GEO-Instruments

800-477-2506
www.geo-instruments.com

Selected Project Overview

Optimum Instruments
February 2006
 Company History

Geo-Instruments was founded in 2003 to provide sales and

service to Geotechnical and Structural monitoring projects,
focusing on remote data collection.

We make custom instruments, and represent Soil

Instruments, UK in North America. We work with Syscom,
Instantel, Optimum Instruments, Campbell Scientific and
Lieca Geosystems to provide a full range of solutions to
measure tilt, vibration, pressure, strain, displacement and
temperature – in the earth, or on structures

2
 What we do:
 Geo-Instruments provide solutions to:
 Owners, Contractors, and Engineers to answer
questions about:
 Effects of new construction on existing abutting
structures
 Verification of design assumptions, during retaining
structure construction - in order to ensure safety,
and reduce overbuilding costs. (Observational
method)
 Monitoring existing natural geologic conditions
(landslips) in order to provide design and early
warning
 Project Cases
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Manhattan,
NY, April, 2003.
• Pier 79 Ferry Terminal, (Monitoring Lincoln Tunnel) NY,
NY May 2003
• US Supreme Court, Washington, DC
August, 2003.
• Marmet Lock and Dam Rehabilitation, Marmet, WV
2003-current
• Dulles International Airport- Taxiway Tunnel Monitoring
with Wireless Extensometers Feb, 2005- current
 Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer
Center Research Laboratory
• Remote, Optical Displacement Monitoring
of abutting properties
• Urban environment is idea for remote
monitoring with:
– Robotic total station reading 65 prisms
targets, in “real-time” with graphical site layout
– Monitoring for 100+ foot deep excavation in
Rock on the Upper East Side of Manhattan
– Provides movement data not otherwise
obtainable due to lack of access to site
MSKCC View from
Total Station
 Robotic Total Station
Mounting
• Rooftop mount overlooks subject site, and
other structures to be monitored
 Prism Installation, Looking At
Total Station (On Lower Roof)
 Pier 79 Ferry Terminal
• Monitoring Pile Driving affects on Lincoln Tunnel
in NYC.
• 30 VW Piezometers
• 12 VW Crackmeters
• 6 Remote wireless IP SYSCOM Seismographs
• Real time data processed in CM site trailer, and
published on project web Site
• Real time email alerts
 Pier 79 Ferry Terminal
• Challenges:
– Active Tunnel, needed remote real time monitoring
– Limited Access – off revenue hours 1:00am to
4:00am
• Solutions:
– Remote access to three standard CR10X dataloggers
for all VW sensors
– Developed a wireless IP interface to SYSCOM
vibration Monitors to allow real-time unattended
monitoring, via internet
Pier 79 Ferry Terminal
aerial view
SYSCOM Vibration Monitoring
System Setup
Plan View, web site
Section View Real Time
 US Supreme Court
• Monitoring historic marble structure during
adjacent excavation for underground
expansion.
• 24 IPI sensors
• 1 VW Crackmeters
• 7 Tiltmeters
• Real time data processed in CM site trailer
with, and published on project web Site,
via IP connection
Tiltmeter Installation
 Real Time
Software Display
 IPI Real Time
and Profile View
 Marmet Lock &
Dam Rehab USCOE
• Monitoring existing lock structure during construction of
new, adjacent lock.
• 180 Inplace Inclinometers (IPI sensors)
• 40 VW Piezometers
• 24 Tiltmeters
• 40+Traversing Probe Inclinometers
• Manual measurements with digital micrometer
• 30, solar powered Geomation MCU’s with radio link
• Real time data processed in CM site trailer with, and
published on project web site
• Real time email alerts
Lock Wall & Cofferdam
Lock Wall & Cofferdam
Lock Excavation
Typical Datalogger
Installation
Dulles Airport –
Wireless MPBX’s
Dulles Improvements
Dulles Overview
 New Tunnel Construction
Monitoring
• Challenges:
– Active airport taxiways,
– 24/7 tunnel operation over large area,
required remote real time monitoring
– Limited Access to instruments (active taxiway)
• Solutions:
– Automated, Wireless MPBX System for easy
field installation , and unattended data
collection. This the first of it’s kind “state of
the art” system
 What is an MPBX?
– Multiple Position Borehole eXtensometer
– Installed in a borehole, in rock or soil.
– Consists of tensioned or un-tensioned fiber
glass, or stainless steel rods, anchored at
specific depths in borehole
– Anchor movements are measured at the top,
either manually, or electronically.
– Used with Tunneling, Mining, Landslides,
retaining structures….
 Why use an MPBX?
– Safety of Airport Operations – early warning of
tunneling induced, unexpected ground loss
under airplane taxiways.
– Allows unobstructed access to Airport
operations on Taxiway.
– Allows real time access to current data.
– Battery powered for months of operation
minimizing disturbance to day to day airport
operations
 Dulles Airport Wireless
MPBX’s details
• Monitoring existing active airport taxiways during people
mover NATM and TBM tunnels.
• 2 Contracts 3E and 3W total of 69 wireless MPBX’s
• Self contained battery pack – provides up to 6 month life
• Uses DD400 with internal xtend radio transceiver –
provides data excitation, logging, and data transmission.
• Use system repeaters and base stations/IP tunnels to
send data to off site servers.
• Allows unobtrusive access to settlement/heave data
without closing active taxiways airport
• MPBX System allows easy installation and all access
from the top of hole
3E MPBX Layout
Taxiway Cross Section
Installation
Dulles 3W APM
Network Layout
MPBX Instrument
Cross Section
 Plan View of MPBX
reference head

SIGNAL CONDITIONING/LOGGER
MPBX Reference head
Assembly
MPBX Assembly –
Power Pack
Leak Testing
MPBX
Antenna/Instrument Cover
Composite
Installation in Borehole
– Hole Prep (flushing)
Installation in Borehole
– Insertion in Borehole
Installation in Borehole
– Insertion in Borehole
Installation in Borehole
– Insertion in Borehole
Installation in Borehole
– Insertion in Borehole
Installation in Borehole
– Final Grouting
Installation in Borehole
– Setting
 Programming on Runway
• Set up and troubleshooting with Wireless IP
EVDO connection

• Verification of system comms at borehole

• Easy set up in one step
• DDServer allows remote programming, if
needed
Installation in Borehole
– Antenna Fixing
Typical Web Based
Section View
Typical Trend Graph –
Battery Voltage
Thank You!