Optimization of pre-stressed ground anchors or grout-in-type soil nails with drilling process monitoring

Abstract

This paper presents a small and portable new in-situ technique for optimizing the design and construction pre-stressed ground anchors or grout-in type soil nails in geotechnical engineering and disaster mitigation. The technique is the drilling process monitor (DPM). It, based on modern digital technology, automatically monitors and records the conventional drilling works for both ground investigation and construction works. It measures and assesses the continuous quality & strength distribution of geomaterials in real time and along the hole. It then upgrades the drilling works to become an in-situ ground investigation technique of choice. Since formation of a drill hole is a necessary task in ground anchoring or soil nailing, the automatic monitoring of the drilling process with DPM can result a clearer understanding of the ground strength conditions and can optimize the design and construction of ground anchors and soil nails.