Braun Intertec: How Hydrometer and Sieve Analysis Matter in Geotech

Carrying out the UU and CU Triaxial Shear Tests on Undisturbed soil samples – essential geotechnical strength tests that reveal soil shear strength, pore pressure response, and stability under different drainage conditions. These insights form the backbone of safe foundation design, slope stability, and earthwork construction. In geotechnical engineering, it’s not just about running the test—it’s about interpreting soil behavior to transform data into design confidence. I’m always open to share insights and engage with peers passionate about advancing geotechnical practice. #GeotechnicalEngineering #SoilMechanics #TriaxialTest #CivilEngineering #GeotechLab

📣📢📣 Geosynthetics act as efficient stress distributors within a soil mass ✅✅ A simple idea with powerful consequences for geotechnical design. By providing tensile resistance, confinement and improved load-transfer paths, geosynthetic layers change how loads are transmitted through soil: instead of concentrating beneath a footing or wheel load, stresses are spread laterally and carried by the reinforcement. This mechanism (membrane effect + aggregate–geosynthetic interlock) increases the apparent stiffness and bearing capacity of the treated layer, reduces differential settlement, and limits rutting in pavements. In practice, geotextiles and geogrids are used to separate and filter, while geogrids and geocells provide tensile reinforcement and confinement — ideal for embankments over soft ground, improved road subgrades, retaining structures, and shallow foundations. Proper selection (type, stiffness, aperture), placement, and connection detailing — supported by lab tests and numerical modelling — are essential to realize these benefits and to ensure long-term performance. I’d be glad to hear about your field experiences or modelling approaches with geosynthetics.📕📕📕 #Geosynthetics #GeotechnicalEngineering #GroundImprovement #SustainableInfrastructure #CivilEngineering

🚀👷🏻♀️ When soil conditions threaten stability, traditional foundations aren’t enough, and soil improvement is required 👨🏻🏫 Permeation grouting is a ground improvement method that transformins weak, fractured soils into strong, load-bearing ground. It requires drilling in precise injection points to fill voids with cementitious or resin-based grout, allowing engineering to create a solid foundation for structures, tunnels, and excavations. Geotechnical engineers not just prepare and build on the ground, but also reinforce the ground itself. 💪🌍 #GeotechnicalEngineering #Innovation #construction #engineering #science 🎥 by KELLER

⚡ Soils Don’t Stay Simple – They Behave Smart! 🌍 https://lnkd.in/dTV3cKK9 From Hardening Soil Models to Creep Behaviour, PLAXIS lets engineers capture the real complexity of ground response. Go beyond Mohr-Coulomb – model anisotropy, staged construction, and soil-structure interaction with precision. 🔎 Inside this guide: ✔️ Why Hardening Soil beats Mohr-Coulomb for real settlements ✔️ Soil anisotropy & K₀ – the game changers in stability ✔️ Creep, drained vs undrained, and staged construction insights ✔️ Mesh refinement, interfaces & parametric analysis tips 🚀 Who should read? • Civil & geotechnical engineers • Students mastering PLAXIS • Professionals designing safe foundations & tunnels 💬 Comment “PLAXIS Guide” if you’d like more clear geotech lessons! 📚By Pigso Learning – making complex analysis simple. #GeotechnicalEngineering #PLAXIS #SoilMechanics #PigsoLearning

Calling all Geotechnical Engineers! Are you focusing on Pile Modelling? Do Volumetric piles, Embedded beams, Volumetric and Embedded beams structural Forces and outputs spark your interest? ✅ look no further and have a look on this interesting blog article by our expert Richard Witasse. Pile and piled-raft foundations, widely used deep foundation solutions, serve to transfer structural loads to deeper, more competent soil or rock layers or by mobilising shaft resistance along the pile length in weak or compressible soils. In this insightful blog, our expert Dr. Richard Witasse explores and discussed the accurate pile modelling in #PLAXIS for an efficient deep foundation model  💡 What you will explore:   1️⃣ Pile as a Volume Element and its results  2️⃣ What is an Embedded Beam  3️⃣ Embedded Beams and its results  4️⃣  Some insights on modelling piles in PLAXIS 2D For the rest of the article: https://lnkd.in/dBjG8XMv 🔴 For more info on PLAXIS 3D,  Piled-Raft and Eurocode Second Generation, register to the Deep foundation series: https://lnkd.in/dt8yXPtp Whether you're working on piles, piled-raft foundations or soil improvement projects, this article and series offers practical strategies for more efficient geotechnical outcomes. Follow me for more PLAXIS tips, events and updates

