any language other than the default.

VIP (Very Important Piles)

This option is intended for specific piles that have anomalies and require special detail - report one
pile per page (in the print dialog).
Photo
When piles are logged using an Android device with the Bluetooth PET, you can take a photo for any
pile.
When you report using the VIP mode (one page per pile), this photo is included in the report.
Note: to reduce the file size the photo is linked to the report, not saved in it. When you send the file,
first select [Edit]-[Link]-[Break link] in MS Word.

Margins, paper size

[File]-[Page setup]
This option enables you to select the page margins of your report.
[File]-[Print setup]
This option enables you to open the default printer settings dialog.

PET advisor
The PET advisor (displayed as a light bulb) is a set of automatic checks run by the PET software on
the data you have collected, advising you of potential errors.

The PET advisor cannot check for every possible mistake, and is only intended to help
you by providing hints and suggestions. The PET advisor is not a replacement for
careful analysis, but can help you find accidental errors in your report before you submit
it.

Here are some of the hints the PET advisor may provide:

 Irregular impacts - when the impact traces seem to be irregular

 High Filter value - when the Filter value is too high
 Pile too long/short - when there is a large gap between the planned and measured lengths
 Length mark beyond end-of-line
 Scale too small - when the scale isn't large enough to show the length mark, planned length
or end-of-line

There are currently more than 15 different automatic checks that the PET advisor runs on each pile.
Labor saving features
The following pile-testing features are optional, however when you begin using them in full you will
work much more efficiently.

On-screen keyboard
This is useful if you are using tablet computer. The on-screen keyboard option provides a
full/numeric keyboard, just when and where you need it. You can enable this feature from
the Options menu.

Modify-all
This feature enables you to apply wave speed, reporting row height, and other settings to all piles,
instead of one-by-one. This feature can be accessed from the Modify All dialog.

Insert multiple piles

If you need to test a large number of piles in a retaining wall numbered 1 to 100 for example you can
use the ...Add multiple piles... feature. This feature can be accessed from the Pile tab on the top
menu.

Reporting
When you print a report from the PET software creates an RTF (Rich Text Format) file and opens it
using your word processing software, instead of printed it to paper. This enables you to perform any
last-minute final customizations, and merge your report with other documents, an e-fax or email.

Convergence
As soon as a sufficient number of impacts have been performed, performing additional impacts has
only a marginal effect on the average result. Use the Convergence options to accurately define just
how many impacts are ...enough....

Auto-Sort
Why keep irregular impacts? With Auto-Sort you can set the desired numbers of impacts to collect.
Once this number is reached, the impacts are sorted and the most irregular one are removed to the
recycle bin.

Smart trigger
When moving around the pile head, many false impacts are triggered by random accelerometer
movement. The SmartTrigger looks at the trigger shape, and removes >80% of the false triggers,
while passing >80% of the good ones.

Sort impacts
After you have collected a large number of impacts, the next step is to remove the irregular impacts.
Click the ...sort... button  to sort the impacts by their abnormality (...distance... from the average).
The abnormal impacts are then moved to the top of the stack making is easier for you to remove
them. The Auto-Sort feature performs the same task automatically.

Notes standard
To avoid having to type the same notes over and over again for many piles, click on the [Data] tab
and build up your own custom notes list that you can use as templates.

Contacting Piletest
As a new user we try to support you as best we can. Your success is our success. Please do not
hesitate to contact us whenever necessary.
Piletest engineers will help you:

 Create your first report

 Review and modify your second report
 Review additional reports, until you are confident to continue on your own
 Review any additional interesting or unusual cases

All of the above is part of SOS support program, complimentary with every new PET purchase.
To get support:

 Select [File]-[Consult with Piletest]

OR

 Email support@piletest.com - attach the raw data archive, and any additional information
such as soil profile, drilling method, groundwater table, etc... The more details you can
provide, the better.

