David Norbury

D Engineering Geologist N

Geotechnical Standards
– Eurocodes. An update
Professor David Norbury
David Norbury Ltd
Sussex University
 EUROCODE 7 (EN 1997)
• Part 1 published. 2004
– National Annex published 2007

• Part 2 published Mar 2007

– National Annex published 2010

• NAs are an integral part, do not ignore!

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 EUROCODE 7 (EN 1997)
• Part 1 published. 2004
– National Annex published 2007
– Corrigendum to EN 1997 – 1 published 2009

• Part 2 published Mar 2007

– National Annex published 2010
– Corrigendum to EN 1997 -2 published 2010
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 Incorporating
Corrigendum
Did you know? 2009

How are you to

know?

Subtle indications Incorporating

Corrigendum

within document 2010

Ensure you are aware

of and using the
current version

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 THE EUROCODE 7 SUITE
Eurocode 7
Part 1 Geotechnical Design

Execution Standards

Part 2 Ground Investigation and Testing

22475 Sampling Methods and Groundwater Measurement

22476 Field Testing

22477 Geotechnical Structure Tests

22282 Geo-hydraulic Tests

17892 Laboratory Testing

14688 and 14689 Soil and Rock Description

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 HOW MANY STANDARDS?
TOTAL
Eurocodes EC 0 - 9 0123456789
Eurocode 7 Parts 1 - 2 1* 2* 2
National Annexes 12 4
Execution Standards 1* 2* 3* 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 17
Test Standards
22475 123 20
22476 1 2* 3* 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 33
22477 12345678 41
22282 123456 47
17892 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 59
14688 123 62
YES THAT IS 62

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 EC7 Part 1 - GENERAL RULES
1 General
2 Basis of geotechnical design
3 Geotechnical data
4 Supervision of construction, monitoring and
maintenance
5 Fill, dewatering, ground improvement and
reinforcement
6 Spread foundations
7 Pile foundations
8 Anchorages
PLUS:
9 Retaining structures
10 Hydraulic failure Annexes A to J
11 Overall stability NATIONAL ANNEX
12 Embankments
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
CHANGE TO DESIGN PROCEDURE
• “Limit State design” takes over from “Working
State design”

• Working state design: Analyse the expected

working state, then apply margins of safety

• Limit state design: Analyse various states at

which the structure reaches an unacceptable
limit, applying partial factors to all inputs

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 LIMIT STATE AND PARTIAL FACTORS
• Ultimate Limit States (STR, GEO, EQU, UPL, HYD)
– failure of structure or ground
– serious and expensive
– must be very unlikely
• Serviceability Limit States (settlement, deflection, vibration)
– inconvenient, discomfort
– less expensive
– should be rare but may be allowable
• Partial Factors (>100)
– no longer use lumped factors as in working state design

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 DERIVATION
The “derived value” of a geotechnical parameter is
defined in Eurocode 7 as
“the value ... obtained by theory, correlation or
empiricism from the test”

Test results directly (includes theory of test)

Test results indirectly
Converted test results using correlations
Adjusted test results using theory or empiricism
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 EN 1997
• Characteristic value = 5% fractile (EN 1990)
• Eurocode 7 “re-defines” the characteristic value of a
geotechnical parameter as ‘a cautious estimate of the value
affecting the occurrence of the limit state’ under
consideration
• The selection of characteristic values for geotechnical
parameters shall be based on derived values …
complemented by well-established experience.

• No such thing as the characteristic value of a geotechnical

parameter
– There are potentially several characteristic values, which can be different
for each limit state being considered

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 EC 7 Part 2
1 General
2 Planning of GI
3 Soil and rock sampling and groundwater
measurements
4 Field tests in soil and rock
5 Laboratory tests on soil and rock
6 Ground Investigation report
Annexes + NATIONAL ANNEX
– A–B Planning
– C–K Field Testing
– L–W Laboratory testing
– X Bibliography
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 22475 – Sampling, measuring testing
and qualifications
• Geotechnical investigation and testing –
Sampling methods and groundwater
measurements
– Part 1: Technical principles for execution
– Part 2: Qualification criteria for enterprises and
personnel
– Part 3: Conformity assessment of enterprises and
personnel by third party
• Part 1 = NORMATIVE
• Parts 2 and 3 = BS
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 FIELD TESTING – 22476
/1 Cone penetration tests Publication imminent
/2 Dynamic probing Implemented
/3 Standard penetration tests Implemented
/4 Menard pressuremeter Publication soon?
/5 Flexible dilatometer Publication soon?
/6 Self boring pressuremeter Enquiry complete
/7 Borehole jacking test Publication soon?
/8 Full displacement p/meter Enquiry complete
/9 Field vane test Enquiry complete
/10 Weight sounding test Published 2005 - TS
/11 Flat dilatometer test Published 2005 - TS
/12 Mechanical CPT cone Implemented
/13 Plate loading test Now in collaboration with TC 396 …

