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Chapter 14 — References & Appendices

14.1 References

The FHWA manual's reference chapter points the reader to the wider literature on geotechnical instrumentation. The primary source of text and figures for the manual is:

Dunnicliff, J. (1988, 1993). Geotechnical Instrumentation for Monitoring Field Performance. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 577 p.

That work — and the complementary NCHRP Synthesis 89 — are the deeper references behind this module, and are indexed in the GTI Doctor AI assistant. The instrument-by-instrument coverage in this site's Dunnicliff reference complements this manual.

14.2 Appendices — the planning toolkit

The manual's appendices are its most practical feature: they turn the planning process into worked examples and checklists.

Appendix A — Planning checklist

A practical checklist for planning a geotechnical instrumentation program: the steps, questions, and deliverables that make up the planning process of Chapter 6.

Appendix B — Planning steps, illustrated

Step-by-step illustrations of the planning process:

  • B-1 to B-7 — define project conditions; predict mechanisms; define questions; define the purpose; select parameters; predict magnitudes; the task-assignment chart.
  • B-8 to B-10 — assign tasks; select instruments.
  • B-11 to B-16 — instrument illustrations: open standpipe piezometer (push-in), vibrating-wire piezometer (push-in), magnet/reed-switch probe extensometer, settlement platform, liquid-level gage, and inclinometer.
  • B-17 to B-18 — select instrument locations; possible instrument locations.
  • B-19 to B-20 — plan recording of factors that may influence measured data.
  • B-21 to B-22 — establish procedures for ensuring reading correctness.
  • B-23 to B-28 — prepare the system design report; write procurement specifications; plan installation; plan calibration and maintenance; write specifications for field services.

Appendix C — Soil-slope planning examples

Worked examples for monitoring a cut slope in soil and a cut slope in rock — the results of the student exercise in Chapter 7.

Appendix D — Deep-foundation examples

Worked examples for load-transfer instrumentation:

  • D-1 — possible behavior mechanisms of a driven pile.
  • D-2, D-3 — series extensometer and multiple telltales.
  • D-4 — strain/stress conversion.
  • D-5, D-6 — static axial load tests of a steel pile and a concrete pile with comprehensive load-transfer data.
  • D-7 — static axial test without comprehensive load-transfer data.
  • D-8 — axial load test of a drilled shaft.

Appendix E — MSE wall examples

Worked examples for a mechanically stabilized earth wall: possible instrumentation for comprehensive stability monitoring and for determining the magnitude and distribution of stress — the results of the exercise in Chapter 9.

Appendix F — Data-evaluation examples

Suggested evaluations for the student exercise in Chapter 13:

  • F-1 — optical survey data.
  • F-2 — correct inclinometer data.

14.3 Key takeaways

  • The primary reference behind this module is Dunnicliff's textbook — go there for depth.
  • The appendices are the practical heart of the manual: checklists, planning steps, and worked examples.
  • Use Appendix A as your planning checklist and Appendices C–F as templates for your own projects.
  • The GTI Doctor can retrieve the underlying corpus on demand.