Geotechnical Indiana Archives - Page 3 of 6 - GEOTILL provides geotechnical, construction testing and Environmental services Indianapolis Indiana

Terracon Consulting Engineers Takes Delivery of 20 Ton CPT Track Rig

Cone penetration test rig leaves Vertek CPT's Randolph, VT facility. It can be a bit somber watching one of our CPT track rigs head out the door after spending a few months building the rig here in Vermont, but thankfully we get to work with our partners long after the sale to make sure they're successful in the field. This 20 ton cone pentration test track rig is headed to Terracon Consulting Engineers and Scientists of Olathe, Kansas. [/fusion_youtube]

By smadi66|December 4th, 2019|Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Iowa, Vertek Partners, Video Posts, Geotechnical California, Geotechnical Colorado, Geotechnical Delaware, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Illinois|0 Comments

Towable CPT Trailer – Push System on Wheels!

New - Mount an S4 CPT Push System on equipment or a trailer! Customer response to our new S4 Push System has been very impressive. The most affordable and flexible 20 ton push system available has made CPT newly accessible to a variety of service providers around the world without the need for large dedicated vehicles. In keeping with our history of cone penetration innovation we'd proud to show off our latest improvement to the S4 Push System: Towability. That's right, the S4 can now be purchased attached to our custom trailer enabling it to be driven from job site to job site behind any full size pick-up truck. [/fusion_youtube]

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Iowa, Geotechnical Kansas, Introductory, Cone Penetration, Video Posts, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Delaware, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical Georgia|0 Comments

Incotec Q&A: Cone Testing in Bolivia

CPT in South America Vertek's S4 Push System has made entry into the CPT market accessible for a growing list of geotechnical professionals. Here on our CPT U blog we often provide a closer look at some of these organizations and how their regional markets operate. One such company is a Bolivian construction and engineering group that's been in operation since 1968, but has just recently added CPT to their offerings thanks to a Vertek S4. Read on for our Q&A with Mario A. Teceros of Incotec. Provide a brief background on your company. How/when did it originate? It was established in 1968. Is one of the oldest operating construction companies in Bolivia. It was initially created to build urban infrastructure and housing. Rapidly entered to the civil works and the deep foundations market. Incotec also started with the first geotechnical equipment (SPT and DPM) in 1968. Since then, beside the experience in different type of projects (ranging from concrete structures to industrial constructions and dams), the speciality in deep and special foundations has been the main "stamp" of Incotec. Is family company and now the third generation is working. What is the scope and focus of Incotec today? More specialization in all the fields of its activities, mainly with the incorporation of cutting edge equipments for soil tests (SCPTu from Vertek), deep foundation construction (BG18, BG20 and BG 30 from Bauer, with tools for Full Displacement Piles, Cutter Soil Mixing, cased piles) and quality controls (From Pile Dynamics, PIT, Cross Hole and PDA). But the main product developed by Incotec during the last decade is the EXpander Body, a steel folded "balloon" that is installed at the tip of a pile or an anchor. The EB is then injected with grout to expand it, compacting the surrounding soil and [...]

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Iowa, Geotechnical Kansas, Vertek Partners, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Louisiana, Geotechnical Maine, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical Georgia|0 Comments

Geotechnical Investigation and CPT Papers Now Available From CPT ’14

Did you attend CPT '14 in Las Vegas, Nevada? If so then you know the wealth of geotechnical expertise that was shared, and if not, then be sure to examine the scope of professional papers published from the event available for review now on their website. FEATURED PAPERS Whether you are a seasoned CPT veteran or just considering entering the cone penetration profession, the topics covered at CPT '14 provide current geotechnical expertise that you can benefit from. Some of the topics covered include: The effect of sleeve diameter on fs measurements Axial and torsional axisymmetric laboratory interface shear tests for CPT attachment studies Geotechnical Offshore Seabed Tool (GOST): A new cone penetrometer Evaluating rolling dynamic compaction of fill using CPT Verification of compaction grouting program using CPT in liquefiable soils Use of CPT for stability and performance evaluation of Mississippi River Revetment slope in New Orleans Role of CPTu in design of large Atlantic port terminal in Costa Rica Use of CPT for design, monitoring, and performance verification of compaction projects Using piezocone to assess strength gain of gold tailings in semi-arid environment Interpretation of geotechnical parameters from seismic piezocone tests Novel applications of CPT for verification of ground improvement projects Fault study using CPT, drill and trenching data Shear strength evaluation of preloaded stabilized dredged sediments using CPT

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Geotechnical Kansas, Experienced, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Louisiana, Geotechnical Maine, Geotechnical Massachusetts, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical Maryland, Geotechnical Iowa|0 Comments

What is Triaxial Testing and is it the Best Method for Testing Soil?

