Method Statement of In-situ Vane Shear Test

Method Statement of In-situ Vane Shear Test

I Introduction

- This method statement covers the details of procedure of carrying out the in-situ vane
shear test of the ground investigation work for Proposed Expansion of Sky City
Marriott Hotel at Chek Lap Kok.

II Apparatus

- The following apparatus is required:

a) A vane of cruciform shape as shown in Figure 26 of ‘Geoguide 2: Guide to

Site Investigation, Hong Kong Government 1987’ will be used and will be
capable of measuring shear strengths up to approximately 75kPa (Appendix
A). The length will be twice the overall blade width. Two standard vanes with
sizes of 110mm(H)/55mm(D) and 130mm(H)/65mm(D) will be provided.

b) A calibrated torque measuring instrument as shown in Figure 26 of ‘Geoguide

2: Guide to Site Investigation, Hong Kong Government 1987’ will be used to
measure the torque required to rotate the vane. The torque measuring device
should be calibrated in 12 months intervals.

III Procedure

- The procedure will be as follows:

a) The test will be installed at instructed depths with details as shown in Figure
26 of ‘Geoguide 2: Guide to Site Investigation, Hong Kong Government
1987’.

b) The vane, together with its extension rods, is lowered into the borehole which
shall be cased for its whole depth. The rod couplings are remained tight while
the vane is lowered.

c) With the vane resting at the bottom of the borehole and with the rods located
centrally at the top of the borehole, the vane is pushed steadily without
twisting to the test depth of 0.50m below the bottom of the borehole.

d) The torque measuring instrument is placed over the top of the upper extension
rod and then adjusted to the required height. The instrument is coupled to the
extension rod and fixed firmly to the casing. The measuring gauge is then set
to zero.

e) After a pause of 5 minutes, the vane is rotated at a constant rate of 0.2 degrees
/ second. Reading should be taken at every 5 degrees until maximum torque
required to rotate the vane is recorded.

f) The vane is then rotated rapidly through 12 revolutions without taking any
readings for subsequent remoulded (disturbed) test.

g) After a further pause of 5 minutes, the test procedure is repeated in order to

obtain the remoulded (disturbed) undrained shear strength.

Issue Date: 12 Oct 2021

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 Method Statement of In-situ Vane Shear Test
h) After completion of test, the torque measuring instrument is removed and the
vane is withdrawn from the ground.

IV Reporting

- The test results will be submitted in the vane shear test record sheet in a format agreed
by the Engineer.

- Preliminary result should be submitted within 5 days after completion of test on the
record sheet.

V Specification Reference

- PS App G AGMWS 8.5.21S

Issue Date: 12 Oct 2021

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 Method Statement of In-situ Vane Shear Test

Appendix A
Catalog of Geonor H-10 Field Shear Vane Borer

Issue Date: 12 Oct 2021

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 GEONOR H-10
Field Shear Vane Borer

FEatures
• Detailed field investigation of undrained shear strength
and sensitivity of soft and medium stiff clays.
• From 0 to 30 meters by hand jack, even through hard layers of clay, sand or silt.
• Two vane sizes. Measurement range from 0 to 60 kPa & 0 to 100 kPa.
• Top-level accuracy results, can be used for the design of earth
fill foundations and embankments.
• Complies with ASTM standard
 Geonor h-10 field shear vane borer
OVERVIEW
The field vane shear test (FVST) is the most widely used method for measuring the undrained shear strength and sensitivity of soft clays
in-situ. FVST is a more economic method than for example CPT, as its operation does not require a drilling rig or highly qualified
personnel.

Some criteria have nevertheless to be respected if the chosen FVST equipment is to be used as a professional, detailed investigation
instrument:
- The instrument should allow direct penetration boring, in order to avoid inaccuracy due to rod-clay friction.
- The vane itself must be protected against any bending due to stones or harder layers of soil.

The Geonor H-10 is a fully protected, pressure push-in, field vane instrument. No rod-soil friction is possible due to its tube-protected
rods. No need either to check the vane, nor to clean it between each shearing (clay adhering to the vane may increase its area ratio
considerably): The protection shoe of the Geonor H-10 not only protects the vane but also cleans it automatically before each
measurement. The shoe is particularly useful for testing in stratified, sandy, stony and marine sediment clays.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Installation: pressure push-in, no hammering. By hand with the Geonor
ground-anchored jacking system or with hydraulic drilling rig.
Instrument: Gear driven, accuracy of torque reading: + -0.5% of range.
Measurement range: From 0-60 kPa (0-6 T/m2) and 0-100 kPa (0-10 T/m2).

Lower part:
Total length with the vane extended: 1430 mm
Max outer diameter: 77 mm
Weight: 15 kg
Two different sizes of vanes: 55 mm x 110mm and 65 mm x 130 mm

Instrument:
Max outer diameter: 320 mm
Weight including instrument box: 16 kg

Vane Borer H-10 complete for 30 m depth, consists mainly of:

- Readout instrument complete
- Vane borer lower part with vanes
- Set of spare vanes and protection tube
- 30 extension tubes and rods
- Preboring equipment complete
- Complete insertion/extraction wit rack jack, ball cone clamp,
anchoring screws etc.
- Steel transport cases

GEONOR, INC.
51 U.S. Route 206 - Augusta, NJ 07822
570-296-4884
[email protected]
www.geonor.com
 Method Statement of In-situ Vane Shear Test

Appendix B
Report Template for In-situ Vane Shear Test

Issue Date: 12 Oct 2021

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 Drillhole No.
VANE SHEAR TEST RECORD

Contract No.: Date of Test:

Task Order No.: Co-ordinates:
Project: E N
Ground Level: mPD
Depth of vane below ground level: m
Level of test: mPD
Tested / Supervised by: Checked by:
EQUIPMENT DETAILS DRILLHOLE DETAILS Angle Elapsed Torque Shear
time (N) Strength
Torque head number Diameter mm degrees s divisions kPa
Torque head cali. date Depth of hole m UNDISTURBED TEST
Depth of casing m 0 625

Vane Length (L) mm Depth to water m 25 650

Diameter (D) mm 50 675

Ratio (L/D) 75 700

100 725

125 750

Shear Stress (S) = N x C 150 775

where N = dial gauge reading corrected for shaft friction (if any) 175 800

C = calibration factor obtained from calibration graph 200 825

225 850

250 875

Peak undrained shear strength kPa 275

Remoulded undrained shear strength kPa 300

Sensitivity : 325

350

375

400
Circumferential Strain
(nominally increasing at 0.2 o per second) 425

90.0 450

475
80.0 500

525
70.0 550

575
Shear Strength (kPa)

60.0
600

DISTURBED (REMOULDED) TEST

50.0
0 425

25 450
40.0
50 475

75 500
30.0
100

20.0 125

150

10.0 175

200

0.0 225
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
250

Elapsed Time (s) 275

300

Undisturbed Test Disturbed (Remoulded) Test 325

350

TEST PROCEDURE 375

1. Insert vane 400

2. Wait 5 minutes REMARKS:

3. Conduct undisturbed test by rotating vane at 0.2° per second
4. Rotate vane through 12 revolutions
5. Wait 5 minutes
6. Conduct disturbed test by rotating vane at 0.2° per second
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