Cone Penetration Archives - Page 2 of 3 - GEOTILL provides geotechnical, construction testing and Environmental services Indianapolis Indiana

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|Cone Penetration, Geotechnical New York, Geotechnical North Dakota, Geotechnical Oklahoma, Geotechnical Oregon, Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical Ohio, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Pennsylvania, Geotechnical North Carolina, Introductory|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 North Dakota, Geotechnical Oklahoma, Geotechnical Oregon, Geotechnical Rhode Island, Geotechnical South Carolina, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical South Dakota, Geotechnical Ohio, Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Pennsylvania, Introductory, Cone Penetration, Video Posts|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|Cone Penetration, Video Posts, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Delaware, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Idaho, Geotechnical Illinois, Geotechnical Georgia, Geotechnical Connecticut, Geotechnical Florida, Geotechnical Iowa, Geotechnical Kansas, Introductory|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 Ohio, Geotechnical Oregon, 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|0 Comments

Cone Penetration Testing Glossary of Terms

This brief glossary contains some of the most frequently used terms related to CPT/CPTU. These are presented in alphabetical order. CPT: Cone Prenetration Test or the act of Cone Penetration Testing. CPTU: Cone Penetration Test with pore water pressure measurement - a piezocone test. Cone: The part of the Cone penetrometer on which the end bearing is developed. Cone penetrometer: The assembly containing the cone, friction sleeve, any other sensors and measuring systems, as well as the connections to the push rods. Cone resistance: The total force acting on the cone, divided by the projected area of the cone. Corrected cone resistance: The cone resistance corrected for pore water pressure effects. Corrected sleeve friction: The sleeve friction corrected for pore water pressure effects on the ends of the friction sleeve. Data acquisition system: The system used to measure and record the measurements made by the cone penetrometer. Dissipation test: A test when the decay of the pore water pressure is monitored during a pause in penetration. Filter element: The porous element inserted into the cone penetrometer to allow transmission of the pore water pressure to the pore pressure sensor, while maintaining the correct profile of the cone penetrometer. Friction ratio: The ratio, expressed as a percentage, of the sleeve friction, to the cone resistance, both measured at the same depth. Friction reducer: A local enlargement on the push-rod surface, placed at a distance above the cone penetrometer, and provided to reduce the friction on the push rods. Friction sleeve: The section of the cone penetrometer upon which the sleeve friction is measured. Normalized cone resistance: The cone resistance expressed in a non dimensional form and taking account of stress changes in situ. Net cone resistance: The corrected cone resistance minus the vertical total stress. Net pore pressure: The meausured pore [...]

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Geotechnical Alabama, Geotechnical West Virginia, Introductory, Cone Penetration, Geotechnical Texas, Geotechnical Utah, Geotechnical Vermont, Geotechnical Virginia, Geotechnical Washington, Geotechnical Tennessee, Geotechnical Wyoming, Geotechnical Wisconsin|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|Geotechnical Minnesota, Geotechnical Iowa, Geotechnical Kansas, Introductory, Cone Penetration, Soil Testing, Geotechnical Louisiana, Geotechnical Indiana, Geotechnical Maine, Geotechnical Kentucky, Geotechnical Massachusetts, Geotechnical Michigan, Geotechnical Maryland|0 Comments

What Can You Reveal Using Fluorescence Detection?

Even if you use CPT technology daily to test soil, you may not be aware of the further advantages CPT testing has to offer beyond its more commonly used or basic geotechnical functions. Take fluorescence detection, for example. Fluorescence detection records a fluorescent response to a specific excitation of automatic carbons in a chemical. This excitation is caused by an ultraviolet light source. But you're probably wondering how fluorescence detection can help you. Read on to find out! The Common Uses of Fluorescence Detection Before delving into scenarios in which fluorescence detection is useful, let's take a closer look at how it works in relation to CPT. One method of fluorescence detection is done using handheld UV lights to investigate above ground contamination. With CPT, the UV light source is placed in the cone, with fiber-optic cables transmitting resulting fluorescence to the surface where it can be measured in voltage responses. At Vertek CPT, we use LEDs and mercury lamps to generate UV light. Whether above ground or below, fluorescence detection reveals two ranges of fluorescent emissions: 280-450 nm wavelengths and wavelengths above 475 nm. The test is capable of detecting a variety of chemicals within these ranges, including: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) Coal tars (DNAPL compounds) if mixed with compounds, like fuels Creosote sites that contain naphtalene, anthracene, BTEX and pyrene Total petroleum hydrocarbon values (TPH) as low as 100 ppm in sandy soil Fluorescence detection is also able to detect a number of contaminants, such as jet fuel, diesel, unleaded gasoline, home heating oil and motor oil. As you can imagine, this makes fluorescence detection extremely beneficial at fuel spill sites and sites with leaking storage tanks. However, if you already use CPT testing regularly, it's worth considering fluorescence detection in other scenarios to add capability and additional [...]

