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Attending CPT Symposium 2014 Las Vegas, Nevada

See The Vertek S4 Push System in Person! The 3rd International Symposium on Cone Penetration Testing will be held at the Mandarin Oriental hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, May 12-14, 2014. The theme of the Symposium is the solution of geotechnical and geo-environmental problems using the Cone Penetration Test (CPT). We'll be at booth #1 and also setup outside with our new S4 Push System which is designed to be attached to a wide variety of equipment. Learn more about our entire line of products and data acquisition systems.

By smadi66|December 5th, 2019|Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Utah, Geotechnical Vermont, Geotechnical Virginia, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical Washington, Introductory, Vertek Partners, Geotechnical Nevada|0 Comments

Cone Penetration Test (CPT) Overview 101

Are you new to the Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) business? Or maybe you're looking to convert your operation to CPT? Wherever your interest is surfacing from, we have everything you need to know about expanding into the CPT business with confidence. What do I get from a Cone Penetration Test (CPT)? In case you're new to the Cone Penetration Testing business, CPT will collect important subsurface information from standard tests and then from there determine important business factors, such as, how to design foundations for structures or the composition of subsurface soils. The difference between this type of data collection and other competitors is the benefit CPT has for businesses. CPT can provide immediate, onsite information that is quick and accurate. Above all, onsite results can improve your business productivity; ultimately leading to a more efficient business process. If you had the chance to take a look at our Solutions Brief: Enter the Cone Penetration Business with Confidence, then you may have already taken a deep dive into the advantages of collecting subsurface information with a process that is more quick and efficient than other options. Businesses are choosing to use a CPT solution for many different reasons; whether for construction or government purposes, they all benefit from the same advantage: speedy collection and interpretation of data, a safe solution for operators and the environment, and the ability to adapt to different weather and soil conditions. We understand how intimidating it can be to enter a new business; large or small. That's why we are focused on delivering educational content that addresses all of your CPT needs and concerns. From topics on 'What is a Cone Test' to 'Mud Rotary Drilling vs. CPT,' it's important to consider pros and cons and different scenarios in order to make the right choice [...]

By smadi66|December 4th, 2019|Geotechnical North Dakota, Geotechnical Oklahoma, Geotechnical Oregon, Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical Ohio, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Pennsylvania, Geotechnical North Carolina, Introductory, Cone Penetration, Geotechnical New York|0 Comments

Converting a Drilling Rig into a CPT Platform

If you're familiar with our CPT University blog then you may have had a chance to take a closer look into what CPT can do for your business. If you're yet to make the switch; it may be because you don't exactly have the means to support the transition into the CPT business. Fortunately, if you're still looking to reap the benefits of CPT rigs, the Vertek CPT Drill Rig Adapter may be the solution that you have been searching for. Read on to learn how you can start growing your drilling business. Converting a drill rig into a CPT platform using a Vertek CPT Drill Rig Adapter Businesses that transition out of SPT or Hollow Stem Auger Drilling are able to become more efficient and obtain a higher daily rate. How Does it Work? The drill rig CPT adapter kit enables drilling service providers to complete CPT testing with their existing equipment. So how does it work exactly? The simple adapter is first screwed onto the drill head. This enables the existing push and pull hydraulic system to advance and retract the CPT equipment to and from the subsurface. This is just a small snippet of what the drill rig CPT adapter kit can do, for even more on it's functionality, visit our drilling conversion page. A CPT Drilling Conversion Rig Kit Consists of: A Peizo-Cone Penetrometer A Data Acquisition System (DAS) and coaxial communication cable A Depth Marker for depth measurement A Drill Head Adapter for advancing and removal Rods or Rod Adapters Wear surface consumables and spares (tips, sleeves, pore pressure filters) Seismic shear wave equipment (optional) Converting a drilling rig can be a cost-effective entry into CPT. By following this route, you can enter the CPT business with a brand that offers exceptional domestic support and [...]

By smadi66|December 4th, 2019|Geotechnical Oregon, Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Ohio, Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Pennsylvania, Introductory, Cone Penetration, Video Posts, Geotechnical North Dakota, Geotechnical Oklahoma|0 Comments

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Geotechnical Boring; Why CPT May be Your Better Option