PET for Android 

Background
The 'PET - Pile Echo Tester' is an Android application (henceforth App) that you can install from
the Google Play Store. The App runs on almost any Android device and connects to the PET
Bluetooth hardware for use as a convenient data collector.
The main focus of the App is ease of use and productivity. The App is not intended for advanced
analysis or reporting.
The main features of the app are:

 OS: The Android PET App runs on most Android devices, with Android SW version 4.1 and
higher. No iPhone support is provided.
 HW: The Android PET connects only to the PET Bluetooth hardware. There is no support for
the PET USB hardware.
 Data: The logged data is identical in quality and format to the data collected by USB PET
version for Windows.
  Goal: The Android PET is intended only for field data collection, and does not provide
advanced analysis, or reporting capabilities.

Setup
Search for, download and install the PET - Pile Echo Tester App from Google Play.

We recommended that you select the installation as an [Automatic upgrade] so that you will get new
versions automatically.

Reference
Projects list
The main window of the App displays the projects list. Each row shows the project name, title and
number of piles.
The first time you use the App you will see a pre-install "Example" project with just one pile.
Click on:

 A project row to open it

 The top [Wrench] icon - to open the Options Window
 The (+) icon to add a project

Project window
The project window shows the project piles.
The title line shows the project name and the total number of piles.
Each row displays the name, measured length and test date of a pile.
Click on:

 The [Wrench] icon - to open the Options window

 The [?] icon - to see project summary
 The [Share] icon - to zip and share the project (Sharing options depend on your device and
may include mail, Bluetooth and more)
 The [Titles] header - to edit the Title, and Sub-title, or to select a sub-site
 A pile row - to open it for additional processing or testing
 The (+) icon - to add a pile

Press and hold a pile row to display the following menu:

[X] Delete - to delete a pile from the project
(i) Information - to show pile info
(?) - to see a project summary
[Share icon] - to zip and share the project

Pile window
Double-click on a pile row to open the pile details window, and display the reflectogram.
The Pile window shows one pile at a time, with all controls needed for basic field analysis.
This window was designed to give you enough control to allow you to leave the site with enough
high-quality information.
There is a row of control buttons at the top of the screen. You can drag the button bar left or right to
view more options. The control buttons are:
[Reset] [Options] [Name] [Subsite] [Notes] [Camera] [Wave speed] [Wave speed Calculator] [Filter]
[Sharp] [Map] [Delete] [Undelete] [Exit without saving]

Buttons and controls

This section describes the function of the buttons and controls in the Pile Window.
Start testing

1. Put your Bluetooth PET sensor in "discoverable" mode (LED Heartbeats) and click the [Start]
button. See LED Indications.
The icon changes to an hour glass.
2. The app will now provide connection instructions to the Bluetooth PET sensor, including
initial pairing (PIN is 1234).
If the device is already paired with the sensor, it will connect immediately
 3. Once connected, start tapping normally to collect impacts.

When a connection has been established the app will open the device location hardware (GPS) and
will add the location and accuracy data to the file.
Note: Please remember that the recorded location is of the device and not the sensor or the pile.
See Geo-Tagging
Reset

Click this button to erase all impacts and begin again.

Note: To prevent accidental deletion, you need to press and hold this button to delete all impacts.

Settings

Click this button to open the settings dialog.

Pile Name

Click this button to enter a name for the Pile.

Subsite
Click this button to select the pile sub-site or create a new sub-site.

Pile picture

Click this button to take a photo of the pile using the camera in your mobile device. The photo will
have the exact same name as the pile, with the .JPG extension, and it is stored on the same folder.

Wave speed

Click this button to change the wave speed (Multiples of 50m/s).

Click this button to open the wave speed calculator.
Press the + and - buttons on the right and left to set the Age and the Grade of the concrete. This will
automatically update the Wave speed relevant for the specified concrete type of concrete. Press OK
to apply the changes.

Filter

Click this button to change the filter value by pressing the + and - buttons.

Sharpness

Click this button to change the sharpness value by pressing the + and - buttons.

GPS location

Click this button to open the map application on your mobile phone, and store the location of the pile.

Selecting impacts
Click this button to add pile notes.

Click this button to move the highlighted impact to the recycle bin.
To highlight an irregular impact, simply tap on it the line in the graph where there no other controls.

Click this button to restore the last deleted impact from the recycle bin.