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 PROGRESS to date
Standards published and implemented (+ 4 EN 1997 and NA)
22475/1 Sampling and groundwater measurement
BS 22475/2 Qualification of enterprises and personnel
BS 22475/3 Conformity assessment of enterprises and personnel
22476/2 Dynamic probing
22476/3 Standard Penetration test
22476/10 (TS) Weight sounding test
22476/11 (TS) Flat dilatometer test
22476/12 Mechanical CPT
14688/1 Soil description see Norbury (2010)
14688/2 Soil classification
14689/1 Rock description and classification see Norbury (2010)
That is 11 standards to date in the UK
Plus the 13 executions - NB: the execution standards for soil nailing and
a revised bored pile standard appeared in 2010
That gets us to 28 out of 62

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 STANDARDS OUT OR IMMINENT
22476 - Field testing
/1 Electrical Cone and piezocone penetration tests IMMINENT
/2 Dynamic Probing – Amendment 1 IMPLEMENTED
/3 Standard Penetration test – Amendment 1 IMPLEMENTED
/4 Ménard Pressuremeter SOON
/5 Flexible dilatometer SOON
/7 Borehole Jacking test SOON

22282 - Geohydraulic tests

/1 General rules PUBLISHED
/2 Water permeability test in borehole without packer PUBLISHED
/3 Water pressure test in rock PUBLISHED
/4 Pumping tests PUBLISHED
/5 Infiltrometer tests PUBLISHED
/6 Closed packer systems PUBLISHED

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 The NEW Standards
Summary of contents as part of the
implementation process

22476-1 to 3
22282-1 to 6

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 QUALITY in EN 1997 & 22475-1
• Quality of investigation services
• Required quality classes of samples
• Achieved quality - before laboratory test?
• Water quality (test before, during and after)
• QA system in field, laboratory and office
• Quality of comparable (precedent)
experience

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
Standards published in 2011

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 22476-1
Electrical cone and piezocone penetration test
• The results are used to evaluate:
• stratification
• soil type
• geotechnical parameters such as
– soil density
– shear strength parameters
– deformation and consolidation characteristics

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 SPECIFICATION
• type of cone penetration test
• application class
• penetration length or penetration depth
• elevation of the ground surface or the underwater
ground surface at the location of the cone
penetration test with reference to a datum
• location of the cone penetration test relative to a
reproducible fixed location reference point
• pore pressure dissipation tests

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 TYPE OF CONE TEST

• Select a cone penetrometer to fulfil the

requirements of the penetration test

Type of cone Measured parameter

penetration test
TE 1 Cone resistance and sleeve friction = CPT
TE 2 Cone resistance, sleeve friction and pore pressure = CPTU

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 APPLICATION CLASSES
• Class 1 for soft to very soft soil deposits; not for mixed
bedded soil profiles with soft to dense layers
(although pre-drilling through stiff layers can
overcome the problem). Tests can only be performed
using CPTU.
• Class 2 for precise evaluation for mixed bedded soil
profiles with soft to dense layers, in terms of profiling
and material identification. Interpretation in terms of
engineering properties is also possible, with restriction
to indicative use for the soft layers. Penetrometer type
depends on project requirements.
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 APPLICATION CLASSES (2)
• Class 3 for evaluation of mixed bedded soil profiles with soft to
dense soils, in terms of profiling and material identification.
Interpretation in terms of engineering properties is achievable
for very stiff to hard and dense to very dense layers. For stiff
clays or silts and loose sands only an indicative interpretation
can be given. Penetrometer type depends on project
requirements.
• Class 4 for indicative profiling and material identification for
mixed bedded soil profiles with soft to very stiff or loose to
dense layers. No appreciation in terms of engineering
parameters can be given. Tests are to be performed with an
electrical cone penetrometer (type TE1)

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 22476/2 and /3
DYNAMIC PROBING and SPT

• IMPLEMENTED 2007 when

– BS1377 Part 9 Clause 3.2 (DP) and
– BS1377 Part 9 Clause 3.3 (SPT)
WERE WITHDRAWN
Do not refer to these

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 STANDARDS IN THE SYSTEM
published in 2012
• Both now amended (2012)
• UK comments influenced these amendments!