As we noted in a previous post about Soil Quality, there are a wide range of reasons that soil needs to be tested. For some applications, it is important to get data about soil that is sub-surface, and in many cases getting data from deep under a site can be useful or essential. When most people imagine how you would gather data from soil that is deep underground, they imagine using a drilling rig of some kind. Sure enough, there are special kinds of boring tools that will let you drill deep into the ground and extract a sample of the soil at depth for analysis. Advantages & Disadvantages of Geotechnical Boring Using Geotechnical Boring, whether it be small-diameter or large-diameter equipment allows users to see the solid that is extracted. This can be useful for gaining an understanding of the sub-surface topology if a goal is to create a multi-dimensional map of the subsurface Geological conditions. There are significant disadvantages however to using Geotechnical Boring to obtain soil samples for testing. One disadvantage is that the operation of boring is for obtaining samples only, you can't gather data from the boring activity itself and therefore all of this investment in equipment, labor and time provides value only in that it presents a sample for testing. Another disadvantage is that the soil being sampled then needs to be tested using some type of laboratory equipment. This often means removing a large number of samples from the site, getting them safely in an organized way to a lab facility somewhere, hopefully nearby, and waiting for the lab results to come back. If there are apparent conflicts in data, or a particular part of the site needs more evaluation, the entire process needs to be started up from scratch again. Perhaps the [...]

By smadi66|December 4th, 2019|Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Utah, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical Vermont, Geotechnical Pennsylvania, Introductory, Soil Testing, Geotechnical Oklahoma, Geotechnical Oregon, Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical South Dakota|0 Comments

CPT Testing, Part 1: Introduction to the Basic Concepts

If you have ever been curious about the Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) business, you have come to the right place. In today's post we are going to take a dive into the basic concepts and what expanding into CPT can do for your engineering business. Geotechnical Engineers and CPT Testing Geotechnical engineering is a branch of civil engineering that focuses on the engineering behavior of earth materials. Geotechnical engineers have been using Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) for over 40 years to assist in the design and construction of foundations, embankments and other structures. The standardized CPT works by pushing a 55-60 degree cone into the ground at a rate of 1-2 cm per second and is used to identify the conditions in the upper 100 feet of the subsurface. The data compiled from this testing is valuable for assessing the subsurface stratigraphy associated with soft materials, discontinuous lenses, organic materials, potentially liquified materials (such as sand, silt and granule gravel), and predicting landslides or ground settling. The cone resistance in conjunction with the friction ratio can also be used to determine soil types. While these results are often more accurate when referring to textbook soils, there are some major benefits to utilizing CPT techniques as opposed to drilling. In fact, there are a number of different advantages of CPT, including: economically friendly testing, as well as its ability to perform at a fast rate and effective in characterizing large volumes of soil without having to do a large number of laboratory testing. CPT is also accurate, eliminating the possibility of disturbances to soil samples and sample storage. By leveraging CPT results, engineers can determine the best methods for several aspects of design and construction projects. Detect lenses, thin layers and sand stringers. Evaluate the thickness and extent of compressible soil [...]

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Geotechnical Washington, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical Pennsylvania, Introductory, Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Utah, Geotechnical Vermont, Geotechnical Virginia|0 Comments

Building a CPT Truck in Less Than 3 Minutes (Video)

This short video compresses about a month of construction time on a 20 Ton CPT Truck built by Vertek CPT at our Vermont facility during the summer of 2014. CPT Trucks are popular for those looking for maximum push force and all-in-one mobility. This truck will be delivered to the customer upon completion of the internal components. Large trucks provide greater push force and improved working environs while smaller trucks provide greater mobility in tight spaces. Contact us to see which is best for you. Our new S4 Push System also provides a path to entering the CPT market with limited investment. [/fusion_youtube]

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Geotechnical Pennsylvania, Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical North Carolina, Cone Penetration, Vertek Partners, Video Posts, Geotechnical New Jersey, Geotechnical New Mexico, Geotechnical New York, Geotechnical North Dakota, Geotechnical Oklahoma, Geotechnical Ohio, Geotechnical Oregon|0 Comments

What is a CPT DataPack?

Your average Cone Penetration Testing Rig is a fairly complex piece of machinery, but it can’t do its job alone. Indeed, every CPT Rig needs a DataPack, or data acquisition and analysis package (DAS), to properly measure and document soil information gathered from digital CPT cones and other sensors. But what exactly is a DataPack? Typically, CPT DataPacks like the VTK DataPack offer a simple “all-in-one” solution to commercial CPT service providers. The DataPack is most often designed to be field portable as it operates onsite during the CPT Testing process. As such, most DataPacks are best used with any commercial, off-the-shelf laptop for optimal portability. The Benefits of Automated Data Collection While sensor-specific data, such as calibration factors, serial numbers and sensor type, are in fact stored in each sensor module in the cone, that data is also automatically transmitted to the DataPack with each penetration. This automated collection of data offers a number of advantages. For starters, with the DataPack handling all the data collection, even a technician with minimal training can operate the system with relative ease. Automated data collection and analysis also reduces operator error or bias, while further speeding up the CPT Testing process as reporting is instant. This in turn allows for increased productivity and profit for the operator as many more soundings can be performed in a shift. Perhaps most importantly, the DataPack can also present information immediately in the form of a client-ready visual report. Again, this saves field engineers time as they don’t have to crunch the data manually. Since CPT is still a fairly new field, this makes it easier for technicians to make the shift to CPT from related vocations. The added confidence the DataPack offers technicians in turn helps ease the way for new entrants into the CPT [...]

