Instrumentation

In conjunction with our project roles of Geotechnical Engineer-of-record (GER) and/or Special Inspections Engineer of Record (SIER), Pons & Associates provides third-party movement, ground-vibration, and sound instrumentation services related to construction activities.  These services are often provided when the nature of the proposed work may be of concern to property owners or to other sensitive receptors in close proximity to the new construction about potential nuisance or potential damage to their buildings or other infrastructure. 

Our construction-impact instrumentation programs include performing pre- and post-construction condition surveys of neighboring structures to document distress; acquiring ground-vibration and sound data during construction to be compared with recognized structural ground-vibration thresholds and applicable ordinance noise levels; obtaining optical data  (x-y-z coordinates) using total station equipment, established benchmarks, and building targets; and installing and monitoring crack- and strain-gauge programs as appropriate.

Our team is also experienced in conducting load- testing programs in the field to confirm design load criteria and to verify engineering materials properties. Our capabilities include load-instrumentation of new foundation elements as well as supplementary underpinning systems; and load-testing of specialty construction materials such as pre-fabricated stone building elements.