Click this button to exit the pile window, and return to the project window without saving your work.
Note: To prevent accidental loss of data, you need to press and hold this button to exit without
saving.

The following section describes the pile window functions

Amplification
Drag the Amp drawer up and down to change amplification value.
Tip: Once started to drag, you may move your finger to the right to see the values.
Planned length

Drag the triangle to the desired depth planned length value.

Pile length
Drag the vertical line to modify the automatically-selected measured length of the pile.

End of Line marker

Drag the square to set the location of the end-of-line mark.

Reflectogram scale
Drag the scale right or left to change the scale value.

Options menu

Use SmartTrigger
Use this to option to enable or disable the SmartTrigger option.
AutoSort settings
Use this to option to modify the AutoSort settings.
Units
Use this to option to select Metric/Imperial (UK or US) units.
Reflectogram direction
Use this to option to swaps the direction of the reflectogram up or down.
Color Scheme
Use this to option to select a brighter color scheme for improved outdoor visibility under direct
sunlight (Recommended).
Use Sound Effects
When this option is checked, The App will use special sounds for:

 Accepted impacts
 Rejected impacts by smartTrigger (the device will also vibrate, if available)
 Rejected impacts by AutoSort (the device will also vibrate, if available)
 Sensor connected
 Sensor disconnected

TIP: In a noisy building site, it is almost impossible to hear the device sounds. Consider using a
Bluetooth earpiece.

Home folder
Select a folder on your device where all projects are located. By default this is [Pile testing].
See Projects, Sub-sites and files.

DropBox integration
Click to link (or unlink) your device using DropBox.
Once linked, each time you save a pile, it is also synced to your Dropbox.
The project will be available under \<your Dropbox folder>\Apps\Piletest.PET\<Project name>
DropBox integration has two advantages:

1. It provides you with a seamless backup

2. The backup is automatic

About PET
This button shows the App version, copyright information, a link to Piletest.com web site and a link to
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Appendixes
Appendix 1 - Theoretical Background
Stress-wave Theory
When we have completed testing our piles we still need to analyze the results and reach some
conclusions regarding the acceptability of the length, continuity and changes in cross-section of the
pile. To understand the meaning of our reflectograms, we must first look into some basic principles
of one-dimensional stress-wave propagation.

Wave Propagation in Elastic Rods

When we strike the top of the pile with the hammer, we create a compression stress-wave that
moves downwards.
The analysis of wave propagation in piles is fairly straightforward, provided we make a few
reasonable assumptions:

 The pile is prismatic (or cylindrical), with cross-section A, elastic with Young's Modulus E and
homogeneous with mass density ρ.
 The wavelength is larger than the lateral dimension of the rod.
 Cross sections remain plane, parallel and uniformly stressed.
 Lateral inertia effects are negligible
Let us now examine an element along the rod (Figure 1). If we denote the stress above the element
by σ and below the element by σ + (∂σ/∂x) Δx, the unbalanced force on the element is (∂σ/∂x)Δx.
According to Newton's second law (force equals mass times acceleration):

      
 Because of elasticity,

Substituting σ and eliminating both A and Δx on both sides of equation (1), we get:

This is the one-dimensional wave equation for a prismatic rod. c = √(E/ρ) is the speed of wave
propagation in the rod as distinct from v = ∂u/∂t which is the particle velocity.

Figure 1: Wave propagation in an elastic rod

Using Hooke's Law, we can show that the force P acting on a given plane is proportional to the
particle velocity v:
The coefficient Z = Acρ is called the impedance, with typically measured in kg/sec. Alternative
expressions for Z are A·√(Eρ) and E·A/c.

Reflection from the end

When waves propagate in a finite rod, they will eventually reach the end. The wave will then be
reflected back, with the nature of the reflection depending on the boundary conditions at the end:
When the end is fixed, the wave will be reflected unchanged, that is a compressive wave will be
reflected as compressive, and vice versa. On the other hand, a wave reflected from a free end will
change sign from compressive to tensile, and vice versa.
If we take a prismatic rod with a given length L, and apply a short duration (dynamic) load to one
end, the wave created will travel along the rod and return from the other end. The duration of the
whole trip is T = 2·L/c.