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Geotechnical North Carolina, Introductory, Geotechnical New York, Geotechnical North Dakota, Geotechnical Oklahoma, Geotechnical Oregon, Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Ohio, Geotechnical Pennsylvania|0 Comments

What Information Should you Include in a Geotechical Report?

It could be that you've learned everything there is to know about Cone Penetration Testing, but if you don't know about geotechnical reporting, you're missing out on a big step in the process. A geotechnical report is a tool used to communicate site conditions, as well as design and construction recommendations to be relayed to personnel. In other words, you're taking the results of your CPT testing and putting them into an easy-to-understand report along with relevant conclusions. Sound simple? There's more to it than you might think. Geotechnical Report Essentials Of course, you want to include specific information in your geotechnical report like the status of substrate soil, rock and water conditions. It also goes without saying that accuracy in all areas is crucial because the data in the report will be referred to often throughout the design and construction periods, as well as after the completion of the project, primarily for resolving claims. But let's get more specific. Here are some basic must have points that should be included in every geotechnical report; keeping in mind that final content will vary somewhat depending on the business and project: Location and surface conditions: specific address, current use, surface coverings, elevation, drainage, etc. Subsurface exploration data: soil profile, exploration logs, lab or in-situ test results, ground water conditions Interpretation and analysis of data Engineering recommendations for design Anticipated problems and discussed solutions: slope stability, seismic considerations, etc. Any recommended geotechnical special provisions Include other types of geotechnical reports: foundation report, centerline soil report, landslide study report, etc. With these points as a guideline, it's possible to create a geotechnical report that covers all the right points to satisfy all parties involved in a project. This includes any government agencies that require geotechnical reports. For example, the U.S. Department of Transportation [...]

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|CPT Data, Experienced, Geotechnical North Dakota, Geotechnical Oklahoma, Geotechnical Oregon, Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Ohio, Geotechnical Pennsylvania|0 Comments

Financing of New CPT Equipment Now Available

We're pleased to announce a partnership with Oakmont Capital Services as our preferred lending partner allowing Vertek CPT customers in the U.S. and Canada to enter the CPT business with as litte as no money down! Oakmont Capital Services is a full-service provider of commerical equipment financing. Application-only financing from $5,000 to $300,000 Most companies approved with 100% financing Quick turnaround on applications with most decisions made within 2 to 4 hours Competitive rates and terms (better than most banks) Financing available on new/used equipment with terms from 12 to 84 months Financing for start-up companies with a background in related industry U.S. and Canadian customers only Apply to finance your CPT purchase!

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Geotechnical Oklahoma, Geotechnical Oregon, Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Utah, Geotechnical Vermont, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical Pennsylvania, Vertek Partners|0 Comments

Intro to CPTu: What Can You Learn From Pore Pressure Data?

The most basic CPT tests classify soil based on tip resistance and sleeve friction measurements. In coarse soils and shallow testing depths, this data may be sufficient to accurately characterize the soil behavior. However, most modern CPT cones incorporate a third measurement: pore water pressure. What does this measurement mean and how can it add to our understanding of soil behavior? Pore pressure is simply a measure of the in-situ groundwater pressure, i.e. the water pressure in the “pores” between soil grains. This data is used to determine the compressibility and permeability of the soil, as well as indicating groundwater conditions. It is used to correct or “normalize” the sleeve friction and tip resistance readings in the presence of in-situ moisture and overburden stress. This is especially important in soft, fine-grained soils where in-situ moisture takes longest to dissipate, and in tests at depths greater than 100 feet. A CPT cone that is equipped with one or more pore pressure sensors is called a piezocone, and a CPT test using a piezocone is often indicated with the abbreviation CPTu. Piezocones may have between one and three pore pressure sensors, located on the cone (denoted u1), directly behind the cone (u2), or at the top of the friction sleeve (u3). Most piezocones for everyday applications use one sensor located at u2 (see image below). The pore pressure sensor consists of a porous filter (usually made of plastic resin), a small cavity of incompressible, low-viscosity fluid, and a pressure transducer. The filter and tubing between the filter and transducer must be fully saturated with fluid, usually glycerin or silicon oil, to ensure fast and accurate readings. The filter must be replaced frequently so that it does not become clogged with soil. The procedure for the CPTu test is slightly different than the [...]

By smadi66|December 2nd, 2019|Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Utah, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical Vermont, Geotechnical Pennsylvania, Geotechnical Virginia, CPT Data, Geotechnical Washington, Introductory, Cone Penetration, Soil Testing, Geotechnical Rhode Island|0 Comments