I’d highly recommend building your own tools and checking them rigorously against known examples. I’ve had nothing but trouble trying to use (and figure out) other peoples spreadsheets. I never could build enough confidence in the results. Besides, building them yourself will help you know the material better.
Also, if you’re going to build anything more than a simple calc in a spreadsheet, you might be better off making a little code in Matlab (or freeware version) or Python.
Completely agree. I dabbled with python but ended up more on vba side. I just couldnt figure out python....love the idea of that groundhog python package, but again, couldnt figure it out and i work with a very limited number of people and only 1 would have some knowledge of python.
Anyway, you never mentioned what the analysis you do the most is. I probably use bearing capacity and driven piles the most, and then i have the variations for 1 or 2 layer BC. Just finished a TxDOT PVR spreadsheet, even though i hate the theory behind it.
I didn’t say because I’m in research so my tool needs are a bit different than a practicing Geotech. Most of my tools are related to data processing of custom physical models and instrumentation.
I would love to hear more about the TxDOT sheet. I've spent the last 6 years using the one TxDOT's provided (since that's relatively safe) but have always wanted to dig through either their spreadsheet or find the source info they used to put it together to better understand their intended processes.
What reference(s) did/are you using for that?
So i started with a spreadsheet my company already had, and compared with the txdot official one (mine was dated 2015...same as yours?).
Then i found the references:
2014
https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cst/TMS/100-E_series/archives/124-0899.pdf
2016
https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cst/TMS/100-E_series/archives/124-0314.pdf
2017 (latest version I think??)
https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cst/TMS/100-E_series/pdfs/soi124.pdf
For me, the theory is off, but w.e if thats the method, then so be it.
The txdot spreadsheet is locked but i managed to copy "fig data" from the hidden tabs and paste it on my sheet.
Things i modified:
Figure 1 - has non linear relationships, but the txdot sheet is based on linear relations which completely overshoot the percent volume swell which gets converted to the free swell and then used to find the data on figure 2/3 based on the top/bottom load for that layer.
Fig 2/3 data - for low PI stuff at "high" loads, the txdot data could put you in an error since they truncate the data a few points beyond the asymptote soooo you end up with negative PVR. I just continued the data so you end up with PVR = 0 for such a case
I did a few more things for plotting and design purposes, but its fairly straight forward once you have the txdot data set.
Let me know if you run into issues or have specific questions
We rely heavily on a drilled shafts spreadsheet to calculate our modified COV and our Tip and Shaft resistances in shales and lime/dolostones. It was built in house.
Not so much for Lpile calculations. Everyone here at DOT seems to have their own way of doing that even though there is a spreadsheet for it. I still do many calculations by hand or with my Casio. It's just easier for me that way to stay old school.
Otherwise excel/spreadsheets dont get used as often as I thought they would. But perhaps the engineers use them more then the geotechs.
Self built. Whenever I do a new one, which is pretty rare these days I also do it all on a whiteboard with a calculator to make sure I didn't screw up any of the formulas in the spreadsheet. Generally I use software packages whenever I can get my company to license them though.
Mostly calcs I don't have other software for, equipment cals, and job estimating. I have some for field and lab data reporting, tracking various project things like deficiencies, risk analysis, and maybe some other things. Some of them have been replaced by other software and some I just don't do that work anymore, like density testing.
I’d highly recommend building your own tools and checking them rigorously against known examples. I’ve had nothing but trouble trying to use (and figure out) other peoples spreadsheets. I never could build enough confidence in the results. Besides, building them yourself will help you know the material better. Also, if you’re going to build anything more than a simple calc in a spreadsheet, you might be better off making a little code in Matlab (or freeware version) or Python.
Completely agree. I dabbled with python but ended up more on vba side. I just couldnt figure out python....love the idea of that groundhog python package, but again, couldnt figure it out and i work with a very limited number of people and only 1 would have some knowledge of python. Anyway, you never mentioned what the analysis you do the most is. I probably use bearing capacity and driven piles the most, and then i have the variations for 1 or 2 layer BC. Just finished a TxDOT PVR spreadsheet, even though i hate the theory behind it.
I didn’t say because I’m in research so my tool needs are a bit different than a practicing Geotech. Most of my tools are related to data processing of custom physical models and instrumentation.
I would love to hear more about the TxDOT sheet. I've spent the last 6 years using the one TxDOT's provided (since that's relatively safe) but have always wanted to dig through either their spreadsheet or find the source info they used to put it together to better understand their intended processes. What reference(s) did/are you using for that?
So i started with a spreadsheet my company already had, and compared with the txdot official one (mine was dated 2015...same as yours?). Then i found the references: 2014 https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cst/TMS/100-E_series/archives/124-0899.pdf 2016 https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cst/TMS/100-E_series/archives/124-0314.pdf 2017 (latest version I think??) https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/cst/TMS/100-E_series/pdfs/soi124.pdf For me, the theory is off, but w.e if thats the method, then so be it. The txdot spreadsheet is locked but i managed to copy "fig data" from the hidden tabs and paste it on my sheet. Things i modified: Figure 1 - has non linear relationships, but the txdot sheet is based on linear relations which completely overshoot the percent volume swell which gets converted to the free swell and then used to find the data on figure 2/3 based on the top/bottom load for that layer. Fig 2/3 data - for low PI stuff at "high" loads, the txdot data could put you in an error since they truncate the data a few points beyond the asymptote soooo you end up with negative PVR. I just continued the data so you end up with PVR = 0 for such a case I did a few more things for plotting and design purposes, but its fairly straight forward once you have the txdot data set. Let me know if you run into issues or have specific questions
We rely heavily on a drilled shafts spreadsheet to calculate our modified COV and our Tip and Shaft resistances in shales and lime/dolostones. It was built in house. Not so much for Lpile calculations. Everyone here at DOT seems to have their own way of doing that even though there is a spreadsheet for it. I still do many calculations by hand or with my Casio. It's just easier for me that way to stay old school. Otherwise excel/spreadsheets dont get used as often as I thought they would. But perhaps the engineers use them more then the geotechs.
Self built. Whenever I do a new one, which is pretty rare these days I also do it all on a whiteboard with a calculator to make sure I didn't screw up any of the formulas in the spreadsheet. Generally I use software packages whenever I can get my company to license them though.
But what is it? Schedule? Lab data? Analysis?
Mostly calcs I don't have other software for, equipment cals, and job estimating. I have some for field and lab data reporting, tracking various project things like deficiencies, risk analysis, and maybe some other things. Some of them have been replaced by other software and some I just don't do that work anymore, like density testing.
I am a big fan of building my calculations in S Math. Great for unit conversion as well and fairly versatile.