Published November 2024

This Bitesize Guide presents key information on the use, requirements and implementation of monitoring that can be applied to urban environments and developments.

The purpose of monitoring is to compare the actual response of the ground and structures with predicted values and design assumptions during various stages of a project i.e. to allow construction verification.

Geotechnical design often requires a particular construction sequence to be followed in order for design to remain valid – this is best managed and adhered to by a competent main contractor.

Instrumentation and monitoring falls under the following schematic, where this Bitesize Guide focusses on processes required to derive, agree, review and verify movement monitoring and data.

The choice, financing and contractual requirements of monitoring instrumentation is outside the scope of this guide due to the rapidly changing technology.

The benefits of geotechnical movement monitoring include:

• Assessing and verifying methods of construction
• Implementing a form of quality assurance checks
• Minimising damage to assets
• Providing confirmatory information that movements of assets are as predicted
• Devising remedial measures to address problems or provide construction efficiencies
• Providing trends to anticipate adverse conditions or impending failure
• Increasing data of construction systems and advancing knowledge