IEEE P3456.1

New IEEE Standard - Active - Draft.
Low-strain testing instruments for deep foundations are non-destructive testing devices used to evaluate the integrity and continuity of concrete piles after installation. They are among the most commonly used tools in pile quality assessment. This standard specifies the terms, symbols, basic requirements, and technical specifications for low-strain testing instruments. It should also include necessary requirements such as hardware requirements, software requirements, vibration amplitude linearity, the center frequency and bandwidth of the acceleration measurement system, dynamic range, environmental robustness, and electromagnetic compatibility. This standard also provides testing methods, inspection procedures, and marking for low-strain testing instruments.

This standard specifies general requirements for the measurement and analysis system of testing instruments, covering the composition, configurations, working conditions, typical performance, test methods, and inspection rules for judging the integrity of deep foundations and the determination of defect severity and defect locations of deep foundations. A deep foundation is a foundation that is installed to a significant depth greater than 3 meters to handle a specific load. However, the depth depends on the engineering construction and geological conditions. A low-strain testing instrument utilizes low-energy (a few newtons to several hundred newtons) transient-state or steady-state excitation to induce low-amplitude vibration of the pile under elastic deformation. It utilizes wave theory to determine pile defects. The standard specifications include classification, measurement system, analysis system, and safety requirements.
The purpose of this standard is to provide specific requirements for the measurement and analysis system of testing instruments. There are many different requirements and regulations in the production and use of testing instruments in industry. The lack of standards also hinders the healthy development of the testing instruments in the industry, and production enterprises are unable to produce products uniformly, which poses significant risks in the market. It is imperative to formulate international standards.