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 GEOHYDRAULIC TESTING -
Part 1: General rules
• ISO 22282 consists of the following parts
– Part 1: General rules
– Part 2: Water permeability tests in a borehole using open systems
– Part 3: Water pressure tests in rock
– Part 4: Pumping tests
– Part 5: Infiltrometer tests
– Part 6: Water permeability tests in a borehole using closed systems

Will replace clauses 25.4, 25.5, 27 and 28 in BS5930

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 GENERAL
• According to the different test methods, the apparatus can
comprise the following elements:
– test section support system, such as a filter pack;
– measuring tube;
– isolation of the test section by casing, sealing plug, packer(s);
– measuring and recording devices using manual, analogue or digital systems such as
dipmeters, pressure transducers, flow meters;
– additional equipment.

• The instruments and devices used for geohydraulic testing

shall be regularly calibrated according to manufacturers’
manuals and relevant standards. This shall be checked
before the test starts.

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 PLANNING
• Geohydraulic investigations shall be planned in such a way as
to ensure that relevant geological and hydrogeological
information and data are available at the various stages of the
project. This information shall be adequate to manage
identified and anticipated project risks.
• Before starting a geohydraulic investigation the geology and
hydrogeology of the area to be investigated shall be
characterized as preliminary information, such as:
– identification of soil and rock according to ISO 14688-1 and ISO 14689-1;
– identification of the aquifers and aquifer types (e.g. confined or unconfined);
– estimated permeability;
– the groundwater level(s).

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 PLANNING (2)
• Geohydraulic investigations should consider any activity
which may influence the test or may be affected by the
test, such as:
– existing constructions, e.g. buildings, bridges, tunnels;
– water lowering or de-watering;
– discharge of potable water.
• The geohydraulic investigation programme should be
reviewed as the results become available so that the initial
assumptions can be checked.

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 SELECTION OF:
• Test locations on the
basis of the
preliminary
information as a
function of the
geological and
hydrogeological
conditions and the
engineering problem
• Test procedure on
the basis of the
ground conditions

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 PREPARATION OF THE TEST SECTION AND
INSTALLATION OF EQUIPMENT
• Drilling and flushing in accordance with BS EN ISO
22475-1.
• All testing in accordance with H&S regulations
• Filter selection according to ground and screen
• The correct functioning of all equipment shall be
checked and recorded before the test starts
• Decommissioning process shall minimize potential
risks to the environment (aquifer and surface
conditions)
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 22282-2
• Water permeability test in a borehole using
open systems to determine the local water
permeability in soils and rocks below and
above groundwater level

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 22282-2 COVERAGE
• Preparation of a test section in non-stable soil
and rock below the groundwater surface
• Preparation of a test section in stable soil and
rock
• Preparation of the test section in unsaturated
conditions
• Conducting the test
– Constant flow rate test
– Variable head test
– Constant head test

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 INTERPRETATION –
variable head tests
• In some cases, the relationship between ln[ho/h(t)] and (t-to) is not
a straight line. It is necessary to plot the velocities dh/dt, calculated
on each measurement step dt, as a function of the average head
variation h during the time step dt. The line intercepts the h axis at a
value hst corresponding to the corrective term on the estimation of
the initial static level.
• The corrected values of h(t), designated hcor(t), are obtained by
applying the following correction:
hcor ,(t ) = h(t ) - hst
• The plotting of the corrected hcor values against time gives a straight
line which allows the characterization of the theoretical slope a. The
value of k is calculated.

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 22282-3
• Water pressure tests in rock to determine:
– the hydraulic properties of the rock mass,
which are mainly governed by discontinuities;
– the absorption capacity of the rock mass;
– the tightness of the rock mass;
– the effectiveness of grouting;
– the geomechanical behaviour, e.g.
hydrofracturing, hydrojacking

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
22282-3 Test procedure

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 22282-4
• Pumping tests to evaluate the hydraulic
parameters of an aquifer and well
parameters such as permeability, radius of
influence, pumping rate, drawdown, skin
effect, well storage, aquifer limits