Discontinuities in rods
A discontinuity in a rod is defined as an abrupt change in either cross-section (From A1 to A2) or
material properties E and ρ. When a wave traveling in a rod meets such a discontinuity, a part of it
will be reflected back while another part will be transmitted beyond the discontinuity (Figure 2). Let
us represent the incident wave parameters by the index i, while r and t will denote the reflected and
transmitted waves, respectively.

Figure 2: A rod with a discontinuity

From equilibrium and continuity considerations, we can get the following relationships:

   (6)
And:
    (7)
These two equations enable us to calculate the behavior of a wave as it moves along a rod of an
arbitrary shape. A convenient way to visualize the process is to represent the wave propagation in
the x-t plane. The lines on this plane describing the propagation of longitudinal waves in a rod are
called characteristics.
Figure 3 shows the characteristics for a rod with a reduced cross-section. The figures beside the
lines are the respective stresses, calculated from equations (6) and (7).
Using the characteristics method, we can draw a graph showing the wave speed at the top of the
pile versus time. Such a graph (Figure 3) is called a reflectogram.
Figure 3:
Characteristics for a rod with a reduced cross-section
(Courtesy of Vyncke & van Nieuwenburg 1987)

Damping
The above analysis of wave phenomena in prismatic rods was based on the assumption of zero skin
friction. However when the rod is embedded in solid material, the situation changes. The rod particle
displacement, which is associated with the wave, will give rise to skin friction forces in the opposite
direction. To visualize the effect of these forces, let us consider the case of a compressive wave
traveling downwards in a rod (Figure 4). As the wave passes the point x = a, it gives rise to a friction

force F acting upwards.

For the sake of simplicity, let us assume an elastic, linear friction model.
The friction force F gives rise to a pair of waves, each equal in magnitude to F/2: A reflected wave
and a transmitted wave. The reflected wave is of the same type of the incident wave. A compressive
wave will cause a compressive reflection, and vice versa. Thus, the reflection due to skin friction has
a similar effect to an increase in the impedance.
The transmitted component is superposed on the incident wave. Since it is of opposite sign, the net
result is a weakening, or damping, of the wave. The total energy in the rod is decreased by friction,
the difference being radiated to the surrounding medium.

Figure 4: Skin friction

Appendix 2 - PET length markers

There are three length marks in the pile window

Reflectogram window screenshot

  The red vertical line is the MEASURED length (length marker)
o The measured length marker should be placed on a reflection which represents the
toe of the pile.
This will also appears in:
 The project window summarizing all the piles in the project
 The report table
 The report summary table
 The red triangle at the top is the PLANNED length
o The planned length should be set before starting to test - it will automatically set the
sample duration, scale and end-of-line mark to good default values
o Use this mark for reference of expected length, when viewing the reflectogram
o The planned length optionally appears in the report
o The planned length will also allow you to quickly identify a length anomaly.
 The rightmost red square is the END-OF-LINE length
o At the end-of-line the amplification is maximal
o This marker should be set a few meters beyond the planned length (triangle marker).
Only then the Impact parameters (see below) of Amplification, Filter, Sharp, Speed
should be adjusted to improve the viewed results
o The end-of-line value does not appear in any report

Appendix 3 - Beginner's guide to PET Analysis

A step-by-step guide for PET results analysis
Important Note: The following procedure is only a demonstration of what we at Piletest.com consider
good testing practice and is no substitute for sound engineering judgment. Any conclusions and/or
recommendations based on the test results are the sole responsibility of the user.

Basic Analysis
1. If you have reliable information regarding the age of the pile and the grade of the concrete
use the wave speed calculator to set the speed, otherwise use a wave speed of 4000m/s as
a rough default, and expect 10-15% offset of the measured length. The wave speed can be
revised later in the office.
2. Set the Amplification (Amp) to 1.0 (=no amplification), check for impacts with abnormal
trigger shape and delete them.

Note: Deleted impacts actually remain in the pile's recycle bin and may be un-deleted at any time.