Those familiar with soil testing probably already know that there are a number of ways to test soil. One of the most common methods is the Standard Penetration Test, which is best known for its simplicity and versatility, but is held back by its lack of accuracy compared to more advanced options. More advanced methods include, of course, Cone Penetration Testing and Mud Rotary Drilling, both of which are common. Another common method is Triaxial Testing. What is Triaxial Testing? In order to conduct Triaxial Testing, you need a Triaxial Apparatus, which is made up of a Triaxial cell, universal testing machine and pressure control panel. For testing soil and other loose granular materials like sand and gravel, the material is placed in a cylindrical latex sleeve and submerged into a bath of water, or another liquid, which puts pressure on the sides of the cylinder. A circular metal plate at the top of the cylinder, called a platen, then squeezes the material. The distance the platen travels is measured, along with the net change in volume of the material. Like Cone Penetration Testing, Triaxial Testing is used to measure the properties of soils, but can also be used on more solid materials like rock. Typically, Triaxial Testing is used to solve problems of stability by: Determining the shear strength and stiffness of soil when retaining reservoirs of water Measuring stress/strain behavior Monitoring the internal response of the particulate medium It is also used for pore water pressure measurement and determining contractive behavior, which is common in sandy soil. As such, this soil testing method is well-suited to helping engineers improve their building designs while limiting structural/build failures by imparting a proper understanding of material behavior and an assessment of the characteristics of a build site. Primary benefits of Triaxial [...]

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Introductory, Cone Penetration, Soil Testing, Geotechnical Louisiana, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Maine, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Massachusetts, Geotechnical Michigan, Geotechnical Maryland, Geotechnical Minnesota, Geotechnical Iowa, Geotechnical Kansas|0 Comments

Should you Use a Sand Cone Test in Construction?

It may seem at times that there are almost too many soil testing methods, but many are developed to fit certain scenarios or address issues with other testing methods. This is the case with the sand cone test, which is used to determine soil compaction and is an alternative to using a nuclear density gauge. But does this mean the sand cone test is worth using when working on construction sites? The Pros and Cons of the Sand Cone Test There are many benefits to performing a sand cone test, especially for those relying on a nuclear density gauge. With a sand cone test, you can get similar results at a much lower cost, without the need for radioactive material. The cost of the sand cone test apparatus is also fairly low, making sand cone testing relatively inexpensive. The apparatus consists of a plastic container, a metal cone with a valve and a high density base plate. Its also relatively small and portable, making testing possible pretty much anywhere. The sand cone test has its fair share of negatives as well, including: Easy to compromise samples during testing. Soil samples are sensitive to vibrations, shifting of particles, and any errors in set up of the test site Samples that contain mixed particles can be less accurate Samples that contain too much moisture content can be less accurate Long result time: 20 minutes (vs. nuclear gauge which only takes 1 minute for results) Technicians, of course, should be aware of the limitations of the sand cone test as many factors can skew its results. In other words, the sand cone test may not be worth using when working on construction sites, except to confirm observations and inform opinions about soil moisture and density. This is especially true when you consider that [...]

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Geotechnical California, Geotechnical Colorado, Geotechnical Delaware, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Iowa, Introductory, Soil Testing|0 Comments

CPT Mini Track Rig – Our Most Compact Self-Powered Rig

New – The Mini-Track Rig provides all-terrain performance at an affordable capital cost! The latest addition to Vertek's robust line of self-propelled CPT rigs harnesses the popular 20-ton S4 Push System in a small but versatile package. This rubber-tracked rig is easy to maneuver, ideal for limited access areas, and maintains a low ground pressure of 4.5 psi. The S4 Mini-Track Rig provides a powerful carrier at an affordable price when compared to the cost of new construction equipment. Is the Mini-Track Rig right for your application? The Mini-Track Rig is ideal for situations where agility and low ground pressure are important At only 10.5 feet long, it can be transported to job sites with a pick-up and trailer The S4 CPT system's tilt mount increases stability on uneven terrain and provides a low profile during transport The S4 can be removed and attached to construction equipment or custom trailers, allowing for any number of configurations The Mini-Track Rig is available with many options to meet all your testing needs. Though small and light, the Mini-Track Rig provides convenience and functionality similar to Vertek's larger purpose-built CPT rigs. Optional features include: Mechanical or Hydraulic Clamp Diesel or Gas Engine 300,350,400, or 500 mm Anchor Decontamination System Remote Operation 120V AC Inverter Rod Rack For a full list of features, specifications and technical data, visit vertekcpt.com or download our full catalog of Geotechnical and Environmental products.

