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Open the official NM source PDF ↗SECTION 505: PILE INTEGRITY TESTING
505.1 Description
505.1.1 General
This Work consists of pile integrity testing for verifying stru ctural integrity and determining the extent and location of cast-in place pile (drilled shaft) d efects. Defects may include internal voids, necking of the pile’s perimeter, transverse cra cks, soil intrusions, weak concrete or grout in drilled shaft foundations.
505.1.2 Test Methods
The Contractor shall use crosshole sonic logging (CSL) performe d in accordance with ASTM D6760 (latest edition) or low strain integrity (LSI) perfo rmed in accordance with ASTM D5882 (latest edition) testing for integrity testing. The Depa rtment may require LSI testing to corroborate the results of CSL testing that show potential defe cts. Only an approved Integrity Testing Consultant or Department personnel will perform CSL or LSI Testing.
505.1.3 Consultant Integrity Testing
If an Integrity Testing Consultant is required, the consultant’ s qualifications must meet the requirements of the Geotechnical Design Section and the Equipme nt used must meet the requirements of ASTM D6760 and Section 505.3.1.1, “CSL Testing Equipment,” and ASTM D5882 and Section 505.3.1.2, “LSI Testing Equipment.” The Cont ractor shall perform field testing with an experienced technician or Engineer having at le ast one (1) year of experience with the integrity testing methods. The Contractor shall use a licensed professional Engineer having at least three (3) years of experience in the integrity testing methods performed to interpret the recorded measurements.
505.1.4 Department Integrity Testing
Department personnel will only perform integrity testing when t he Contract specifies CSL or LSI Department testing. Department personnel will use Depar tment-owned Equipment to perform testing.
505.1.5 Assistance
The Contractor shall provide additional labor to perform the te sting if required by the testing consultant or Department personnel. The Contractor sha ll provide access to the piles. If required, the Contractor shall provide a 110 V, 55 Hz to 60 Hz, AC power supply.
505.2 Materials
505.2.1 CSL Access Tubes
The Contractor shall use two (2) inch internal diameter (ID) ac cess tubes of schedule 40 PVC with a round, regular ID free of defects or obstructions to allow passage of the source and receiver probes. The Contractor shall provide watertight t ubes with clean internal and external surfaces to ensure a good bond between the concrete an d tubes. The Contractor shall fit the tubes with glued caps at the bottom and threaded caps at the top.
505.3 Construction Requirements
505.3.1 Equipment
505.3.1 1 CSL Testing Equipment
The Contractor shall use CSL Equipment in accordance with the f ollowing requirements: 1. Use ultrasonic source and re ceiver probes capable of produci ng records with strong signal amplitude and energy through uniform, high quality concr ete. Use probes with a diameter and cabling that will descend freely through tw o (2) inch ID pipe for the full pile depth; 2. Record probe depth; 3. Use a microprocessor-based CSL measurement system for analog -digital conversion and data recording, individual record display, recei ver response analysis, and log printing; 4. Ensure that the CSL system has filter/amplification of data and cables; and 5. Use a CSL system that has a synchronized triggering feature with the ultrasonic pulse for the recording system.
505.3.1 2 LSI Testing Equipment
The Contractor shall use LSI Testing Equipment that meets the f ollowing requirements: 1. Use Equipment that has a digital data acquisition system wit h a dynamic signal analyzer, magnetic disk storage and hardcopy plotting capabilit ies. Ensure that the analyzer has both signal conditioning and power supply with hig h signal-to-noise ratios and variable frequency filt ering to mitigate steel reinf orcing and surface waves vibration noise. Ensure that t he data is displayed in the fiel d so that a preliminary data quality evaluation is possible; and 2. Provide a receiver that is a suitable velocity transducer or accelerometer and place on the pile head.
505.3.2 CSL Testing Requirements
505.3.2 1 Preparation of CSL Access Tubes
The Contractor shall place acce ss tubes in drilled shafts where the wet-hole construction method was used, or as directed by the State Geotechnical Engin eer. The Contractor shall install access tubes as shown in the Contract. The Contractor shall fasten the tubes to the reinforcement cage, so the tube bottoms are three (3) inches ab ove the shaft bottom and the tube tops are 24 inches above the shaft top. The Contractor sh all ensure that the conduit is tied to the reinforcing cage in a plumb and straight position s o that the ultrasonic probe may be lowered freely to the bottom of the shaft. Immediately after c oncrete or grout placement, the Contractor shall fill the tubes with clean water and cap.