You should be left with a good number of similar impacts, 10 or more is ok, 3 is the absolute
minimum.
3. Drag the end-of-line mark (red square) to a few meters beyond the expected length.
4. Set the filter and sharp values to their maximum values.
5. Increase the amplification until you see a clear toe reflection.
Typical Amplification values are length (m) X 5 to length (m) X 15, but this can vary
considerably.
6. If you see a possible toe reflection, drag the length mark to that point.
Note: If the piles are perfectly rock-socketed, the toe reflection is expected to be in the direction
opposite of the trigger.
Tip: In short piles with low friction you can try to increase the scale and end-of-line mark to more
than twice the expected length, and look for a second reflection from the toe. In hard soils or long
piles you will not normally see a second reflection.
If you do see a second reflection, it gives you a higher certainty of the location of the length marker.
Tip: If you have a difficult case with just a few good impacts, delete and undelete impacts to see the
effect on the average

7. If you still cannot find a clear toe reflection, try to expand your search to a few meters before
or after the expected length. If nothing is visible, the reasons might be:

 Pile is beyond the limitations of the method (too slender, too much friction).
You can note this in the report as follows: ...Could not see toe reflection...
 Head was not clean enough.
You can note this in the report as follows: ...Head not clean, could not see toe reflection, re-
test recommended...
 Concrete too young. Normally, a test should be performed with concrete at least 5 days old,
try to repeat the test in a week to get better results).
 You can note this in the report as follows: ...Could not see toe reflection, re-test
recommended...
 Test was not performed well, hitting loose/wet concrete, water, etc.

8. Set the filter and sharp values to zero and look for additional features before the end of the
pile.

At this point you see:

 Repetitive noise

The FFT curve may show you the location of the reflector. Depending on the severity of the
reflections, consider mentioning this in the report.
You can note this in the report as follows: ...A reflection at 1.9m.... This is typical for cased drilling.
Pilewave Example

 Necking
This appears as an early reflection, in the same direction as the toe reflection.

Pilewave Example
Tip: shallow necking might show additional reflections, all in the same direction as the trigger.
Tip: Be careful - a second reflection from a necking in the middle of the pile can sometimes be
confused with a toe reflection.
You can note this in the report as follows: ...(severe/slight) necking at _._ m...

 Bulging

This appears as an early reflection in the direction opposite to the trigger.

Pilewave Example
Tip: Shallow bulging may show additional reflections, with alternating directions. This might be
confusing.
Tip: Be careful. A second reflection from bulging in the middle of the pile can sometimes be
confused with a toe reflection/necking.
You can note this in the report as follows: ...(severe/slight) bulging at _._ m...

 Short piles

Short piles are simply piles with an early toe reflection. You can note this in the report as follows:
...Short....

9. Finally, set Filter and Sharp to reasonable values that show the main features and do not
hide information.

Tip: Do not overdo filtering and sharpening.

Advanced Analysis
Average pile
Contact us for details
Compare piles
Contact us for details
Signal matching
Contact us for details

Appendix 4 - Reporting Errors (bugs)

When the software encounters an error (bug), the following screen may pop-up.
Please send us feedback about the problem using this form, so that we can improve the PET
software for you. You will continue to receive free PET software upgrades for 10 years!

Appendix 5 - Troubleshooting
When you press [Start] A message ...USB PET could not be found...... appears, even though the
plug is inserted.
Check the following:

 Make sure the hardware drivers are installed

 Separate elements: Make sure your PC USB port is operational by plugging a disk-on-key or
similar device to the port, plug the PET into a different PC (even without PET installed) to
see the ...New hardware wizard....
 Start ...device manager... ([Start]-[My computer]-right click-[Properties]-[Hardware tab]-
[Device manager].
 Scroll down the ...Universal serial bus controllers... and locate the PET. If you see an
...unrecognized device..., right-click on the device and try to reinstall the driver.

