Drive-In Piezometer

Drive-In Piezometer

The Sisgeo Drive-in piezometers, also known as push-in piezometers, are designed for installation in soft clays, organic soils, or fine-grained cohesionless soils. The Drive-in piezometers are directly pushed into the ground using conventional cone penetrometers or drilling rods with adapters. The large diameter nose cone minimizes the risk of overpressure during installation.

Installation Methods:

There are two methods for installing drive-in piezometers, depending on the soil conditions and installation depth: drive the piezometer from the bottom of a borehole or drive it from the ground surface. For deeper installations, a borehole should be drilled first, followed by pushing the piezometer into the soil at the bottom of the borehole. The installation steps are as follows:

1. Insert the rod over the cable and onto the piezometer, adding more rods until the piezometer reaches the bottom of the borehole.
2. Push the piezometer into the soil at the bottom of the borehole. Throughout the process, the instrument should be connected to a read-out unit to ensure that the pressure generated during installation does not exceed the allowed full-scale value.
3. Remove the push rods and place a bentonite seal.
4. Backfill the remaining portion of the hole with a bentonite-cement mix.

Typically, the user should select bill of materials based on deployment scenario:

• Drive-In Piezometer: The main housing of the piezometer, typically made from corrosion-resistant materials such as stainless steel or titanium. It is designed for easy insertion into soft soils.
• Filter Element (Ceramic or Polyethylene): Filters the pore water before it reaches the sensor, preventing clogging from soil particles.
• Signal Cable: A cable designed for signal transmission, resistant to harsh conditions, ensuring stable connectivity.
• Data Logging Interface: This is the interface that allows the piezometer to connect with compatible data loggers for data collection and monitoring.

1. CRD-400 READOUT: CRD-400 is a new generation multipurpose readout designed to take readings of all instruments including vibrating wire.
2. OMNIAlog Datalogger: Centralized data collection for remote monitoring and analysis.
3. MIND Portable Readout: A compact, multichannel readout unit for local readings of Sisgeo instruments.
4. WR-Log Wireless Node: Wireless data transmission and remote monitoring through the node.
5. CDL Dataloggers: CDL is a family line of durable, water resistant easy-to-use portable readout which includes Galileo and New Leonardo dataloggers.

Applications of Drive-in piezometers

• Monitoring pore pressure in soft soils
• Dams and embankments
• Dewatering activities
• Natural or cut slope sites
• Deep excavations
• Diaphragm walls