After lowering the groundwater level in the excavation, I used SEEP/W to check the inflow rate of water coming into the pit. The model shows how water lines and flow paths move toward the wall and allows us to calculate how much pumping is needed. This is very important for planning dewatering pumps, keeping the excavation safe, and avoiding risks such as uplift or piping. One big difficulty in seepage modeling is that real sites are never perfect—cut-off walls may not be fully sealed, soils can have different permeability in different directions (anisotropy), and water can flow in 3D even though the model is 2D. To reduce this risk, engineers often run sensitivity checks with a wide range of soil parameters, include leakage boundaries in the model, and where possible, use results from pumping tests on site to calibrate the model. In more complex cases, moving to 3D or transient models can give a more realistic picture of inflow. #GeotechnicalEngineering #SEEPW #Dewatering #Excavation #Groundwater #ConstructionEngineering #NumericalModeling #Hydrogeology

The Standard Penetration Test (SPT) is a simple field test used by engineering geologists to check how strong or loose the subsurface soil below 1.5m is. A steel tube is hammered into the soil, and the number of blows it takes to drive it down (known as N value), tells us about the soil’s density and strength. It’s widely used in construction to guide foundation design and ensure buildings and structures are safely supported. #engineeringgeology #standardpenetrationtest #foundationdesign #bearingcapacity #geotechnicalengineering #yeg #womeninstem #womeningeosciences #maprefgeotechnical

🔬 Advanced Shear Testing at LUMEN Laboratory At LUMEN Ltd, we are proud to be equipped with state-of-the-art shear test equipment from Matest , a global leader in material testing technology. The Direct Shear Test is a cornerstone in geotechnical engineering. It allows us to determine the shear strength of soils — essential parameters such as cohesion (c) and angle of internal friction (φ). These values play a critical role in the safe and efficient design of: • Foundations • Retaining walls • Embankments • Slopes and earthworks With our advanced digital equipment, we ensure that every test meets the highest standards of precision, repeatability, and compliance with ASTM, BS, EN, and ISO/IEC 17025 requirements. At LUMEN, our mission is clear: to deliver trusted results that engineers, contractors, and developers can rely on for sustainable infrastructure projects. 🌍 Engineering Excellence | Reliable Results | Sustainable Development #GeotechnicalEngineering #ShearTest #SoilTesting #CivilEngineering #LUMEN #Matest #ISO17025 #Infrastructure

𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗨𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗲𝗼𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝗪𝗮𝗹𝗹 In dam construction, cofferdam seepage control is critical, yet evaluating cutoff wall performance becomes challenging without direct integrity testing. Recently, Muhammad Dawood and I evaluated the cutoff wall’s permeability installed in a 20m high cofferdam using GeoStudio SEEP/W:  • An initial permeability estimate was available from the contractor.  • Standpipe Casagrande piezometers were installed along the dam pit slope section to monitor groundwater response.  • By iteratively adjusting the cutoff wall permeability in GeoStudio until the modelled seepage line matched the observed piezometric levels, a practical estimate of in-situ hydraulic behaviour was achieved. This exercise brought out two key takeaways for us: 𝟭. 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Even without direct testing, data from piezometers helped calibrate the phreatic line and ground the seepage model in reality. 𝟮. 𝗔𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The back-analysis process wasn’t just a check; it allowed us to challenge assumptions and better understand how the cutoff wall was actually performing in the field. I’m interested to hear from others working on earthen dams and seepage control:  • How often do you turn to indirect back-analysis when direct methods aren’t available?  • And in your experience, how reliable has it proven compared to testing? #geostudio #seepw #FEA #seepageanalysis #damengineering #river #geotechnicalengineering #slopestability

The VibroGo® is a #BatteryPowered #LaserVibrometer designed for research, field studies and industrial inspections, providing accurate, non-contact vibration data in locations where other instruments can’t easily be used. VibroGo® can be used for a wide range of applications, including: - Monitoring machinery from a safe distance - Recording vibration data on-site in civil engineering applications such as bridges - Investigating insect communication in the field With a measurement range up to 30 m, IP64-rated protection and up to 3 hours of portable operation, VibroGo® enables reliable vibration analysis in a wide variety of settings. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/dz_RwhK