When hitting the pile, I hear beeps, but no impact is recorded

This indicates that the impacts are strong enough, but are rejected by the smart trigger. To fix this,
check the following:

 Hit softer: you should hit sharply, lightly (equivalent to dropping the hammer from 10-20 cm)
and frequently (~2 times per second)
 Find a different spot for the sensor or hammer, make sure you do not hit a slurry mixture or
loose concrete.
 Clean or trim the pile head
 Disable ...Smart Trigger...: under difficult conditions, it is hard to get any good impacts. In this
case it may be faster to disable the smart trigger and sort the impacts manually . Remember
to re-activate the smart trigger when you are done.
 Trigger Level: Typically, a trigger level of 0.4g is just right. However, this level can be
decreased to make the PET more sensitive, or increased to make it respond only to a
stronger impact.

Impacts are very irregular

To fix this, check the following:

 Find a different spot for the sensor or hammer, make sure you do not hit a slurry mixture or
loose concrete.
 Clean or trim the pile head.
 In extreme cases, prepare a testing surface and smooth it with a disk grinder.

The system records impacts without hitting the pile:

 Trigger Level might be set too low. Typically 0.4g is just right.

 The system might be using the ...Demo... data source.
Appendix 6 - Software Upgrades
Piletest occasionally releases free software upgrades which include accumulated bug fixes, new
innovations and usability improvements.
Windows
The PET software automatically checks for a new version and will notify you as follows:

Select [Upgrade now] to close the PET software and to be redirected to the download page of the
Piletest website.
PET software upgrades are:

1. Fast
2. Do not require you to uninstall the previous version
3. Are always backwards-compatible - can read files from any previous version.

Android
New versions of Android PET will be released periodically on the Google Play Store.
If you selected the option "Upgrade Automatically" when you installed the PET App, then the App will
be upgraded automatically. If you did not select this option the Play Store will notify you of the
availability of a new upgrade that you can download and install.
Appendix 7 - Technical Specifications
PET Pro-USB

Housing Industrial-grade transducer

        enclosed in a durable
stainless steel housing
Dimensions
30mm (diameter) x 90mm
Weight (Length)
Physical
120gr (Transducer)

Temperature 2.3kg (Shipping)

range -20C to +55C (Operating)
-40C to +80C (Storage)

Power Computer USB port

Sensitivity
Linearity 100mV/g
Resonance Within 1%, 0 to 50g
frequency
Transducer 30KHz
Sampling
50KHz
frequency
24bit
Sampling
resolution
ASTM D5882-
Standards Meets or exceeds
07 (2013)
Performance Pile lengths 2m to 80m (depending on
diameter and soil profile)
Productivity
Up to 100 piles/hour by
Storage
a single operator (under
favorable conditions)
 Unlimited
Computer Requirements OS Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1, 10
Computer is NOT INCLUDED CPU 32 or 64 bit processor
Recommended: Tablet PC (with outdoor Screen 800x600 resolution or higher
display such as the Toughbook or
Toughpad by Panasonic) Interface  USB Port

PET Bluetooth

Industrial-grade transducer enclosed

Housing in highly durable polycarbonate
plastic (Lexan)
Dimensions 34mm (diameter) x 120mm (Length)
Weight 155gr (Transducer)
3kg (Shipping)

Physical -20C to +55C (Operating)

Temperature
range -40C to +80C (Storage)
IP67

Waterproof (Protection against complete

submersion in water)
2 AAA Alkaline batteries, 3V total.
Power Sufficient for
testing approximately 300 piles
Sensitivity
Linearity 100mV/g
Resonance Within 1%, 0 to 50g
frequency
Transducer 30KHz
Sampling
50KHz
frequency
16bit
Sampling
resolution
Standards ASTM D5882- Meets or exceeds this standard
 07 (2013)
2m to 80m
Pile lengths
(depending on diameter and soil
profile)
Up to 100 piles/hour by a single
Productivity
Performance operator
(under favorable conditions)
Storage Unlimited
Wireless range Up to 10 meters between transducer
and computer
Windows XP, 7, 8, 8.1, 10
Computer Requirements 32 or 64 bit processor
OS
Computer is NOT INCLUDED 800x600 resolution or higher
CPU
Recommended: Tablet PC Bluetooth 1.0 or higher
(outdoor display such as the Screen
For PET Bluetooth version - Bluetooth
Toughbook or Toughpad by Wireless antenna on tablet or PC or Android
Panasonic) Interface 4.0 or higher device with Bluetooth
support.