By smadi66|December 3rd, 2019|Geotechnical Arizona, Geotechnical Arkansas, Geotechnical Utah, Geotechnical Vermont, Geotechnical Virginia, Geotechnical Wisconsin, Geotechnical Washington, Geotechnical Alabama, Geotechnical Wyoming, Geotechnical West Virginia, Introductory, Cone Penetration, Soil Testing|0 Comments

CPT 101: Determining Soil Profiles from CPT Data

Cone Penetration Testing allows the tester to identify the nature and sequence of subsurface soil types and to learn the physical and mechanical characteristics of the soil – without necessarily taking a soil sample. How does it work? During a CPT test, a hardened cone is driven vertically into the ground at a fixed rate, while electrical sensors on the cone measure the forces exerted on it. The zone behavior type of the subsurface layers can be extrapolated from two basic readings: cone or tip resistance and sleeve friction. Cone Resistance, denoted qc, represents the ratio of the measured force on the cone tip and the area of the normal projection of the cone tip. The cone resistance indicates the undrained (i.e., including in-situ moisture) shear strength of the soil. Sleeve Friction, denoted fs, is the friction force acting on the sleeve divided by its surface area. The relationship between these two measurements is expressed in the Friction Ratio, denoted Rf and given as a percent. It is the ratio of the sleeve friction to the cone resistance. High friction ratios (high friction, low cone resistance) indicate clayey soils, while low friction ratios indicate sandy soils. The relationship between friction ratio and cone resistance is the simplest method of identifying soil strata with a CPT system, and is especially convenient because the soil behavior type can be extrapolated immediately as the data is collected. An example soil classification chart is given below (though this example uses the corrected cone ratio qt, which we’ll discuss in another blog). As you can imagine, several factors can affect the accuracy of these predictions, for example: Overburden Stress: the pressure exerted on a substrate by the weight of the overlying material Pore Water Pressure: the pressure of the groundwater in the gaps between soil [...]

By smadi66|December 2nd, 2019|Geotechnical Louisiana, Geotechnical Maine, Geotechnical Michigan, Geotechnical Massachusetts, Geotechnical Missouri, Geotechnical Montana, Geotechnical Maryland, Geotechnical Minnesota, Geotechnical Mississippi, Geotechnical Nebraska, CPT Data, Introductory, Cone Penetration|0 Comments

How to Read a CPT Soil Behavior Type Chart

As you analyze your CPT data, you are likely to come across several different charts designed to classify soil type based on CPT results.If you are new to the field, these charts can be a bit confusing, so here’s a brief overview of one of the more common chart types. Soil behavior classification via CPT is fast, efficient, and frequently automated via software. Still, understanding the classification method is important, as it will help you to recognize and determine the cause of any errors or irregularities in the data. First of all, it is important to note that, since a traditional CPT test does not involve a soil sample, these charts are not designed to tell you the exact makeup of the soil. Instead, CPT tests indicate the soil’s physical and mechanical properties, or how it behaves. Hence, a CPT soil classification chart is technically referred to as a Soil Behavior Type (SBT) chart. Most CPT soil charts are derived from tip resistance (or normalized tip resistance, Qt) and friction ratio data. The tip resistance is measured in some unit of pressure (Bars, Pa, PSI, etc) and is usually plotted on the vertical axis. This axis is logarithmic, meaning it increases by orders of magnitude rather than linearly as it gets further from the origin. Thus you will see units of 10, 100 and 1000 marked an equal distance apart. The friction ratio is given on the horizontal axis. It is the ratio of the sleeve friction divided by the tip resistance: the two units of pressure cancel, so this unitless ratio is multiplied by 100 and given as a percent. This percentage is generally low: 10% would be considered a high friction ratio, since the CPT cone experiences greater pressure on its tip due to the shear strength of [...]

By smadi66|December 2nd, 2019|Geotechnical North Carolina, Geotechnical Oklahoma, CPT Data, Geotechnical Oregon, Introductory, Cone Penetration, Soil Testing, Geotechnical Nevada, Geotechnical New Hampshire, Geotechnical New Jersey, Geotechnical New Mexico, Geotechnical New York, Geotechnical Ohio, Geotechnical North Dakota|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|Soil Testing, Geotechnical Rhode Island, 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|0 Comments