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 22282-4 Contents
• Conducting the test
• Determining the discharge rate for the pumping test
• Arranging the disposal of discharge water
• Executing and equipping the well including: Design of the test
well, Installation procedure, Preparation of the well
• Executing and equipping the piezometers
• Execution of the test
• Pre-pumping monitoring, Preliminary pumping phase,
Pumping test, Post-pumping monitoring
• Interruptions in pumping
• Decommissioning
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 22282-5
• Infiltrometer tests to determine the
infiltration capacity of the ground at the
ground surface or at shallow depths (e.g.
test pits). It is a simple test for determining
permeability coefficient. The method can be
applied using either steady state or
transient conditions, in saturated or
unsaturated soils

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 22282-5 Equipment
a) a test cell for infiltrating the water into the soil; open or
closed (sealed and weighted to prevent swelling or soil
alteration). Rings are >200 mm pushed into ground >50 mm
b) a device for measuring pressure, water level and/or
infiltrated volumes as a function of time. In some cases (e.g.
with constant head procedure) equipment and piping
connecting the pressure and volume controller to the test
cell is also needed;
c) equipment for installation of the rings (pushing,
anchoring, bonding and/or sealing)

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 22282-6
• Water permeability tests in a borehole using
closed systems to determine the local water
permeability in low permeability soils and rocks
(<10-8 m/s) below and above groundwater level
• It can also be used to determine the
transmissivity T and the storage coefficient S
• Determination of the pre-test stabilized hydraulic
head – below and above water table (includes
saturation stage)

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 TEST REPORTS
… shall include the following:
a) the field report (in original and/or computerized
form);
b) a graphical presentation of the test results and the
recorded values of the hydraulic head or the flow rate
(or the volume) versus time, for every step of hydraulic
head applied when relevant;
c) any corrections in the presented data;
d) any limitations of the data (e.g. irrelevant,
insufficient, inaccurate and adverse test results);
e) name and signature of the responsible expert.

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 STANDARDS COMING NOW
22476 - Field testing 22282 - Geohydraulic tests
/1 Cone penetration test √ /1 General rules √
/4 Menard Pressuremeter /2 Water permeability test in
/5 Flexible dilatometer borehole without packer √
/6 Self boring p/meter /3 Water pressure test in rock √
/7 Borehole Jacking test /4 Pumping tests √
/8 Full displacement p/meter /5 Infiltrometer tests √
/9 Field vane test /6 Closed packer systems √

That will be a further 7 + 6 standards in 2012/2013

to be implemented into practice
That gets us to 35 and then 41 out of 62
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 STANDARDS TO COME
• 22476-13 Plate loading test
• 22477-1 to 8 Geotechnical structure tests
• 17892-1 to 12 Laboratory testing

That is a further 21 in the middle distance

Significant implementation task as we get to 62

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 LABORATORY STANDARDS
/1 Water content Batch 1 • imminent (2012)
/2 Density of fine grained soils Batch 1
/6 Fall cone test Batch 1
/3 Density of solid particles Batch 2 • shortly (2012?)
/4 Particle size distribution Batch 2
/5 Oedometer test Batch 2
/9 Consolidated triaxial test Batch 3 • soon (2013)
/12Atterberg limits Batch 3
/7 Compression test Batch 4
• later (2013/4)
/8 Unconsolidated triaxial test Batch 4
/10 Direct shear test Batch 4
/11 Permeability test Batch 4
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 OTHER TEST STANDARDS
(not included in above document counts)

• Geothermal testing methods for

geothermal heat exchanger

• Geotechnical monitoring installations

• Drilling parameters recording

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 BS 5930
AMENDMENTS & REVISIONS
• Initial Amendment 1 2007
– Section 6 on description
• Further Amendment 2 2010
– Dynamic probing
– Standard Penetration Test
– Effects of 22475 on sampling and testing
• NB - Predecessors withdrawn;
– take care with referencing
– BS5930 = BS5930:1999+A2
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 BS 5930
AMENDMENTS & REVISIONS
• Initial Amendment 1 2007
– Section 6 on description
• Further Amendment 2 2010
– Dynamic probing
– Standard Penetration Test
– Effects of 22475 on sampling and testing
• REVISION 2015?
– Under way now
David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 For you to help!
Existing Documents
– Tell us if there are technical errors/issues
– Tell us if there are problems
– Tell us if changes are needed – and whether these
essential or desirable
(us = UK Mirror committee = John Powell and me)
Future Documents
– Watch for opportunities to comment, much easier to
get changes at the public comment stages

Don’t assume others will do it for you!

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
GET ON WITH THE CHALLENGE

And good luck!!

We, the mirror committee,

NEED YOUR HELP

David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N
 David Norbury
D Engineering Geologist N