505.3.2 2 CSL Testing Procedure
Before construction of the Substructure above the foundation, t he Contractor shall direct the CSL consultant to test the completed piles from two (2) Day s to ten (10) Days after completing concrete or grout placement. The Contractor shall p rovide information about the pile’s bottom and top elevations , tube lengths and positions, a nd construction dates to the Integrity Testing Consultant or Department personnel before log ging. The Contractor shall log between each adjacent pair of tubes in the pile. The Contractor shall place the source and rece iver probes in the same horizont al plane unless test results indicate potential defects. If potential defects are indicated , the Contractor shall evaluate the Section 505: Pile Integrity Testing Page 303 area further using angled tests with the source and receiver ve rtically offset in the tubes. Additional testing of other untes ted tube pair combinations may be required. The Contractor shall simultaneously pull the probes from the tu be bottom of the over the depth wheel or other measuring devic e, once the slack is taken out of the cables, to provide accurate depth measurements. The Contractor shall take the CSL measurements at 2 3/8 inch intervals or less from the bottom to top of the pile. The Contractor shall report defects indicated by longer pulse arrival times and significantly lower amplitude/energy signals to the State Geotechnical Engineer. The State Geotechnical Engineer m ay require further tests to evaluate the extent of the defects. The Contractor shall refill CSL tubes with water after testing the shafts containing defects indicated by the initial CSL testing.
505.3.2 3 CSL Testing Results
The Contractor shall report the results of completed CSL testin g at a given Substructure element within five (5) Days after testing completion for that element. The Contractor shall provide reports, prepared in acco rdance with ASTM D6760 (latest edition) to the State Geotechnical Engineer and the Project Manager.
505.3.3 LSI Testing Requirements
505.3.3 1 Pile Head Preparation
The Contractor shall ensure that the pile head is perpendicular to the pile’s vertical axis and is made of sound concrete. The Contractor shall remove wea k, poor quality, or broken concrete from the pile head to expose sound concrete. The Cont ractor shall clearly expose the pile head and free it of debris and water. The Contractor shall ground the pile head center impacted by the impulse hammer smooth along with the pile edge area where transducers are attached to provide a flat, horizontal surface for the LSI test .
505.3.3 2 LSI Testing Procedure
The Contractor shall perform LSI testing only when specified or when required by the State Geotechnical Engineer due to potential defects indicated by CSL testing results. The Contractor shall impact the pile head with a hammer that can pr oduce a compression wave capable of being reflected from the pile toe. LSI testing may only be effective to depths of 20 times to 30 times the pile diameter. The Contractor shall t ake LSI testing measurements in both the time and frequency domains. The Contractor shall display the motion record (pile top veloci ty) on a hard copy as a function of time. High soil friction may require velocity sign al magnification using integration with exponentially increasing magnitude to enhance the pile toe reflection. The Contractor shall average several consistent records. In addition to the v elocity records as a function of time, the amplified and averaged difference between velocity an d force may be displayed to provide additional information about the pile top quality, incl uding dynamic stiffness. The Contractor shall use transi ent response or impulse response , using hammer force in the frequency domain (mobility) to provide additional defect de termination of the pile.
505.3.3 3 LSI Testing Results
1. The Contractor shall report LSI testing results completed at a given Substructure Section 505: Pile Integrity Testing Page 304 element within ten (10) Days after completing testing for that element. The Contractor shall provide a repor t performed in accordance with ASTM D5882 (latest edition) to the State Geotechnica l Engineer and the Project Man ager.
505.3.4 Acceptance and Rejection of Piles
The Department will Accept piles if pile integrity testing repo rts verify the structural integrity of the piles. Pile rejection will require conclusive evidence that a defect exists that may result in inadequate or unsafe performance under factored l oad in LRFD. If the report is inconclusive, the State Geotechnical Engineer may require the C ontractor to drill a core hole into the defective pile. The Department will reject shafts where velocities are less tha n 10,000 ft per second and the anomalous velocity is less than 25% of the baseline velocit y of the CSL record. Such rejection may be due to tubes not being tied in a plumb positio n and with equal offsets from adjacent tubes. If a pile is unacceptable, the Contractor shall submit a remedi al action plan to the State Geotechnical Engineer. The Contractor shall provide calculatio ns and Working Drawings stamped by a licensed professional Engineer for foundation elem ents affected by modifications to the foundation piles and load transfer mechani sms caused by the remedial action.
505.4 Method of Measurement
The Department will measure the actual number of tests adminis tered and approved.
505.5 Basis of Payment
Pay Item Pay Unit CSL Consultant Testing Each CSL Department Testing Each LSI Consultant Testing Each LSI Department Testing Each
505.5.1 Work Included in Payment
The following Work and items will be considered as included in the payment for the main items and no direct payment will be made therefore: 1. Furnishing all Materials, labor, tools and Equipment necessa r y t o c o m p l e t e t h e Work; 2. Assistance to the consultant or Department personnel necessa r y t o c o m p l e t e t h e Work; 3. CSL Access tubes; and 4. Calculations and Working Drawings stamped by a licensed prof essional Engineer for all foundation elements requi ring remedial action, and all labor and Materials necessary to complete corrections for rejected piles. If a def ect is confirmed by coring of the concrete, Materials and labor for coring will be at the expense of the Contractor. If no defects are found, the Department will pay f or all coring costs, including pressure grouting of the core holes. The time period allowed to perform testing shall be no less than 48 hours to no more than ten (10) Days from time of completion of the construction of the pile. Section 506: Mechanically Stabilized Earth Retaining Structures Page 305