By smadi66|December 2nd, 2019|Geotechnical Delaware, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Iowa, Geotechnical Kansas, S4 Push System|0 Comments

Beyond the Basics: Contamination Detection and Other Applications of CPT Equipment

Cone Penetration Testing equipment was originally designed – and is still most commonly used – to characterize subsurface soil behavior types. But when you invest in CPT equipment, you are getting the capability to do much more. A variety of sensors and in-situ samplers can be integrated into CPT modules, making CPT equipment a versatile and efficient choice for contamination detection, environmental site assessment, and other field applications. CPT equipment has several advantages over conventional hollow stem auger drilling and percussion drilling based methods, especially in contaminated soils. Specialized CPT tests can identify contaminants and determine the physical extent of the contamination with minimal disturbance of the soil, thus avoiding costly disposal of drill cuttings and minimizing contact between field personnel and potentially hazardous materials. Here’s an overview of some tests and technologies that you can harness via CPT equipment: Temperature: Temperature data is obviously useful in locating zones of different ground temperature, for example frozen soil. However, it can also help to identify soil contaminants that generate heat due to chemical or biological activity. Electrical Resistivity: The electrical properties of soil are changed when the soil is contaminated. For example, soils containing non-aqueous-phase (NAPL) compounds exhibit higher resistivity than normal, while soils containing dissolved organic compounds such as can be found in landfill leachates have significantly lower resistivity. Fluorescence Detection: Most hydrocarbons produce fluorescence when irradiated with certain kinds of light. Thus, hydrocarbon contamination can be efficiently detected by integrating LEDs of a particular wavelength (or sometimes lasers) into CPT cone modules. The detected wavelength of the fluorescent response to the excitation source is graphed in real time and is used to determine the areas of interest and further define contaminants. The integrated camera or video camera module can also be used to visually inspect in-situ characteristics such as [...]

By smadi66|December 1st, 2019|Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Louisiana, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Iowa, Geotechnical Kansas, Soil Testing, Geotechnical Services, Geotechnical Delaware|0 Comments

Understanding the Relationship between SPT Data and CPT Data

As you know, Cone Penetration Testing is not the only method for determining the mechanical properties of soil. Another method is the Standard Penetration Test, or SPT: in this test, a borehole is drilled to a desired depth, then a hollow sampler is inserted and driven downwards with a hammer. The hammer blows are counted until the sampler travels the desired depth (usually 18”) – this number, denoted NSPT, indicates the mechanical properties of the soil. As with CPT data, a handful of corrections are commonly applied: for example, the N60 value indicates NSPT data corrected for the mechanical efficiency of a manual hammer, estimated at 60% at shallow overburden conditions. Since SPT is one of the most common in-situ soil testing methods, you may find it necessary to compare information from both SPT and CPT tests, or convert from one set of parameters to the other, for example from SPT N60 values to CPT tip resistance values. Several methods have been proposed for calculating this relationship. Below are two of the most frequently used: Robertson and Campanella: This method for correlating SPT and CPT data uses the following relationship between SPT N60 data and CPT tip resistance: (qc/pa)/N60 qc = tip resistance (psi) pa = atmospheric pressure (psi) Soil behavior type can be determined from this equation based on the following table: This is perhaps the simplest method for relating the results of these two tests, but it can cause some confusion when the results fall on the border of two soil behavior type zones, or in situations where the ratio of CPT to SPT data could indicate one of several different soil types. Jefferies and Davies: This is a more robust method for determining SPT N-values based on CPT data, or vice versa. It avoids the discontinuities of [...]

By smadi66|December 1st, 2019|Geotechnical Maine, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical Maryland, Geotechnical Iowa, Geotechnical Kansas, CPT Data, Soil Testing, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Louisiana, Geotechnical Indiana|0 Comments

CPT Dictionary: Overburden Stress

Overburden stress, also called vertical stress or overburden pressure, is the pressure imposed on a layer of soil by the weight of the layers on top of it. Overburden stress can cause errors or drift in CPT measurements, creating the need for correction factors in deeper tests depths and soft or fine-grained soils. However, overburden stress is also useful in determining the soil’s mechanical properties. In this blog, we’ll give an overview of the effect of overburden stress on CPT testing and what we can learn from it. The formula for overburden stress is given by: σvo = overburden stress ɤi = in situ density of soil layer hi = height of soil layer If it’s been a while since you’ve seen summation notation, this means that for each soil layer, you multiply the density of the layer by its height, then add all the resulting weights together until the pressure at the desired depth is known. In practice, the exact height and density of the soil layers at the test site are usually not known, so you may have to determine an average density based on what you do know about the geology of the area. CPT measurements of tip resistance, sleeve friction and pore pressure tend to increase along with increasing depth and increasing overburden stress. This effect can be seen in the graph at right. For this reason, we correct for overburden stress in calculating the normalized friction ratio and normalized tip resistance: to ensure that your data is consistent, it is important to use these parameters in deep tests and in soft, fine-grained soils, as we discussed in an earlier blog. In addition to normalized CPT parameters, overburden pressure allows us to understand and calculate the following engineering parameters: Effective overburden stress: the effective stress on [...]

By smadi66|December 1st, 2019|Geotechnical Missouri, Geotechnical Minnesota, Geotechnical Mississippi, Geotechnical Nebraska, Geotechnical Massachusetts, Geotechnical Montana, Geotechnical Nevada, Geotechnical New Hampshire, Geotechnical New Jersey, Soil Testing, CPT Dictionary, Geotechnical Michigan|0 Comments